International Visitor Leadership Program visits School of Engineering and Arts (SEA)

On April 8, the School of Engineering and Arts (SEA) welcomed STEM leaders from Australia, India, and Japan as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program for a special visit. 

During the visit, guests observed learning in two second-grade classrooms and a kindergarten class utilizing one of SEA’s outdoor learning spaces. They also had the opportunity to hear from four fifth-grade students, who shared details about their hands-on project raising Rainbow Trout from eggs to release in the wild this May. The students spoke about monitoring water quality, feeding the fish, and exploring how their project connects to the broader ecosystem.

Following the observations, the group and SEA leadership shared questions about professional development, available resources, and partnerships with other organizations.

“It was a great opportunity to connect with global leaders in education,” said SEA Principal Heather Hanson. “Hosting participants from the International Visitor Leadership Program allowed us to not only share our work in STEM, but also learn from diverse perspectives on how to inspire the next generation of innovators.”

The International Visitor Leadership Program is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. Through short-term visits to the United States, current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields cultivate lasting relationships with American counterparts. Each year, nearly 5,000 International Visitors come to the U.S. as part of the program.