Connecticut College To Develop Campus Hub For Global Study, Engagement

NEW LONDON, CT — Building on a tradition of innovation and a commitment to international education and social justice, Connecticut College will launch a new center for global study and engagement. The Otto and Fran Walter Commons for Global Study and Engagement will advance dialogue and social justice across disciplines, borders and boundaries.

Developed in concert with Connections, the College’s new curriculum, the Global Commons will open early in the spring semester on the ground floor of Blaustein Humanities Center, following a $1.6 million renovation, according to a release. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

“This vibrant hub for global learning will allow our faculty and staff to infuse courses and off-campus programs with diverse world perspectives, and will afford our students new opportunities to address the most relevant issues of our time,” Connecticut College President Katherine Bergeron said in a release. “The Walter Commons is the embodiment of our vision for a more deeply connected and engaged education that promotes the intellectual, social, professional and civic development of every student.”

The new Walter Commons brings together the college’s Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity, Language and Culture Center, Office of Study Away, Office of Global Initiatives and Toor Cummings Center for International Studies and the Liberal Arts.

The modern, collaborative space unites core elements of the college’s historically strong global education with opportunities for local and global engagement and ensures every student can integrate a global perspective into their four-year experience.

“We see the Walter Commons expanding the context for language learning, harnessing advances in technology to further connect our students to the world," Associate Dean of Global Initiatives Amy Dooling said in a release, "and cultivating new partnerships with colleges and universities at home and abroad.”

Renovations begin in October and are funded through grants from private foundations. These include $750,000 from the Otto and Fran Walter Foundation, $200,000 from The William Randolph Hearst Foundation and $175,000 from The George I. Alden Trust, as well as a generous gift from Susan Eckert Lynch (Class of ’62).

Key components of the Walter Global Commons include:

• Curricular and co-curricular activities to promote awareness of the intersections between social justice and deep knowledge of cultures and communities
• Enhanced academic advising to enrich student off-campus learning and engagement
• Pre- and post-departure study away programs
• Events with campus and community partners to promote global understanding
• Projects foregrounding spaces and opportunities in the wider New London and New England communities to develop global perspectives
• Lectures and seminars with international visiting scholars and artists, including scholars in residence hosted through the IIE-Scholar Rescue Program
• Globally networked learning opportunities to connect students on campus with partners and places in other parts of the world

The Walter Commons was designed to align with the pillars of the College’s new curriculum by enhancing world languages and intercultural knowledge, deepening global and local engagement and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, all while ensuring that students graduate fully prepared for the challenges of today’s complex world.

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