Our 2025 IES Abroad Faculty-Led Program Award Winners

IES Global is committed to academic excellence and exploring the possibilities in the classroom as we encourage students to explore the world. Our commitment to doing so includes increasing accessibility for students and faculty that allows them to develop and experience impactful and memorable programs that advance global education forward. 

This year, IES Global Customized & Faculty-Led Programs held our Faculty-Led Program Awards, offering a total of $50,000 in grants for winners to put towards a faculty-led study abroad program focusing on one (or more) of the IES Abroad Global Pillars (Sustainable Living, Equitable Living, Human Well-Being). Designed to engage students with intellectual, political, cultural, and/or social institutions within their host country, this program expands the world of study abroad, showcasing faculty creativity and innovation in their individual designs. 

Learn more about the faculty winners and their programs!

About Dr. Al-Shamat & Dr. Ghali: Dr. Hania Al-Shamat is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at UNC Charlotte. With an interdisciplinary approach, her research and teaching encompass politics, economics, history, and law, with a focus on the evolution of political and economic institutions in the MENA region. She teaches courses on international political economy, migration, and the roles of women and politics in the Middle East.

Dr. Noha Ghali serves as the Coordinator and Associate Teaching Professor of the Arabic Language Program at UNC Charlotte, where she established the Arabic Studies minor. She teaches Arabic language courses across all levels and offers interdisciplinary content courses in English, such as Modern Arab Culture, Islamic Culture in the U.S., and an exploration of Middle Eastern millennials through media and literature. Dr. Ghali also advises the Arabic Studies minors and oversees cultural clubs and extracurricular activities within the Arabic Program.

About Almeida Vélez & Dr. Nadeau: Cristina Almeida Vélez, Coordinator of the Basic Language Sequence and Language Resource Center (LRC) at Illinois Wesleyan University, teaches Spanish and French. A native of Quito, Ecuador, she is excited to share her culture with students as she leads “SPAN 201: Intermediate Spanish” to fulfill curriculum requirements. Passionate about the power of languages, Cristina fosters meaningful, interactive experiences that build students' confidence. As the LRC Coordinator, she developed a dynamic space for experiential learning. With a background in ecotourism, she also integrates environmental themes into her teaching and eagerly anticipates guiding students on an immersive study abroad experience in Ecuador.

Dr. Carolyn Nadeau, the Byron S. Tucci Professor of Spanish at Illinois Wesleyan University, specializes in medieval and early-modern Spanish literature and culture. She teaches both intermediate and advanced language courses, including pre-professional Spanish for health, business, and law, using documentary film as a medium. Her research investigates artists’ roles as catalysts for collective social memory, particularly how their work with food makes political, economic, and social statements. Her book project, Artistic Voices of the Transatlantic Exchange, examines early modern writers’ and artists’ influence on the integration of New World foods into Spanish cuisine. Dr. Nadeau looks forward to returning to Ecuador to co-lead a transformative language and cultural journey for students through her courses: “SPAN 203: Spanish as a World Language,” “SPAN 303: Communicating Across Cultures in the Spanish-speaking World,” and “SPAN 305: Travel Seminar.”

About the Program: In this three-week program, Illinois Wesleyan students will enhance their Spanish skills while exploring Ecuador's Andes, Amazon, and Chocó regions. In Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, they’ll discover vibrant neighborhoods and colonial architecture. Through immersive experiences—such as chocolate-making from cacao beans, hiking cloud forests, observing diverse hummingbird species, and visiting South America’s largest open-air market and a traditional weaving workshop—students will gain rich cultural insights. By engaging with indigenous communities, exploring the Kichwa language, and learning about ancient practices that honor nature as a source of food, medicine, and home, they will develop a profound appreciation for Ecuador’s multilingual, multiethnic heritage and remarkable biodiversity.

About Dr. Carroll & Dr. Cruze: Dr. Kelli Carroll is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Wofford College and a Developmental and Cellular Biologist whose research focuses on the genetic and molecular factors that control embryonic development. Her lab uses zebrafish embryos as a model to explore these processes. Dr. Carroll teaches Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Evolutionary Biology, and Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience. She holds a B.S. from Davidson College and a Ph.D. in Developmental and Regenerative Biology from Harvard University.

Dr. Lori Cruze, an Associate Professor of Biology at Wofford College, is a reproductive biologist specializing in the reproduction, survival, and conservation of cavity-nesting songbirds. She teaches Biological Inquiry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Human Physiology, and Comparative Reproductive Biology. Dr. Cruze earned a B.S. in Zoology from the University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Florida. Prior to Wofford, she served as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical University of South Carolina.

About Dr. Turman: Dr. Natasha T. Turman is the Director of the Women in Science and Engineering Residence Program at the University of Michigan. Her scholarship and practice focus on gender, diversity, and critical leadership development in higher education, examining who is excluded from dominant narratives and the systemic processes that maintain this exclusion. With 16 years of experience, she has served in various roles, including Project Manager for the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership. Dr. Turman advocates for equity and inclusive practices in STEM education through her involvement with the Sloan Equity and Inclusion in STEM Introductory Courses (SEISMIC) Collaborative. An active researcher, she has authored several publications and presented at over twenty national and international conferences, including co-authoring Leadership Theory: A Facilitator’s Guide for Cultivating Critical Perspectives (Dugan, Turman, Barnes & Associates, 2017). Dr. Turman earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago in 2017, and holds an M.S. Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Old Dominion University and a B.S. in Chemistry from Spelman College.

About Dr. Mohamed & Dr. Varela: Dr. Noran Mohamed is an Assistant Professor of French at Hunter College, CUNY, specializing in modern Maghrebi literatures. Her research focuses on the intersections of corporeality, writing, memory, and identity, a concept she terms “corporeal writing and memory.” Her current book project examines how the body is both represented and constructed through narrative and memory in four novels.

Dr. Tania Varela is the Director of the English/Spanish Translation and Interpretation Program in the Department of Romance Languages at Hunter College. A seasoned translator, she has taught Spanish language and culture courses at the undergraduate level for over a decade. Dr. Varela earned her Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from UCLA in 2023, specializing in translation, chivalric romances, and Mediterranean studies. Her research and professional experience reveal her dedication to exploring the evolution of stories across time and cultures, as well as their impact on social and linguistic change. She frequently travels to Spain and France, where she has found a second home.

About Dr. Chizewski & Dr. Wekesser: Dr. Annmarie Chizewski is a Tactical Athlete Wellness, Performance, and Human Optimization Specialist with a Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has served as Assistant Director of Experiential Learning at the University of Illinois Chicago and as Director of Sport and Exercise Science at Benedictine University. Her research, published in journals such as the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, centers on cognitive functioning and the fitness-performance link in firefighters. She also directed a sport sociology study abroad program during the 2024 Paris Olympics, bridging academic research with practical applications in tactical athlete wellness.

Dr. Meredith Wekesser is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she teaches and oversees clinical hours in the Performance, Sport, and Exercise Psychology graduate program. A Certified Mental Performance Consultant, she has provided consultations for diverse clients, including Division I athletes and musicians. Her research focuses on coach behaviors that foster positive youth development in sports and has received awards from the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Dr. Wekesser holds a Ph.D. in Kinesiology (Sport Psychology) from Michigan State University, an M.S. in Kinesiology from Georgia Southern University, and a B.S. in Psychology from Truman State University. She is also an avid triathlete with a goal to complete a full IRONMAN.

About the Program: Sport holds immense power to drive social change and promote diversity, as shown by athletes like Caitlin Clark and Aja Wilson, who are breaking records and challenging norms in the WNBA. Our Sports and Society Program introduces students to the complex dynamics between sports and society, highlighting progress through laws such as Title IX and the ADA, and inspiring leadership for social change. This summer, they're excited to take the program to Sydney, Australia, where students will immerse themselves in Australian sports culture and examine global sporting traditions. Dr. Annmarie Chizewski is thrilled to pass the program to Dr. Meredith Wekesser, a dedicated sport psychology consultant with expertise in youth development through sport. We hope students gain a deep understanding of sport’s impact, not only on individuals but as a tool for building a more inclusive, diverse, and socially just world.

About Dr. Kendall & Dr. O'Neil: Dr. Chris Kendall, Associate Professor and Chair of the Politics & Government Department, focuses his research and teaching on the intersection of law, politics, and global governance, exploring how political and legal institutions influence global justice. A former practicing attorney in New York City, he also serves as the university’s pre-law advisor. His forthcoming book, Between Possibility and Peril: Domestic Courts and the Selective Enforcement of Human Rights (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024), examines how domestic courts in Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa navigate the challenges of enforcing human rights amidst political pressures. Professor Kendall brings real-world insights to his courses, incorporating negotiation and crisis scenarios to equip students with practical political skills in subjects like international relations, comparative judicial politics, and global governance.

Patrick O’Neil’s research and teaching focus on Middle Eastern politics, particularly Israel/Palestine and Iran. He has extensively studied Shia public rituals, including the Ashura ritual in Iran and India. O’Neil is the author of widely used textbooks, including Essentials of Comparative Politics and Cases in Comparative Politics. His earlier research emphasized European and post-Soviet politics, and he has studied terrorism in Israel as a Foundation for the Defense of Democracies fellow. His notable publications include A Messianic State? Ideology, Rationality, and Eschatology in Iranian Politics and A Revolution from Within: The Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party and the Collapse of Communism. O’Neil teaches courses on European politics, Middle Eastern politics, and terrorism.

Thank you to everyone who submitted their thoughtful and innovative program ideas! Learn more about our Customized and Faculty-Led Programs or connect with a Customized Program Manager to get started on your own faculty-led study abroad program!

Interested in making your faculty-led study abroad program a reality? Our application for the 2026 Faculty-Led Awards open in March 2025. Don't miss out!