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Albright Professor Selected for U.S. Dept. of State Symposium

by Carey Manzolillo

Reading, PA (09/17/2024) — Brian Jennings, Ph.D., (Lancaster, Pa.), professor of sociology at Albright College has been invited to participate in the U.S. Department of State funded IDEAS symposium, Sept. 25-27 in Washington, D.C.

Holding a doctorate in environmental sociology from Utah State, Jennings has conducted research on public program effectiveness, community attachment in high-amenity settings, and environmental worldviews of college students. He has led many Albright College students through study abroad experiences in locations such as Ecuador.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs' Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) program is designed to increase and broaden American student mobility in support of U.S. foreign policy goals through a grant competition and workshops.

The 2.5-day symposium will bring together individuals from a wide range of grantee and alumni institutions for in-person training sessions and networking opportunities designed to equip them with new knowledge, tools and an expanded professional network to help sustain their projects, broaden their networks and generate new IDEAS. Attendees will connect with U.S. representatives, foreign embassy staff, and international educators to engage in productive dialogue on how to grow and sustain study abroad programming and expand to diverse destinations.

The symposium will include meetings at the U.S. Department of State and foreign embassies, industry expert speakers, and interactive sessions. The hope is that upon returning to their campuses, participants will be well-equipped to serve as study abroad champions and expand impact by actively sharing their new knowledge, skills and professional connections.

Pursuing a mission to provide students with an education that enables them to live their best lives, now and in the future, Albright College, Reading, Pa., (founded 1856) is home to a distinctive co-major program that enables students to cross or combine different areas of study, without taking longer to graduate. Be immersed in impactful experiences that foster social mobility and ensure exceptional outcomes alongside undergraduate students, adult learners and graduate students, and ignite your SPARK at Albright College.

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Brian Jennings, Ph.D., professor of sociology at Albright College

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