Jill Blondin opens the world to students in VCU's Office of Global Education – VCU News

Written by Amelia Hayman

That trip ended up being her gateway to international education, although she admitted it was “a little bit subconscious.” And Blondin never expected it to become a stepping stone to her current role as vice provost for global initiatives in Virginia Commonwealth University's Office of Global Education.

“It was tough thinking about playing the role I'm in now, because it's a big role,” she said.

Blondin first came to Richmond in 2013 to lead VCU Globe, a living learning program focused on global engagement. Over her 10 years on campus, she has helped reimagine and dramatically expand VCU's commitment to global education and student experience. And her accomplishments are being noticed off campus as well. Blondin was recently awarded her 2023 Senior International Office of the Year honor by the Institute of International Education.r of the year award.

“From the day she arrived, Jill has been a tireless and caring leader and champion of international learning and international students,” said VCU President Dr. Michael Rao. “As VCU attracts more international students, we are grateful for her guidance and exceptional expertise. I have had the opportunity to work directly with her in recruiting students from around the world. “We have confirmed that Jill is a valuable addition to VCU. There is no one more deserving of this global recognition.”

Blondin emphasized that this award reflects how well GEO staff perform in their roles. She became her SIO and established a new organizational structure. Within this, the Office's Global Learning Division is responsible for outbound global learning opportunities such as study abroad, as well as support for VCU's international students. At many universities, Blondin said, these components would be handled in separate departments, but VCU's approach allows it to manage its people and programs at a holistic level, she said.

“Global learning is really about student experience and student support. It's not really about, 'Are you an international student or would you like to study abroad instead?'” Blondin said. said. “We are trying to figure out the best way to optimize the support we provide to our students, regardless of their needs.”

Stephanie Tigner, director of global learning at VCU, co-nominated Blondin for the International Education Institute Award, which is determined by a panel of industry peers. Tigner said that when evaluating Blondin's value, she looks beyond numerical criteria, from her leadership qualities and mentoring to her sense of humor. .

“She has a magical glow that I think everyone recognizes and loves,” Tigner said. “She has made significant contributions to international education at VCU during her relatively short time serving as her SIO.”

Sidney Gordon, a former VCU Globe student and current master’s candidate in Latin American studies at Stanford University, added her voice to the award application. Ms. Gordon said she has benefited from Blondin's tutelage for nearly 10 years and that she is working in the field of international education because of Blondin.

“I am not the only student who has benefited from her guidance and dedication. I can easily name more than a dozen VCU alumni alone,” Gordon said.

Dr. Paulo Zagaro-Mello, associate professor of global education at Western Michigan University, co-nominated Blondin for the award. He met her through the International Association of Educational Administrators' Peer Learning Circle. The program was launched in 2020 to connect members to share experiences and overcome the challenges of the pandemic. He called Blondin one of the best experts he has known during her 30-year career in international education.

“Like many charismatic leaders, she is what I usually call a 'trust magnet'. People are easily drawn to her and trust her,” Zagaromero said. “This potential trustworthiness, combined with her high emotional intelligence, makes her an asset not only to advancing VCU's global engagement, but also to the SIO profession and the network of associations of which she is a member. It provides an incredible skill set that can be used wisely against the world.”

Looking back on his professional journey, Blondin said it was hubris to leave his tenure at Texas to lead the VCU Globe, but he believed in the program.

The program ran for eight years under her leadership, ending in 2022, and the experience reveals how international education can infuse VCU's mission while broadening students' worldviews. I did. From there, “we created the Global Studies Unit and had the opportunity to reimagine what it means to be global at VCU,” she said.

Blondin was also named one of PIE Insider's 2023 50 Voices of North America and will receive the SIO Award at the industry conference in February. She is grateful for this recognition and what it says about her colleagues and her VCU as a whole.

“I hope people are aware of the work that I and my team are doing and, frankly, the work that leadership across VCU is doing to increase the number of international students and provide a more global university.” “I'm so grateful for that.'' It's a learning opportunity,'' Blondin said. “This award is a testament to everything we have worked on together.”