President's Advisory Council Formed to Spur International Growth

Castleton President Dave Wolk recently hosted a celebration dinner to announce the formation of a new advisory group, the President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence. The dinner was attended by members of the advisory council as well as others on campus who will play key roles in the expansion of Castleton’s international recruitment and retention efforts.

As part of the college’s recently launched ten-year strategic plan, “Castleton on the Move,” Wolk commenced the council to help steer the efforts to create a more robust international student population on campus. This endeavor, which falls under the plan’s “Growth” destination, aims to have five percent of Castleton’s student body originate from outside the United Stated within the next ten years.

The President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence will work closely with the president and his cabinet to foster and direct progress towards institution-wide inclusiveness.  The primary charge of the Council is to review campus climate, recruitment and retention practices, policies, and procedures that will enable Castleton to achieve and sustain inclusive excellence.

Initially the group will focus on inclusive excellence in the context of the college’s efforts to increase its international student population, as well as opening up additional abroad opportunities for current students.

“The President’s Advisory Council will help identify ways Castleton can take full advantage of the wonderful opportunities that will be created with the arrival of more international students from around the world to campus, so that the college experience for all students – American and international – will be mutually positive and beneficial,” said International Development Consultant Debbie Singiser, who will co-chair the new body along with Associate Academic Dean Ingrid Johnston-Robledo.

The group will engage the campus in discussions and then advise the President on preparing for incoming international students by improving inter-cultural competency on campus, leveraging and increasing the visibility of courses, programs, resources, and opportunities within the college that are already promoting inclusivity, and possible ways of defining articulating “inclusive excellence” at Castleton.

“The council will support Castleton in its mission to education its students for the future, which includes preparing them for the personal and professional challenges each will confront in an increasingly diverse, interconnected, and complex world,” said Singiser.