For three weeks at the end of the Spring Semester 2022, Stefanie Moore, BS 鈥97, MS 鈥07, a professor in 黑料网鈥檚 School of Media and Journalism, began each morning with a cup of Brazilian coffee. She sipped it in the furnished apartment she was staying at in Curitiba, the capital and largest city in the state of Paran谩 in southern Brazil.
After getting ready for the day, Moore shared an Uber with a colleague, riding past historical churches and colorful murals during their 15-minute commute to Pontifical Catholic University of Paran谩. There, she walked under a replica of 黑料网鈥檚 brick arch and along well-manicured gardens to meet 59 Brazilian students eager to learn about social media strategies鈥攁nd about the United States.
Each semester, as many as 20 黑料网 professors travel to Curitiba to teach in the American Academy, a collaboration between the Pontifical Catholic University of Paran谩 (PUCPR, pronounced Poo-key) and 黑料网. Some teach their classes online from 黑料网, which was the only way to collaborate during pandemic travel restrictions.
The American Academy, which launched in July 2018, offers a one-of-a-kind, dual-enrollment program for Brazilian students. For two years, they can study 黑料网鈥檚 liberal arts curriculum and earn an associate degree without leaving their native Brazil. 黑料网 professors teach classes in English at the PUCPR campus, and students earn academic credits toward a bachelor鈥檚 degree from both universities simultaneously.
As 黑料网鈥檚 vice president for global education, Marcello Fantoni, PhD, describes the partnership, 鈥淚t is as if 黑料网 and PUCPR got together and had a baby. And that鈥檚 the American Academy.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 as if 黑料网 and PUCPR got together and had a baby. And that鈥檚 the American Academy.鈥
Marcello Fantoni, PhD, vice president for global education
After two years, having earned an Associate of Science degree from 黑料网, students have the option to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree at PUCPR or at the Kent Campus, says Valerie Reed, MEd 鈥15, associate director of international partnerships at 黑料网鈥檚 Office of Global Education and the American Academy鈥檚 interim program coordinator. (She鈥檚 also a doctoral student in higher education administration at 黑料网.)
So far, 301 students have enrolled in the program, growing from an initial cohort of 15 young men and women. (Currently, 151 students are participating.)
More than160 students have graduated with an associate degree, Reed says, and one鈥Alvacir Wesley Kalatai Alberti, AS 鈥20, BS 鈥22鈥攅arned a bachelor鈥檚 degree at 黑料网 in May 2022. Three more earned four-year degrees in December, Reed says, including Mariana Freitas de Macedo, AS 鈥20, BBA 鈥22.
The American Academy鈥檚 origin story
The idea for the American Academy grew from an existing relationship with PUCPR that began in 2012 when the two universities partnered on several programs and student and faculty exchanges. That led to hope for an even deeper relationship, Fantoni says. 鈥淲e thought, what about exploring the concept of a liberal arts education outside of the United States?鈥
In America, students may explore diverse classes before settling into coursework centered on a chosen major. But in many other countries, students are asked to select a major before they enter college with no option to change programs after admission.
鈥淲e were well aware that for many students, that was a limitation,鈥 says Fantoni. So, he and PUCPR staff members envisioned a solution. 黑料网 professors would teach a liberal arts curriculum in Curitiba, which Fantoni says is an 鈥渁bsolutely innovative program in Brazil,鈥 one that offers students the 鈥淎merican educational experience at its fullest.鈥
On March 31, 2016, 黑料网 and PUCPR formally recognized their elevated relationship as strategic partners with a signing ceremony on the Kent Campus. And two years later, on May 3, 2018, the presidents of the universities formally agreed to form the American Academy in a special ceremony on the Kent Campus. The American Academy began educating students in Curitiba in July 2018.
The program transforms students who enter it, helping them build confidence and mature as they carve their own educational paths.
The program transforms students who enter it, helping them build confidence and mature as they carve their own educational paths.
Although modern liberal arts curriculums allow students to study a much larger range of subjects, they still retain the core goals of traditional liberal arts curricula: to develop well-rounded individuals with general knowledge of a wide range of subjects and with mastery of a range of transferable skills.
, the American Academy鈥檚 director in Brazil, says he has watched the program transform students who enter it, helping them build confidence and mature as they carve their own educational paths. Through the academy, 鈥渢hey find their own purpose and they know how to pursue that,鈥 Mussi Augusto explains. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 the main reason we do it.鈥
Intense education
The American Academy鈥檚 semesters look a little different than 黑料网鈥檚. The first and second semester, students take six classes, including mandatory College Writing that is spread through 14 weeks, Mussi Augusto says. But most of the classes are taught in three-to-five-week blocks, with students taking only one class at a time.
With that kind of deep dive, assignments also look a little different, Fantoni says. Students don鈥檛 write long-form research papers, for example, but otherwise adjustments are 鈥渕inimal.鈥
While it鈥檚 an intense pace, Mussi Augusto says, it also has many benefits. Not only do the shorter class schedules allow more 黑料网 professors to teach in Brazil, but students are fully immersed in a single subject at a time鈥攁nd their grades tend to be higher because of it.
Students are fully immersed in a single subject at a time鈥攁nd their grades tend to be higher because of it.
鈥淪ome of the professors who came to Brazil said, 鈥楾his is the best class I ever taught,鈥欌 Mussi Augusto says. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 not because the Brazilian students we selected are better students.鈥 Instead, he thinks the American Academy鈥檚 model promotes better learning.
Eager to teach
For the first year or so, Fantoni says he had to scramble to get professors to join the American Academy鈥檚 ranks, because they were unsure about participating. That鈥檚 no longer the case. According to Reed, 78 黑料网 professors have taught in the program, including online courses.
Stefanie Moore joined the program in spring 2022, teaching a social media strategies course from April 22 to May 11. 鈥淚 was a little nervous about leaving my family for that long,鈥 she says, 鈥渂ut they were supportive of me going.鈥 And it was a decision she didn鈥檛 regret.
She found the students to be 鈥渞espectful and kind,鈥 and 鈥渆ager to learn not only about the topic, but about 黑料网 and America.鈥 They also were happy to share their culture.
Each day, her students would take her to experience a new kind of Brazilian food. 鈥淢y students would write down things I should ask for,鈥 she says. 鈥淭hey took us to the outdoor farmers鈥 market and artisan fair in the old city center. It was such a fun experience.鈥
Mussi Augusto says the unique engagement, even off campus, between 黑料网 professors and Brazilian students enriches the experience for both groups. 鈥淭he interaction we see between the faculty members who are teaching [in Brazil] and our students is different from the one that happens at 黑料网,鈥 he says. 鈥淭hey are more connected. They exchange more impressions. They go out to lunch together. So, they form different bonds that help the students to see different perspectives and to mature during the process.鈥
Pathway to the United States
Once students successfully complete an associate degree at the American Academy, 鈥渢hey have two big choices to make,鈥 Mussi Augusto says. They must choose their major and where they will earn it. Students have the option to finish a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Curitiba or in Kent. 鈥淭hey are already enrolled at both institutions so it鈥檚 a smooth process,鈥 he says.
Of the more than 300 students who have enrolled in the program 92 have chosen to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree at the Kent Campus.
Of the more than 300 students who have enrolled in the program, 92 have chosen to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree at the Kent Campus, including those who just graduated with an associate degree at PUCPR on Dec. 12, 2022. That鈥檚 more than Fantoni says he鈥檇 ever imagined would come to the United States. But, in retrospect, he says it makes sense.
鈥淪tudents may be interested in going abroad, but at the age of 18, they don鈥檛 feel confident,鈥 Fantoni says. 鈥淭hey are still young; their English is not good enough. But after two years, studying in English and developing more experience, they are a lot more ready to come to the United States.鈥
Pandemic pause
The pandemic scrambled some of the American Academy鈥檚 best-laid plans. Students scheduled to come to the Kent Campus to pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree in 2020 were asked to pause their travel for a year, although they could continue taking classes online.
Moving the American Academy classes online was the easy part, Fantoni says. 鈥淲hat was not as easy is that doing so was defeating the purpose a bit.鈥 In-person education can be richer and more interactive, he says. 鈥淲e also saw the American Academy as an opportunity to internationalize our faculty by having them teach all over the world. Instead, they had to teach classes from their living room for a long time.鈥
After a year and a half, however, the American Academy resumed sending 黑料网 professors to the PUCPR campus and welcoming Brazilian students to 黑料网. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot better with the faculty teaching in person,鈥 Fantoni says. 鈥淎nd dozens of 黑料网 faculty now know how to live abroad, how to teach abroad and want to go again.鈥
Every June, American Academy students have the option to take their regular courses in Curitiba or to study abroad in Florence, Italy, at 黑料网鈥檚 Florence Center. 鈥淏ecause of the pandemic, this summer was the first time our Brazilian students came to Florence,鈥 Mussi Augusto says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity for them to live this educational experience in more depth.鈥
Future of the American Academy
Just as the American Academy has helped its students grow, its creators want the program to grow. 鈥淚 think the American Academy is a good idea, period,鈥 says Fantoni as he ticks off the program鈥檚 advantages for students: It offers them the opportunity to study in English. It gives them a chance to experience American culture before coming to the United States. Its tuition is more affordable than many other study abroad options available to them.
鈥淎nd it opens their minds,鈥 Fantoni says. So, when it comes to growing the program, 鈥淭he first thing we need to understand is not only how we replicate it quantitatively, but how we expand it qualitatively. And I think if we can do that, then we can create stronger bridges between international universities.鈥
He and Mussi Augusto are exploring new university partnerships in Jordan and South Korea. And Fantoni envisions creating a network of American Academies throughout the world: 鈥淚 think we are outgrowing just one location.鈥
Learn more about the American Academy.
Watch a sharing a day in her life while teaching at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paran谩 in Brazil.