East Tennessee State University’s Global Year Initiative
The Center for Global Engagement has implemented a Global Year program to highlight the University's commitment to comprehensive campus internationalization. This program seeks to raise awareness of the University’s campus internationalization efforts by focusing on a single country during a two-year planning and implementation cycle. During the fall of the planning year, faculty seminar participants are chosen through a competitive application process. Selected faculty members meet regularly over the course of the planning year spring semester with the Director of the Center for Global Engagement, the Global Year Faculty Seminar Director, and the Global Year Leadership team, whose membership varies depending on the year chosen. During these meetings, faculty members learn about the Global Year country and our partner institutions there and also further develop the project proposed during the application process. The spring Faculty Seminar during the planning year culminates in a site visit to the host country. Members participate in group cultural excursions, partner institution visits, and individual meetings related to their projects.
During the fall of the implementation year, faculty seminar meetings continue and the Center for Global Engagement hosts a series of lectures by the Faculty Seminar participants at which they present progress on their projects. The Center for Global Engagement also either sponsors or promotes other events related to the Global Year country during the implementation year.
ETSU Global Year 2024-2025: Scotland
The ties between Scotland and Appalachia can be traced back to the 18th century when many Scots immigrated to the Appalachian region of the United States. These Scots, known as the Scotch-Irish or Ulster Scots, settled in the Appalachian Mountains and brought with them their traditions, music, and culture.
The cultural influence of Scotland on Appalachia can be seen in the music of the region, particularly in the traditional Appalachian music that is rooted in Scottish and Irish folk music. Many of the traditional Appalachian ballads and fiddle tunes have their origins in Scottish and Irish music.
There are also linguistic ties between Scotland and Appalachia, as many of the Scots who settled in the region spoke a dialect of English known as Scots-Irish or Appalachian English. This dialect has retained many features of the Scots language, including unique vocabulary and grammatical structures.
In addition to music and language, the Scots-Irish settlers also brought with them
traditional Scottish customs that have been preserved in the Appalachian region to
this day. These include ceilidhs (social gatherings with music and dancing), traditional
Scottish recipes, and the celebration of Scottish holidays such as Burns Night.
The ties between Scotland and Appalachia are deep and enduring, with the cultural influence of Scotland continuing to be felt in the region to this day.
What's Happening Next?
Below are the Global Year events coming up in the next few months. Please click on the arrow for the complete schedule of events for academic year 2024-2025. Please attend as many events as you can and help spread awareness about Global Year: Scotland by telling your students, classmates, friends, and colleagues!
Thursday, March 13th: Dr. Qian Huang and Dr. Brittany Stahnke Joy will present their findings on using geographic information systems (GIS) in addition to qualitative measurements to understand health differences between Scotland’s urban and rural landscapes, as well as make comparisons between Scotland and Appalachia.
Time and Location: 4:30-5:30 p.m., Culp 311 (Forum)
Wednesday, April 9th: Dr. Jason Davis will present his analysis comparing recreational land management and usage in Scotland versus the United States, with particular focus on National Parks. An important externality of national parks in America is the economic stimulus they bring to the surrounding communities (gateway communities); Dr. Davis will discuss whether similar economic benefits are felt in the surrounding communities of Scotland’s two national parks.
Time and Location: 4:30-5:30 p.m., Culp 311 (Forum)
Monday, April 28th: Dr. Scott Jenkinson will present and discuss his findings from the group autoethnography project he directed for the Global Year: Scotland leadership team and faculty seminar participants. (TENTATIVE DATE)
Time and Location: 4:30-5:30 p.m., Culp 311 (Forum)
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ETSU Global Year: Scotland 2024-2025 Faculty Seminar Participants
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ETSU Global Year: Scotland 2024-2025 Schedule of Events
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ETSU Global Year: Ecuador, 2022-23
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ETSU Global Year: Faculty Seminar
The ETSU Global Year Faculty Seminar participants are selected through a competitive application process in the fall prior to the beginning of new Global Year. Seminar participants meet regularly with the Global Year leadership team during the spring semester to develop academic projects related to the selected country, and then travel as a cohort to the target country the following summer. -
How ETSU Global Year Countries are Selected
We are developing guidelines for selecting future Global Year countries. We will post these here. In the meantime, if you would like to propose a country for future consideration, pleae contact Dr. Karla Leybold or Dr. Megan Quinn.