Cheryl Marcelo Awarded Texas Women in Higher Education Leadership Development Grant
SHERMAN, TEXAS — Texas Women in Higher Education (TWHE) has announced Cheryl Marcelo, M.Ed., of Austin College is a recipient of their 2024 Institutional Event and Leadership Development Grant, given to only nine women statewide. TWHE grants are designed to support women in higher education in Texas as they pursue opportunities for advancement and professional growth. Recipients will pursue individual projects in support of their goals, then attend the TWHE conference in Corpus Christi, Texas, in April 2024.
Marcelo is the Director of International Programs at Austin College. Through the TWHE Leadership Development Grant, she will participate in the Forum for Education Abroad Annual Conference in March 2024, where she will present about her work at Austin College to peers from across the country and continue learning best practices in her field. “As a Filipino American woman, I’m proud to be a voice for a small yet important community among study abroad professionals in the U.S. as I participate in both regional and national conferences this spring semester,” she says.
She plans to share about her work on establishing Austin College’s first Global Living Learning Community, which centers around cultural inquiry, personal consciousness, and knowledge-building among first-year students as they prepare for international experiences. Marcelo roots that work in global citizenship and social justice, guiding students toward becoming responsible actors in local and global affairs.
“Within my six years at AC, our campus has produced international opportunities for students, not only to explore diverse countries and cultures, but also to think critically about our roles and responsibilities in a global society,” she says. “It is through the support of other women leaders, such as Dr. Martinella Dryburgh and Dr. Beth Gill, that I get to engage in knowledge-building, and this culture of empowerment is something I hope to continue and emulate for our students at Austin College.”
Marcelo’s leadership in international education at a small liberal arts college has unique value she hopes will resonate with professionals from similar institutions as well as those from larger university systems. “Receiving the Texas Women in Higher Education professional development grant is an immense opportunity to showcase the success of Austin College in supporting global experiential learning, both in the specific field of international education and in the larger context of Texas higher education,” says Marcelo.
The TWHE grants are administered by Del Watson, Ph.D., Director of Faculty Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin, and Martinella Dryburgh, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Posey Leadership Institute and Associate Professor of Business Administration at Austin College. TWHE is dedicated to developing, advancing, and supporting women employed at colleges and universities across the state of Texas. Unlike organizations focused on one area of responsibility, TWHE serves women in all sectors of higher education—public and private, university and community college—working in all areas of their institutions. Also awarded grants were Khristie Prince and Keren Longshore, M.S., Tyler Junior College; Lory Z. Santiago-Vázquez, Ph.D., and Angela Kelling, Ph.D., University of Houston-Clear Lake; Laurel Smith Stvan, Ph.D., University of Texas at Arlington; Ritu Gairola Khanduri, PhD., University of Texas at Arlington; Kristie Cerling, Ed.D., Houston Christian University; and Swagata Chakraborty, Ph.D., University of North Texas.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.