LFCC event encourages more global perspective

MIDDLETOWN — Lord Fairfax Community College held its first United Nations Day to encourage students and staff to think beyond the “community” in community college.

“We want to see if we can get something started,” history professor Curtis Morgan said in an interview during the event. “To get the students to think outside the Valley, to think outside the box.”

The six-hour event was held Wednesday at the Corron Community Development Center on the Middletown campus.

As part of UN Day, Troy Wolfe, with United Nations Association of the United States of America, spoke about the importance of the international organization and taking action “beyond your backyard.”

“I hope going forward you seek to do more, give more and be more,” he said.

David J. Smith, senior manager for educational outreach at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., spoke about how LFCC can expand its international education efforts by looking at peace building and conflict resolution.

“Community college students and community colleges can contribute to solving the most pressing problems around the world,” he said. “Community colleges are getting more diverse and are critical for workforce development.”

Morgan, who also spoke at the event, said during the interview that LFCC has taken a step toward thinking globally by internationalizing the curriculum and adding more world history courses.

He asks students to step out of their American shoes and consider ways they could help people in other countries in accordance with their culture and traditions.

He also encourages students to leave the area and travel overseas to help others and experience different cultures.

“I tell my students that the world is yours,” he said. “Grab it. Grab it before it gets away.”

Other speakers at the event included Rosalie Huisinga Norem, an independent consultant on socio-economic and gender issues; consultant Bonnie Kittle; and Charlotte Block, program director for global health at Project HOPE.

LFCC also has campuses in Fauquier and Luray-Page.

— Contact Rebecca Layne at rlayne@winchesterstar.com