COPE welcomes Kazakhstani educators

Dec. 13, 2022 — DENTON — The College of Professional Education welcomed a delegation of respected educators from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Denton campus on Tuesday, Dec. 6, for a cultural exchange and a full day of activities. 

COPE, in conjunction with the Denton-Lake Cities Rotary, a morning club, hosted a panel discussion on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. There was also a campus tour and a deep dive into inclusive education that consisted of a tour of the Future Classroom Lab and discussion with the Student Council for Exceptional Children composed of Texas Woman's teacher candidates pursuing special education certification. 

Rotary International welcomes leaders from post-Soviet countries to the United States as part of the Open World Leadership Program sponsored by the U.S. Congress. COPE at TWU was the perfect pairing for this group as it was one of educators. 

The delegation from Kazakhstan included:

• Laura Butabayeva, Director of the Inclusive Education Center at the Ybrai Altynsarin National Academy of Education
• Sergey Klyuyev, a teacher and psychologist
• Zhanar Nurseitova, a senior instructor and trainer on inclusive education at Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University
• Galiya Zhanayeva, a senior specialist for the Human Potential Development Department of the Turkestan Region
• Samat Zhumabekov, Head of Preschool and General Secondary Education and Training Office for the Republic of Kazakhstan

COPE Associate Dean Gina Anderson spearheaded the exchange. 

“We are committed to transformational learning, discovery, and service in an inclusive environment that embraces diversity, so we are always seeking new ways to cultivate global citizens through our programs, partnerships, and study abroad opportunities,” Anderson said. “We thoroughly enjoyed starting the conversation about how we may be able to partner with this group in the future.”

The panel was thoughtfully composed of leaders throughout TWU who could speak to inclusion and education. Panel members were:

• Douha Abbasher, Graduate Research Assistant, Literacy & Learning
• Carmen Cruz, PsyD, Interim Director, Counseling and Psychological Services
• Aimée Myers, PhD, Assistant Professor, Teacher Education
• Annie Phillips Munson, PhD, Executive Director, International Affairs
• Becky Rodriguez, PhD, Executive Director, Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach
• Gabrielle Smith, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology & Philosophy

Page last updated 10:36 AM, November 28, 2023