Global Engagement Office

Global Research Grants

• Ben Beres, Cornish College of the Arts. Hello Print Friend is a faculty research residency in Chiang Mai, Thailand, focused on developing a new body of lithographic work through intensive collaboration with international artists and master printers. The project expands technical expertise in stone lithography while informing teaching, curriculum development, and public-facing work at Seattle University.
• Serena Cosgrove, College of Arts and Sciences. I propose to carry out research in Bosnia-Herzegovina to measure the impact of the first LGBTQ+ safe house in the country. A under-researched topic in the field of postconflict studies, this proposed research will contribute valuable insights about the importance of providing services to LGBTQIA+ communities after war and conflict: often gender and sexual violence increases after peace accords are signed.
• Rober Efird, College of Arts and Sciences*. This project explores the potential of human-plant communication by profiling the perspectives and practices of Japanese "plant people": individuals whose caring, communicative relationships with plants promote ecological sustainability.
• Woo-Joong Kim, College of Science and Engineering*. This initiative builds on an established Jesuit partnership with Sogang University in South Korea by adding a biophysics research collaboration. It creates pathways for joint undergraduate research and curriculum development while strengthening connections with industry partners.
• Henry Louie, College of Science and Engineering. Community energy hubs (CEHs) are an innovative method for providing electricity to otherwise off-grid communities in rural areas in developing countries. This research begins a systematic study of CEH by interviewing CEH operators at an “operator summit” in Zambia.
• Carmen Medina, College of Education. Centering the idea of agency from a socio-critical perspective, this study, located in Puerto Rico, investigates what happens when Puerto Rican young readers (12-14) actively participate in designing their own reading experiences within the context of an autonomous book club that decenters adults’ control over the event. The goal of this study is to bring visibility to other ways of understanding how educators foster meaningful reading experiences with vs. for youth readers in Puerto Rico, and the potential implications for global interpretations of effective practices for youth reading engagement.
• Meenakshi Rishi, Albers School of Business and Economics*. This Global Research Grant supports a collaborative partnership between Seattle University and St. Joseph's University (Bengaluru, India) to develop multilingual financial literacy modules to be embedded within experiential education programs, creating a replicable model for Jesuit business schools worldwide. The project addresses critical financial literacy gaps in underserved communities across both the US and India while fostering cross-cultural pedagogical innovation and student formation aligned with Jesuit values of service to the common good.
• Alic Shook, College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Dr. Shook’s project explores how families around the world navigate the ethical, social, and health dimensions of peer-to-peer human milk sharing, with a focused study of Norway’s distinctive approach to raw donor milk.  By combining interviews, policy analysis, and ethnographic research, the study aims to generate culturally grounded, evidence-based insights to support safe, ethical, and community-informed practices for infant feeding.
   

Global Engagement Grants:

• Dawn Madore, Facilities Administration. In March 2026, Professionals Without Borders continued a 13-year partnership with Liberty Children’s Home in Ladyville, Belize by travelling to the site and providing support on sustainable infrastructure projects to ensure the buildings and grounds remain in good condition for the 55 children supported there. Our team of 12 SU students and staff completed several projects like repair and replacement of plumbing fixtures and toilets, roof repair, etc.
• Rick Malleus, College of Arts and Sciences*. This grant funding will support a site assessment sojourn to Ireland to develop elements for a new SU education abroad course called Explore Ireland: Race & Identity. Primarily based in Dublin and Galway, framed by Jesuit values, with a media and communication lens, the course will be developed to allow students to interrogate how globalization, migration, and digital culture are reshaping Irish society.
• Aymie Tudi, International Student and Scholar Center. Investing in programming offered by the International Student and Scholar Center (ISSC)—beyond immigration support—is essential for enhancing international student success and fostering an inclusive, intercultural community at Seattle University. Initiatives such as weekly Global Social Thursdays and the mentorship-based Global Ambassador Program build belonging, develop key skills, and prepare students to become globally minded leaders who make a lasting impact after graduation.

 
* These projects are conducted in partnership with Jesuit universities and are supported by funding from the Global Jesuit Initiatives.

The GEAC serves in an advisory capacity to the Global Engagement Office. It provides recommendations on strategic planning, policies, procedures, and new global engagement initiatives that support Seattle University's mission.