Written by Colin McEvoy | February 6, 2026 | SHARE
Eight Lehigh faculty members have been selected to participate in the Global Teaching and Learning Fellows program, an immersive faculty development experience focused on global learning in Mexico.
This year's cohort of Global Teaching and Learning Fellows (GTLF) has been chosen for the program’s interdisciplinary micro- and meta-level study abroad experience in Mexico, designed for faculty seeking to deepen students’ engagement with global learning.
In May, eight Lehigh University faculty members will travel to the small Mexican city of Guanajuato for an immersive week focused on teaching, place, and perspective. Together, they will examine what it means to show up as educators in contexts beyond their own, and how intentional, reciprocal engagement can help shape a more connected shared future.
“Our goal is to immerse faculty in a setting where they can fully engage without the usual day-to-day distractions,” said Angelina Rodríguez, creator of GTLF. She is Assistant Vice Provost for Global Learning at Lehigh’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and Teaching Associate Professor at Lehigh’s College of Health.
“Rather than simply attending workshops on global learning, this experience will allow the fellows to step into a different environment, much like a micro study abroad program,” she said. “Bringing together faculty from various disciplines will foster deep conversations about different approaches to learning in specific contexts, making it an incredibly enriching experience.”
Now in its fourth year, GTLF brings together a small cohort of fellows from across the university’s colleges to explore ways of integrating global learning more intentionally into their teaching. Fellows also engage in conversations about leading study abroad experiences and designing immersive learning opportunities within the diverse communities of the Lehigh Valley.
“GTLF provides a safe and powerful space for fellows to reflect on their teaching and consider what their next evolution as an educator might look like,” Rodríguez said. “Together, we ponder how to facilitate global learning with diverse students in culturally complex sites within larger power dynamics.”
This year’s fellows include:
- Allison Zengilowski, Teaching Assistant Professor in the College of Education
- Alina Tenser, Assistant Professor of Art
- Amirtahà Taebi, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
- Jaimie Bleck, Bernard L. and Bertha F. Cohen Chair and Professor of International Relations
- Krista Liguori, Teaching Assistant Professor, Department of Community & Global Health
- Larry Tartaglia, Teaching Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Biological Sciences
- Michelle Thompson, Assistant Professor, Department of Community & Global Health
- Tracy Nichols, Professor and Chair of the Department of Community and Global Health
GTLF fellows will gain practical tools for facilitating and debriefing global learning, as well as for making sense of those experiences in real-world settings. They will strengthen their ability to attend closely to specific details while also stepping back to adopt a broader, meta-level perspective in their teaching and learning, Rodríguez said.
Fellows will also expand their capacity to recognize meaningful learning opportunities in their immediate surroundings and connect them to both disciplinary and interdisciplinary frameworks. Beyond these applied skills, participants will form new relationships with colleagues from across the university’s colleges, helping to build a collaborative network grounded in shared expertise.
Through the fellowship, educators will develop deeper insight into their own teaching practices and future professional growth, Rodríguez said. Participants will leave the program with renewed commitments to place-based learning, engaging with difference, and designing immersive global learning experiences.
The GTLF seminar was funded by the Farrington Fund, named in recognition of former Lehigh University President Gregory C. Farrington, who was strongly dedicated to expanding Lehigh’s international reach and programs.