James L. Moore III
James L. Moore III, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at The Ohio State University, recently received the 2022 Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).
The award is given annually to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to international education at public land-grant institutions.
Moore, a Distinguished Professor of Urban Education and a professor of counselor education in the College of Education and Human Ecology, also leads the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Ohio State. Over the years, he has launched numerous international programmatic initiatives that have benefited Ohio State students across colleges, enabling them to engage in multicultural educational opportunities on campus and abroad.
He has facilitated international partnerships and the sharing of best practices, provided professional opportunities for staff and established funding sources that have made international experiences a reality for those underrepresented students who may never had thought they were possible.
As one example, for several years in a row, he led students on study-abroad trips to Brazil to learn about higher education and cultural systems in that country. Some of the students were counselor education majors; others were majors from across the university.
“James has always prioritized global experiences for students to broaden their outlook on equity in education. This aligns with one of our college’s five pillars — global and local engagement,” said Don Pope-Davis, dean of the College of Education and Huan Ecology.
“In early 2020, I went with them to Brazil, offering insights based on my many travels as we visited state, federal and private universities in a country that experiences significant educational disparities based on race and income. Our Ohio State students said the experience had a profound impact on their world views.”
The Office of International Affairs (OIA) submitted the successful nomination, which was based on the collaborative relationship between ODI and OIA and firsthand experience with Moore’s leadership and dedication to the importance of global engagement.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to receive the prestigious Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award,” Moore said. “In ODI, I have made major investments in education abroad experiences for our ODI scholars. I expect that these investments will continue in coming years. I look forward continuing to work with OIA to take things to another level.”
Leading the way to ensure students gain international experience
Throughout his career, Moore has focused on instilling an expectation in students that they will have an international experience during their college career. In the past five years, he has developed and led two major diversity, equity and inclusion-focused education abroad programs based on the theme of access to higher education that attracted over 200 students of diverse backgrounds.
He has also implemented the O-H-I-O education abroad scholarship and supported education abroad programming in the Fisher College of Business and the colleges of Arts and Sciences; Education and Human Ecology; Engineering; and Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, This programming includes content related to diversity and equity concerns such as health disparities among populations, education, business, artistic expression and environmental sustainability.
Moore’s leadership and support also have benefited international and underrepresented student populations through a partnership with OIA and the creation of the Critical Dialogue Series and the Fall Break Social Justice trips.
These experiential programs deepen student awareness and understanding of critical community and global issues and include field-based learning in local neighborhoods and US cities of cultural and historical significance.
Another of Moore’s major international exchange initiatives is funded by a $4.5 million USAID grant in which ODI is the lead partner in the United States. Through the grant, higher education leaders from multiple institutions in the Dominican Republic and the United States connect to explore intervention programs supporting vulnerable and marginalized youth in the Dominican Republic.
During this grant project, the ODI team and Moore have shared educational models designed to improve education and career outcomes for disadvantaged youth. Incorporating aspects from a variety of programs, such as the pre-collegiate and collegiate experiences and practices honed by ODI’s Young Scholars Program, Dominican counterparts have been able to design bridge projects that help students transition from secondary school to higher education.
“There are countless ways in which Dr. Moore has contributed immensely to the internationalization of the Ohio State campus, and he is most deserving of this prestigious award,” said Gil Latz, vice provost for global strategies and international affairs. “His international initiatives provide incomparable learning opportunities for students and powerful collaborations with faculty and partners across the globe.”
The Malone Award honors the legacy of the late Michael P. Malone, a champion of international education and one-time chair of the APLU Commission on International Education. The award was established in 2000 by APLU to provide national recognition for individuals who have made outstanding contributions to international education at APLU member institutions.
