Limestone To Celebrate International Education Week Nov. 14-18; Olympic-Style March Set For Nov. 8

Limestone University will host its fourth annual International Education Week from Monday, Nov. 14, through Friday, Nov. 18.

International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education that was created to highlight the benefits of international education and global exchange.

“Limestone is committed to international education,” said Dr. Jack Knipe, the University’s International Student Support Coordinator. “We have a long record of international students studying in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, Limestone’s Global Experience program saw its inaugural trip to Peru in December of 2021 and had additional journeys to Hawaii and Puerto Rico in May of 2022. This December, one group of students will be headed to Belize and Guatemala, while another will be visiting Spain and France.”

Knipe launched International Education Week at Limestone in November of 2019.

“When I arrived at Limestone in the fall of 2017, I was astounded by the number of international students we had,” Knipe explained. “For the size of the university, we have a lot.”

Nearly a tenth of Limestone’s student population is international.

“Not everyone will have the chance to travel or study abroad, but International Education Week gives everyone in the community the opportunity to take advantage of the rich global diversity we have right here on campus,” Knipe noted.

Between faculty, staff, and students, there are nearly 50 different countries represented at Limestone.

The international education season will officially begin at Limestone on Tuesday, Nov. 8, with an Olympic-style march on front campus starting at 2 p.m. International students will march with their countries’ respective flags from the Curtis Building to the Hines & Riggins Center where Knipe will host a brief ceremony to honor the University’s international faculty, staff, and students and explain the history and purpose of International Education Week. Knipe said the Limestone campus community and local residents are welcome to observe the march.

There will be a number of activities going on throughout the week of November 14-18, including a scavenger hunt, nightly international films, and an online roundtable discussion with international students, faculty, and staff who have studied abroad. International students will also be participating in a poster contest on the second floor of the Hines & Riggins Center throughout the week that is open to the community. There will also be a table set up on front campus on Wednesday, Nov. 16, to inform students about upcoming Global Experience trips that are covered by their tuition.

There will be an international student take-over of Limestone’s Student Success Office Instagram page during International Education Week. Those interested can follow along by visiting www.instagram.com/limestone_success.

Knipe said he hopes that this upcoming event will be one of many that foster international-mindedness and cultural awareness on Limestone’s campus.

Serving as an Assistant Professor of English & Modern Languages at Limestone, Knipe received his Ph.D. in International Education and Linguistics from George Mason University. He also holds a certificate of Intercultural Competency in Education from Háskóli Íslands (University of Iceland) and a certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults from the University of Cambridge. He has taught and conducted research in eight countries. His research has focused on global citizenship, intercultural competence, and language related issues in teaching and teacher education.