Stevens Initiative Connected Classrooms supports higher education institutions in Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States to build their capacity and prepare faculty to implement meaningful virtual exchange experiences for students. Successful, proven models of virtual exchange are integrated into the institutions by linking classrooms in different countries and cultural settings.

Twenty-six Faculty Scholars and 15 Leadership Team members from 11 universities in Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States are part of this new cohort. Faculty Scholar pairs will design and implement unique virtual exchanges on a range of topics for 800 students between June 2022 and June 2024. Leadership Teams champion for virtual exchange at their institutions, identifying ways to grow virtual exchange across their campuses while also supporting Faculty Scholars as they participate in Connected Classrooms. Learn more. 

Both Faculty Scholars and Leadership Teams will participate in trainings and ongoing mentorship led by Greg Tuke with support from trainers Karim Ashour and Abdellah Ghazi. These institutions will be prepared to continue their virtual exchange programs and expand programming to even more classrooms following participation in Connected Classrooms.

Lina Alyassir | Washington, U.S.

Adjunct Arabic Language Instructor, Department of Humanities, Green River College

Zineb Bennis Nechba | Fez, Morocco

Professor of Management and Finance, Department of Economics and Management, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah University

Alexandria Cesar | Oregon, U.S.

Senior Instructor II of English, Intensive English Language Program, Portland State University

Tiffany Cone | Abu Dhabi, UAE

Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology, Department of International Affairs and Social Sciences, Zayed University

Saad Hussein | New Mexico, U.S.

Adjunct Faculty of Cost and Managerial Accounting, Department of Accounting, University of New Mexico

Walaaeldeen Ibrahim | Abu Dhabi, UAE

Associate Professor of International Private Law and Business Law, Legal Studies, Zayed University

Perihan Iren | Abu Dhabi, UAE

Associate Professor of Finance, Department of Finance, Zayed University

Ajmila Islam | Dubai, UAE

Assistant Professor of Natural Sciences, Department of Arts and Natural Sciences, American University in Dubai

Alice M. Jackson | Maryland, U.S.

Interim Chair and Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science and International Affairs, Morgan State University

Chaimae Jalal | Fez, Morocco

Professor of Finance and Audit, Department of Economics and Management, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah University

Ahlam Lamjahdi | Oujda, Morocco

Professor of English Literature, Department of English, Mohamed First University

Lucio Lanucara | New Mexico, U.S.

Adjunct Professor of International Politics and Entrepreneurship, Department of Political Science and Management, University of New Mexico

Hania Mahassen | Dubai, UAE

Head and Associate Professor of Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, American University in Dubai

Yasser Mayssour | Dakhla, Morocco

Professor of Business and Management, Department of Business and Management, National School of Business and Management in Dakhla, Ibn Zohr University

Lisa McKinney | Oregon, U.S.

Senior Instructor II of English, Office of Global Engagement & Innovation, Portland State University

Adele Newsonhorst | Maryland, U.S.

Professor of English, Department of English and Language Arts, Morgan State University

Achraf Noureddine | New Mexico, U.S.

Research Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico

Michael Ogden | Abu Dhabi, UAE

Professor of International Studies, Department of International Affairs & Social Sciences, Zayed University 

Philip Ojo | Georgia, U.S.

Professor of French and German, Agnes Scott College

Afshan Parkar | Abu Dhabi, UAE

Instructor of Computer Science, Department of Information System and Technology Management, Zayed University

Jing Paul | Georgia, U.S.

Assistant Professor of Chinese, Department of Asian Studies, Agnes Scott College

Carolina (Lina) Pittser | Washington, U.S.

Professor of English, Department of English, Green River College

Jaouad Radouani | Oujda, Morocco

Associate Professor of Cultural Studies, Department of English, Mohamed First University

Antje Rauwerda| Maryland, U.S.

Assistant Professor of British and Postcolonial Literatures, Literary Studies, Goucher College

Houssine Soussi | Dakhla, Morocco

Associate Professor of Language and Communication, Department of Business and Management,  National School of Business and Management in Dakhla, Ibn Zohr University

Rory Turner | Maryland, U.S.

Professor of Practice, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Goucher College

Charlene Chester | Maryland, U.S.

Assistant Dean for Administration and Outreach, Morgan State University

Erin Fernández Mommer | Washington, U.S.

Professor of Spanish, Green River College

Jamie Fitzgerald | Washington, U.S.

Dean of English and Humanities, Green River College

Bryan Gilroy | Dubai, UAE

Advisor to the Provost, Zayed University

Gundolf Graml | Georgia, U.S.

Director of German Studies, Assistant Dean for Global Learning, Agnes Scott College

Sara Gutierrez | New Mexico, U.S.

Study Abroad Advisor, University of New Mexico

Jennifer Hamlow | Oregon, U.S.

Director of Education Abroad, Portland State University

William Harder | Maryland, U.S.

Director, Center for the Advancement of Scholarship & Teaching, Goucher College

Lisa Jones | Georgia, U.S.

Assistant Director, Center for Digital and Visual Literacy, Agnes Scott College

Said Mentak | Oujda, Morocco

Professor of English, Mohamed First University

Mohammed Moubtassime | Fez, Morocco 

Professor of English, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

Sally Mudiamu | Oregon, U.S.

Director of International Partnerships and Initiatives, International Affairs, Portland State University

Vinod Pangracious | Dubai, UAE

Chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering, American University in Dubai

Aziz Sair | Dakhla, Morocco

Director, National School of Business and Management in Dakhla, Ibn Zohr University

Nicole Tami | New Mexico, U.S.

Executive Director for Global Education Initiatives, University of New Mexico

Karim Ashour is the UAE Associate Trainer for Stevens Initiative Connected Classrooms. Mr. Ashour was a Lecturer of Political Science and Public Policy at Future University in Egypt (FUE) where he and Greg Tuke have collaborated on numerous COIL courses since 2012. He has also led other COIL courses at FUE while working with international partners in the US and South America. He holds an MA degree in Global Affairs from the American University in Cairo (AUC) and Sciences Po, Paris as well as a BA in Political Science.  He is currently an Advisor at the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), in the area of sustainable economic development, focusing on migration policy advice, gender equality, and capacity development. Mr. Ashour speaks Arabic, English, Italian, and French.  

Abdellah Ghazi is the Morocco Associate Trainer for Stevens Initiative Connected Classrooms.  Mr. Ghazi holds a specialized Master in Translation Technology and Specialized Translation. He is currently a PhD candidate. He has taught at both the university and high school levels in Morocco for the past 26 years and has been a key country leader advocating for international collaboration courses for the past 17 years, while working with the International Education and Resource Network (IEARN).  Previously he served as a trainer and facilitator for online collaboration with the Steven’s initiative that brought together classes from the MENA region and their counterparts from USA.  He was a fellow student in the ILEP international program that brought outstanding teachers from around the globe to be international leaders in education at the University of Minnesota. He has taught in a variety of other schools in USA as well, expanding his understanding of teaching internationally.  Mr. Ghazi speaks Arabic, English, French and German.   

Greg Tuke is the lead trainer for Stevens Initiative Connected Classrooms. He is a Fulbright Scholar and an internationally recognized instructional coach, speaker and workshop leader focused on the design and implementation of high impact Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses. For the past decade, he has been designing and leading COIL training workshops for faculty at leading universities throughout North America, the Middle East, India and SE Asia. Mr. Tuke has taught more than twenty COIL courses in the fields of Communication, Environmental Sustainability, Business, Education Studies, International Studies, and Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.  Students in his courses have partnered with university students in Rwanda, Vietnam, India, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Peru, and the Philippines. He has a particular interest and history in working with students and faculty in the Middle East. He has a master’s in social work and in 1999 was selected for a three-year national program for social entrepreneurs led by faculty from Stanford and the Harvard Business School.