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Leatherman Appointed Director of International Affairs
Dr. Janie Leatherman and Dr. Kaisa Stadnik
Dr. Janie Leatherman (left)
with Dr. Kaisa Stadnik,
Director of the English
Language Institute
The College has appointed Dr. Janie Leatherman (Professor of Political Science) its new Director of International Affairs. The position was created to provide administrative leadership to and coordination of the many international programs in the College. “One reason for creating this position is to increase the profile of international affairs—both in terms of teaching and research abroad. The appointment of Dr. Leatherman will certainly help us accomplish this,” said Dean Olson. “Another aim is to have our Director of International Affairs supervise and collaborate with the Director of the English Language Institute to enhance the institute’s offer offerings so that it becomes a truly campus-wide resource.”

 

Dr. Leatherman brings a vast array of experience and talent to the position. She holds a Ph.D. in International Studies from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver. She has studied and worked abroad at a number of universities, speaks Spanish with native fluency, and has a command of several other languages. She also has substantial experience with study abroad, curriculum development, international collaboration on research projects and foreign policy initiatives, and a successful record of external funding through agencies in the U.S. and from foreign governments. She has a national and international reputation as a scholar and peace and conflict practitioner, and thus has many connections with universities and faculty in both developed and developing countries. “Dr. Leatherman has combined an outstanding record of scholarship in international affairs with related service and teaching. She has been responsible for organizing the model U.N. at Illinois State for many years and is co-director of the program in peace studies," said Associate Dean Jonathan Rosenthal. "She has been involved in study abroad as student, faculty, and administrator. We are delighted that she has agreed to bring this breadth of experience to this new position in the College.”

Dr. Leatherman’s new responsibilities will include: (1) coordinating area studies initiatives within the College, (2) serving as advocate for the integration of an international perspective across the curriculum, (3) leading in the development of a strategic plan to increase international collaborations in research and teaching, (4) developing an action plan to enhance study abroad opportunities for our students and to facilitate international students' access to our programs, (5) developing an action plan to enhance research abroad opportunities for faculty, and (6) supervising and collaborating with the Director of the English Language Institute in order to increase the institute's profile, viability, and centrality campus-wide.

“I hope to use the ties I have developed throughout my career to help internationalize the experience on campus and in the local community,” said Dr. Leatherman.
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