Vicki Hamblin named new executive director of Center for International Studies

Vicki Hamblin has been named as the executive director of the Center for International Studies at Western Washington University, Provost Catherine Riordan announced today. The appointment will be effective Jan. 1, 2012.

Hamblin, professor of French and chair of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages at Western, will continue university efforts to improve international studies.

“Dr. Hamblin understands the opportunities and challenges involved in truly advancing Western’s internationalization. She is a recognized and well-respected leader among Western’s faculty,” said Riordan, adding that Hamblin was actively involved in the White Paper on International Education at Western. “She has made significant contributions to the international White Paper and led the synthesis of next steps.”

According to Riordan, there were a number of strong candidates in the pool of faculty considered for this position. “Each would have accomplished much,” said Riordan, adding that, “Dr. Hamblin’s breadth of experience in the field and leadership of a large academic department gave her an edge. I am truly looking forward to working with her to advance our vision for globalizing the campus.”

Hamblin succeeds acting Center director Roger Gilman, dean of Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies.

“I look forward to working with faculty, students, and staff to begin a new chapter in internationalization at Western. We will continue to build on the positive developments of the past few years, including the International Studies minor, the seed grants for course development, and the international leadership award,” Hamblin said. “We will work to bring to fruition concrete recommendations that came out of the White Paper and related discussions. I also anticipate that there will be changes ahead as the Center refocuses on internationalizing the curriculum. My commitment is to provide clarity, unity, and purposefulness to the extensive network of experienced individuals who comprise Western’s internationalized community.”

Hamblin received her doctorate in French from the University of Arizona. She has been a faculty member at Western since 1989. For 15 years she served as the French study-abroad adviser at Western. She also chaired the university’s International Programs Advisory Committee and has served as a visiting professor in France. Prior to Western she was director of the Council on International Educational Exchange’s undergraduate program at the Université de Haute Bretagne, in Rennes, France; assistant professor of French at the University of Toledo; co-director, Total Immersion Program in Tinchebray, France, with the University of Arizona, and cross-cultural coordinator, Academic Semesters Abroad, The Experiment in International Living, Toulouse, France.

Hambin has authored, co-authored and edited a wide variety of publications, including authoring two books. Her second book, “Saints at Play: The Performance Features of French Hagiographic Mystery Plays” (Medieval Institute Publications) will appear early in 2012. She is on the executive board of the national Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society.

Western’s executive director of International Studies oversees all aspects of the Center for International Studies, which includes the Asia University America Program, Center for Canadian-American Studies, Center for East Asian Studies, Intensive English Program, International Programs and Exchanges, and the Korea University Program.

Provost Riordan thanked Dean Gilman for stepping in as acting director in this transition period. “He, working with the dedicated staff in International Studies, has sustained the momentum of the white paper analysis and open sessions hosted by the Faculty Senate and by me,” Riordan said. “Thanks to their efforts, we are poised to advance an even more aggressive agenda to globalize the Western experience.”