Global Engagement Advisory Council
Chiwoneso Beverley Tinago, PhD, MPH, CHES®
Dr. Chiwoneso Tinago is a Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and the Program Director of the Certificate in Global Health. She chairs the College of Health Sciences Global Initiatives Committee and the Global Health Research Team. She leads global health research studies exploring structural environmental influences on health and well-being among adolescents and young women in south-east Africa and the U.S. through emic and community-based participatory approaches. Dr. Tinago is the faculty advisor for the Delta Omega Beta Xi Chapter, Global Health Ambassadors, and Model WHO.
Jordan Schugar
At West Chester University, Professor Jordan Schugar teaches courses in the English and Digital Humanities in the College of Arts and Humanities. His research interests include digital storytelling, digital literacy, eTexts/eBooks/eTextbooks, first-year writing, accessible education abroad, and equitable course design. As both a co-leader and committee member, Dr. Schugar has participated in a variety of campus-wide high-impact, equity-focused initiatives including the Moon Shot for Equity, the Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks/PA-ADOPT (funded by the U.S. Department of Education), and the Gishwati Primate Project which promotes sustainable education abroad opportunities in Rwanda.
Joanne Sullivan
Dr. Joanne Sullivan has been a Professor of Nutrition since 2013. She earned her Ph.D. in Health Promotion and Behavior from the University of Georgia, master's degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetic Internship from the University of Delaware, and bachelor's degree in Foods and Nutrition from St. Elizabeth University. Dr. Sullivan's research interests include food security, medical nutrition therapy, and high-impact practice learning for which she has published peer reviewed manuscripts and provided professional presentations. For 6 years, Dr. Sullivan has led a service-learning trip to Honduras where students participate in basic medical care for underserved communities.
Julie Wiest
Julie B. Wiest is a Professor of Sociology in the Department of Anthropology & Sociology specializing in culture and mass media with particular interest in international/intercultural contexts. She represented WCU's Global Engagement Office on a site visit to Costa Rica in 2023, co-led a (non-WCU) student service trip to Paraguay in 2019, and has traveled worldwide since 2014 for scholarly presentations, workshops, and trainings. Her regular courses include Introduction to Sociology (SOC 100), Digital Social Research (SOC 225), Self & Society (SOC 333), Sociology of Gender (SOC 346), Sociology of Culture (SOC 360), and The Digital Self (SOC 383).
Hadih Deedat
Dr. Deedat has been actively involved in international programming at WCU since joining the university in 2019. He took students on a grant-funded research trip to Ghana in 2022 and directed a study abroad program to Ghana in 2023. Dr. Deedat was featured in the Fall 2023 WCU Magazine for his international research and study abroad programming in Ghana. In spring 2024, Dr. Deedat supported and traveled with a GEO-directed study abroad program to Greece. Currently, Dr. Deedat directs the Experiential Learning in Ghana: Public Health Social Work program, a one-week winter study abroad program to Ghana. He also chairs the International Programs Committee in the College of Education and Social Work.
Stefanie K. Schwalm, Ed.D.
Dr. Stefanie Schwalm serves the Associate Provost for Accreditation, Assessment, & Planning at West Chester University. Stefanie has over twenty years experience in higher education including positions within institutional research and effectiveness. In her role, Stefanie provides administrative oversight to all accreditation, assessment, and program review efforts; as well as monitoring federal compliance changes, and facilitating WCU's strategic planning process. With a commitment to education abroad and experiential learning, she has led experiences abroad at previous institutions and accompanied WCU students to Greece in spring 2024. Stefanie holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education from Immaculata University and an MBA and BA from Alvernia University.
Carlos Morales-Ramirez
Dr. Carlos A. Morales-Ramírez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Planning. He has taught in-person and online courses in various areas of geography at West Chester University. Dr. Morales-Ramírez has also taught courses in World Regional Geography, Introduction to Geography, Introduction to Mapping and Geographic Information Systems, Global Perspectives in Sustainability, and Introduction to Social Sciences, in Spanish and English, at other universities. His research focuses on geography education, with a focus on biogeography curriculum. He has also published research in biogeography, species distribution modelling, and vexillology.
Dr. Peter Loedel
Dr. Peter Loedel is a Professor in the Department of Political Science. Now in his 29th year at WCU, Dr. Loedel has served in a number of administrative and leadership roles on campus, including Chair of the Department of Political Science, Interim Chair of the Department of Public Policy and Administration, and Assistant Vice President for International Programs in 2014-15. Dr. Loedel served as the Director of the Center for International Programs from 2015-19 where he led the University's first internationalization self study and strategic plan called the "Roadmap to Internationalization." He has led a number of study abroad programs from South Africa to Europe. In 2025, he will lead a program visiting France, Germany and Belgium with a focus on US-EU Security relations.