College Instructor Awarded Faculty Development Experience by the Council for American Overseas Research Centers

Bloomfield College of Montclair State University Media Communications Instructor Jason Torreano is one of 44 faculty from community colleges and minority-serving institutions nationwide invited by the Council for American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) to attend an Overseas Faculty Development Seminar program in the summer of 2024, entitled Between Political and Climate Change in Southeast Asia.

Selected annually by an independent review board of scholars, the highly competitive CAORC Overseas Faculty Development Seminars are fully-funded programs conducted abroad to assist faculty and administrators in gaining international experience. The goal is to develop and enhance international courses, curricula, and teaching materials at their home institutions.

“This opportunity through CAORC comes at a unique time as we explore what Bloomfield College of Montclair State University might become, post-merger,” said Torreano. “My desire is to continue to contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways that involve expanded international engagement opportunities for our students. Receiving this faculty development award will provide me with the knowledge I need to pursue developing student engagement experiences in Cambodia.”

In the summer of 2024, CAORC will offer three seminars focused on different academic themes: climate change and public health in Mongolia, indigenous language and culture in Mexico, and the seminar on political and climate change in Cambodia awarded to Torreano, which is jointly presented by centers in Cambodia and Myanmar.

Bloomfield College of Montclair State University Interim Dean of Faculty Tammy Castro, said, “We take immense pride in Professor Torreano’s talents being recognized by CAORC. His participation in this initiative will not only enrich our curriculum with invaluable real-world global perspectives but also open new doors for cross-cultural understanding and international collaboration.”

Faculty participants selected for these seminars receive round-trip travel, accommodations, meals, and programming for the duration of the seminar, which typically lasts between two and three weeks. These seminars are conducted in partnership with participating Overseas Research Centers (ORCs) and are supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Established in 1981, CAORC is a private nonprofit federation of independent overseas research centers (ORCs) headquartered in Washington, D.C. CAORC promotes advanced research, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, with a focus on conserving and recording cultural heritage and understanding and interpreting modern societies.