April 06, 2010

For your reading pleasure: 3 new Outreach and International Affairs blogs

I would like to direct you to the new blogs of three of my colleagues in Outreach and International Affairs.

Harking back to when John Kennedy declared “we are all Berliners now,” Max Stephenson Jr. explores arguments for the Mexico Wall, heralded as a way to keep illegal workers and drugs out of the United States. Max, who directs Virginia Tech’s Institute for Policy and Governance, is a prolific author and editor and a widely published scholar. He points out that it is less than two dozen years since Ronald Reagan stood before the Berlin Wall and called on the Soviet Union’s leader: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Max points out: “Americans sacrificed to secure West Berliners their freedom, they engaged in a protracted Cold War to overcome Soviet tyranny and now, ironically, they are building their own wall on a rationale virtually identical to that which sustained the walls they so long combated.”

John Provo, associate director of the Office of Economic Development, shares what he’s reading this month. You won’t find these titles on the bestseller list! But if you’re passionate about issues of sustainability and communities that are creating economic prosperity for themselves in these tough economic times, you’ll appreciate John’s guidance to some good reading. He recommends an economic architecture blog, another blog that also offers news of innovative projects around the country, and an American Planning Association blog run by a team that includes Virginia Tech alum Shana Johnson, a D.C.-based consultant.

Susan Short, director of the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center, always has interesting programs going on. In her blog, she points out that business owners agonize over the question, “Why can’t everyone see what I see?  Why can’t my employees see the issues I see?”  Owners are focused on the company:  sales, cash, and profitability.  Employees tend to focus on “me”:  compensation, benefits, job security. Ownership Thinking is a proven process that will move your employees from “me” to “us,” creating a better work environment and improved financial performance. The Virginia Tech Roanoke Center recently hosted a national speaker on that topic (former president of Mrs. Fields cookies), and there are more fascinating speeches and workshops to come.
You can find links to all of these blogs at http://www.outreach.vt.edu. Happy reading!

About the Author

John E. Dooley

John E. Dooley leads Virginia Tech’s international centers, regional R&D centers, and Commonwealth campuses plus institutes dedicated to language and policy. He promotes student engagement as well as the university's strong role in improving the well-being of people around the world.

A member of the faculty of Virginia Tech since 1982, Dooley has been an active member of the university community through several committees and special projects. His service includes the Task Force on Disciplinary and Honor Systems, the University Steering Committee for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation Self-Study, and the University Advisory Council on Strategic Planning and Budget. He has also been faculty advisor to Baptist Student Union and the Virginia Tech Collegiate 4-H Club. His community activities include leadership roles at Blacksburg Baptist Church, a Trustee at Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond, and serving on the board of several nonprofit organizations.

In addition to his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Alderson-Broaddus College (West Virginia), Dooley earned a master’s and Ph.D. at Virginia Tech. Both graduate degrees are in higher education administration.