Blackwell, with more than 16 years of experience in several areas of global education, says she has always “taken an interest in other cultures and the lived experiences of people from around the world.”
“I think in part it came from growing up in a multicultural family and living in a multicultural community,” she said. “My passion toward the intersections between inclusion, equity, social justice, and global education has since grown and working in this field allows me to contribute to each of these areas.”
Overseeing the Global Education Office at Mason, Blackwell aims to build community and connection around equity and ethical global engagement that reflects the diverse populations on Mason’s campuses. She aims to increase collaboration across teaching, research, and community engagement in global education activities to ensure that cultural and international experiences are widely accessible to the Mason community.
“We are very pleased to welcome Chrishon as the new leader of global education at Mason. She has the vision and energy to move our internationalization efforts forward,” said Janette Muir, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. “This is an exciting time to be working in the international area and Chrishon's arrival marks a new era for how we can better support our students, faculty, and staff who regularly engage in global teaching, travel, and research projects.”
Blackwell’s previous experience at other higher education institutions has equipped her with the knowledge and strategies required to guide her work at Mason. She believes the key to the successes in her career came from cultivating collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.
“I have found higher education in general to be an extremely collaborative space,” she said. “I have learned that by leaning into my professional networks, there are so many people willing to share best practices or help find solutions to common challenges that we face (e.g., navigating policy changes and/or addressing barriers to global engagement).”
As an educator, Blackwell believes in making a positive impact on the lives of students through mentorship and guidance. She finds working with students highly rewarding.
“I find I learn as much from students as they do from me. I also love learning about the causes they believe in. I am so enthusiastic about their motivation, curiosity, and passion to take on the challenges of the world to make it a better place,” she said.
To Blackwell, global education means providing opportunities for individuals to actively engage with the world within a global context. One example is choosing to study abroad which can provide students with the knowledge, perspectives, abilities, and experiences that better prepare them for the privileges and responsibilities of being global cizens.
“There are so many advantages to studying abroad including cultural immersion, language acquisition, personal discovery, building lifelong friendships, and providing students with a competitive edge upon graduation,” she said.
As she settles into her role at Mason, Blackwell is looking to expand the list of countries available for studying abroad and plans to establish selection criteria based on existing open locations, research interests of faculty and staff, and Mason’s current strategic priorities.
Blackwell believes global education is a door that opens the ability to re-imagine who people want to be in the world—both at an institutional and individual level—and what it means to interact among communities on local, national, and international levels.
“There is a growing expectation that students will graduate from their post-secondary education globally aware and with the ability to confront and engage in a myriad of social, cultural, political, and environmental issues,” she said. “And do so in a way that celebrates and respects differences.”