Howell High School to Offer Global Scholars Endorsement
Posted on 01/09/2024
1/9/2024 - Howell High School will launch a Global Scholars Endorsement, a pioneering educational initiative with the Class of 2025. Howell High School will join a select number of institutions in Michigan to offer such an endorsement. Designed to equip students with skills for an increasingly interconnected world, the Global Scholars Endorsement caters to the evolving demands of global careers. This program will enable students to graduate with a special recognition that underscores their preparedness for global collaboration and cultural competency.
The Global Education Team at Howell High School has spent nearly two years exploring the possibility of offering a Global Scholars Endorsement. This work has included visits to other schools in nearby states that offer the endorsement, attending global education conferences and taking online classes through the US State Department.
“We are excited to begin offering our students the opportunity to earn a Global Scholars Endorsement. Students earning the Global Scholars Endorsement will be prepared to actively contribute to a world where global connections are continuously expanding. They will have enhanced communication skills, recognize the perspectives of others that may differ from theirs, be genuinely curious about the world and be prepared to take meaningful action to solve local and global issues,” said Brian McCarthy, Howell High School assistant principal. “Creating the Global Scholars Endorsement supports the district’s Portrait of a Highlander in preparing future-ready students by ensuring that students are equipped with the skills and experiences needed for a global economy and workforce.”
The Global Education Team also spoke with several colleges and universities to learn how a Global Scholars Endorsement would benefit students pursuing higher education. Each institution the team spoke with shared that having the endorsement would benefit students in both the application and scholarship processes.
Howell High School and the Western Michigan University (WMU) Haenicke Institute for Global Education are finalizing an articulation agreement that would allow Howell graduates with the endorsement to enter WMU with a Global Bronco status in the school’s Global Engagement Program (GEP). Global Broncos are granted a $500 study abroad scholarship and can continue earning points within the GEP to earn additional scholarships and recognitions. Students in the GEP are prepared for a globalized world on campus, in the classroom and abroad.
"We are excited to be partnering with Howell High School on this new exciting initiative. The Howell Global Learning pathway to WMU recognizes the excellent programming Howell has implemented. Howell students who enroll at WMU automatically have status in our Global Engagement Program (GEP) and access to study abroad scholarships. Howell has recognized the importance of global skills and we are happy to connect our curriculum in alignment with our own global competence educational goals,” said Paulo Zagalo-Melo, Associate Provost for the Haenicke Institute for Global Education.
While the State of Michigan does not currently have an official Global Scholars Endorsement for high school students, it is a long-term goal of the Howell Global Education Team for the state to offer such an endorsement.
The Howell Public Schools Board of Education approved the Global Scholars Endorsement during its meeting on Monday, Jan. 8. As students begin scheduling classes for the next school year, Howell High School counselors and staff will share more information about the endorsement and the process of earning it.