A delegation of five members from Welllesley College, USA, visited FLAME campus during 16 January to 18, January, 2017 to discuss prospects and possibilities of a deeper association between Wellesley and FLAME. The delegation comprised Jennifer Thomas-Starck, Director of International Study; Elizabeth Desombre, Professor of Environmental Studies; Margery Sabin, Professor of English; Catia Confortini, Associate Professor of Peace and Justice Studies; and Neelima Shukla-Bhatt, Associate Professor and Director, South Asian Studies. In the course of their visit, the members interacted with the FLAME faculty and students discussing various aspects of the undergraduate program, pedagogy, assessment, and student life on campus. The members also met with individual faculty to discuss specific programs and courses to understand teaching philosophy of FLAME and to explore areas of synergy. The visitors and FLAME faculty shared their research interests to explore possible collaborative research projects. Dr. Catia Confortini delivered a talk on “Women, Peace and Security Agenda of the United Nations”, while Dr. Elizabeth Desombre delivered a talk on “Why do good people do bad environmental things?” The students and faculty engaged in intensive discussions on these issues with the visitors. Dr. Neelima Shukla-Bhatt conducted a workshop on the Religious Pluralism in South Asia for the students of Literary and Cultural Studies focusing on various interpretations of “religious pluralism” and the critical need of understanding it in the world today. Dr. Margery Sabin conducted a workshop on writing for students and also discussed several modules of writing practices with the faculty.
Wellesley College is a private, women’s liberal arts college, ranked the fourth best liberal arts college in the United States in 2016. The college's robust alumnae base has been widely regarded as the "most powerful women's network in the world," and its graduates are often recognized as among the most responsive and accomplished of any institution. Notable alumnae of Wellesley College include Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Soong Mei-ling, Cokie Roberts, and Diane Sawyer.
The FLAME University community is excited to explore the prospect of deepening the association with Wellesley College and believes that two institutions can greatly benefit from each other’s strengths.