By Alia Gilbrecht-Hindi and Dina Gustin
HOUSTON, Texas (September 1, 2026) - The 91视频 (UH) has been selected by
the Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC) to receive two prestigious Texas
International Education Fund (TIEF) grant program awards for 2026. The University
of Houston was awarded in two separate categories to expand global education initiatives.
In the Virtual Exchange Grant: Connecting Classrooms Across Borders category, Dr. Mar茅dil Le贸n, Clinical Assistant Professor of Curriculum & Instruction
at UH, received a TIEF grant for her course Introduction to Bilingual Education, in partnership with Universidad Pedag贸gica y Tecnol贸gica in Colombia and is a continuation
of a three-year partnership. Through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL),
the course will connect UH students with international peers through shared virtual
coursework, fostering cross-cultural learning and collaboration.
鈥淭his is an incredible opportunity for me and my students. Expanding our VE COIL
into a four-week experience will allow my students to work on their Spanish skills
in a more authentic way and give them the opportunity to learn more about Latin American
culture,鈥� said Le贸n. 鈥淔or me, this will be an incredible opportunity to develop new
learning materials and learn from co-teaching with my amazing colleague Nancy Carvajal.
As a fun fact, Nancy and I are Fulbright scholars who met during a Fulbright trip in Washington DC in 2014!鈥�
Le贸n continued, 鈥淚 wouldn't have been able to do this without the support of the Institute for Global Engagement.
Alia Gilbrecht-Hindi [VE-COIL Coordinator and Assistant Director of University Partnerships]
has supported me since she learned
about my VE- COIL collaboration and pointed me in the right direction to give this
project more exposure and recognition.
This guidance will improve my project and create a much more significant experience
for my students and the students from Colombia.鈥�
Additionally, under the Strategic Internationalization Grant: Advancing Campus-Wide Global Learning category, the 91视频鈥檚 Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) received
a TIEF grant for the creation of the Global Faculty Institute. Led by Dr. Maggie Mahoney, Dr. Andie Beer and Alia Gilbrecht-Hindi, the initiative
will strengthen institutional capacity for comprehensive internationalization through
faculty leadership and professional development. The Institute will strengthen faculty
capacity for global engagement and program development, helping expand equitable access
to global learning while advancing UH鈥檚 commitment to student success and a culture
of excellence.
鈥�We are proud to receive these awards from TIEC to support global engagement at the University of Houston,鈥� said Maggie Mahoney, Director of the Institute for Global Engagement. 鈥淚nitiatives like these help diversify and expand international education offerings at UH, creating more opportunities for students to engage with different cultures and perspectives and graduate as global citizens.鈥�
Le贸n is one of four faculty selected for a 2026 Virtual Exchange Grant, while UH is
among three Texas educational institutions receiving
a Strategic Internationalization Grant and the only institution represented across
two different award categories. Together, these
awards reflect UH鈥檚 continued investment in innovative global teaching, faculty development,
and meaningful international learning opportunities, underscoring the University鈥檚
broader dedication to advancing global engagement across campus.