Human Development and Family Sciences

HDFS Professor Norma Gaines-Hanks wins Faculty Director of the Year Award

As the University of Delaware celebrates Global Month in November, the Institute for Global Studies is celebrating the accomplishments of one of our own. Norma Gaines-Hanks, associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) has been named Faculty Director of the Year. Having expertly led UD Study Abroad programs for 20 years, Gaines-Hanks will continue celebrating into the new year by co-leading a study abroad program to South Africa in Winter Session 2020.

“This year’s Study Abroad Faculty Director of the Year award should really be seen as a lifetime achievement award,” said Associate Director for Study Abroad Lisa Chieffo.

Gaines-Hanks led her first study abroad program in 1999 and has since impacted the success of 450-plus UD students through experiences in both South Africa and Barbados.

As a part of her programs, HDFS students enroll in a Culture in Context course and three credits of experiential learning. Participants complete 50 hours of service through placements with local community organizations, child care centers and orphanages.

“We make a commitment to our host communities, and our students develop real, lasting relationships,” Gaines-Hanks said. “In our courses, we talk a lot about intercultural competence and reciprocity. When we sit down, process and reflect, students realize that they are gaining just as much as they give.”

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