Purdue Fort Wayne faculty join prestigious list of 29 UNESCO Chairs in the US

Shannon Bischoff, chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Mary Encabo Bischoff, director of the Teaching English as a New Language program, have helped Purdue University Fort Wayne become just the 29th institution in the United States to be awarded a UNESCO Chair. There are more than 1,000 UNESCO Chairs worldwide. Purdue Fort Wayne’s is the first in Indiana.

As part of the designation, Bischoff and Encabo Bischoff share the role of UNESCO Chair on Rights Education among Indigenous and Non-Dominant Language Communities with a colleague, Candace K. Galla, who is an associate professor of Indigenous language and literacy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The official location of this UNESCO Chair is Purdue Fort Wayne.

UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, is a network that brings together academic and research institutions that are leading efforts to address global challenges through education, the sciences, culture, and communication.

“This extraordinary accomplishment reflects the long-term dedication of Bischoff and Galla to understanding and preserving endangered languages,” said Carl Drummond, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Purdue Fort Wayne. “Combined with the remarkable work that Encabo Bischoff has been doing with related programs, I am confident the new doors this designation has opened will allow all three to accomplish so much more.”

Bischoff is also the director of the Three Rivers Language Center in the School of Education, one of PFW’s 14 Centers of Excellence.

“This recognition is a true honor, not just for the three of us, but for our campus, our students, and our community,” said Bischoff. “It affirms that meaningful global impact can begin in local spaces and classrooms – and that collaboration, innovation, and inclusion are not bound by geography. We look forward to working with our students and partners to advance the shared values of UNESCO, Purdue Fort Wayne, and the United States through research, education, and engagement right here in northeast Indiana.”

Another of Encabo Bischoff’s multiple roles at the university is director of the English Language Partners Program, or ELP, which connects current PFW students and alumni with multilingual learners globally via free online English classes.

Over the past five years, ELP has served more than 2,000 participants from nine countries. Currently, the program has partnerships with one of Fort Wayne's sister cities, Takaoka, Japan, and the American Corners in Thailand, which are partnerships between the U.S. Embassy in Thailand and Thai institutions.

"People might assume that the ELP program is just teaching the English language, but it is a training ground for future teachers and a cultural exchange program that promotes multilingualism,” said Encabo Bischoff. “We strive to demonstrate what is good about the U.S. and how Purdue Fort Wayne students can contribute to the education of people who have limited access to English language education, or want to teach English in their home countries.

"The UNESCO Chair is one testament of the value and caliber of the education and apprenticeship that is available at this university. Students do not have to look far for quality education and career-building experiences. For many, it is right here in their hometown."

In February, Bischoff and Encabo Bischoff presented their research and engagement activities at a UNESCO event in Paris that coincided with the 25th annual observance of International Mother Language Day.

The two-day event’s theme was reaffirming the importance of linguistic diversity and multilingualism in fostering dignity, peace, and understanding. UNESCO estimates there are 8,324 languages, spoken or signed, with around 7,000 still in use worldwide. 

Other UNESCO University Chair locations in the U.S. include the University of Texas at Austin, Georgetown University, the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Chicago, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Harvard University, Northwestern University, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Florida. Click here for a full list of chairs and networks worldwide.

For additional information, contact Geoff Thomas at [email protected] or 260-437-7657 (mobile).