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From left to right: Father Romanos Galben, Yiannis Vassiliou, George Lakis, and Paschal Roubides
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Leaders from South Florida’s Greek community joined ACS Athens President Stefanos Gialamas; Steve Medeiros, Dean of Academic Affairs; Tim Ananiadis, Board of Trustees member; and several alumni from the American Community Schools of Athens, Greece, at St. Thomas University Monday, Feb. 8, to celebrate STU’s outreach efforts to attract students from Greece.
“We have signed an articulation agreement to provide an opportunity for Greek students from American Community Schools of Athens to come and study in Miami,” said Yiannis Vassiliou, the associate provost for student success at St. Thomas University. “If you know what you are trying to accomplish, we will help you do it.”
Greek community leaders, including priests, college professors and lawyers, applauded the partnership at a private ceremony in the STU library. Miami-Dade County is home to a large Greek population with three Greek Orthodox Churches.
The newly signed agreement also provides additional opportunities for the two institutions, such as:
- Innovative Teaching in an International Environment to be taught by ACS Athens faculty in Athens, as well as by STU faculty in Miami, with an on-line component.
- Two STU students, every year, in the Master’s in Educational Studies: International Teaching and Global Studies program to spend an academic school year completing a teaching internship/assistantship under the supervision of a faculty at ACS Athens.
- Visiting Faculty Program allows for the opportunity for the ACS Athens faculty to spend a semester on the STU campus as visiting scholars, and for STU faculty to have the same experience at ACS Athens.
ACS Athens’ roots go back to 1946 when it served the children of British military personnel stationed in Greece during World War II. A few years later, the school began to admit both British and American civilians.
“Diversity for us is the norm,” said Dr. Gialamas. “This is the beginning of a wonderful partnership.”
Six students from Greece have already been admitted for fall classes at STU.
