May 20, 2025
MILWAUKEE — Dr. Gabriel Velez, associate professor of educational policy and leadership in Marquette University’s College of Education, has been awarded a Fulbright Specialist Award to serve as an expert consultant at Corporación Universitaria Santa Rosa de Cabal in Risaralda (UNISARC), Colombia. His project aims to support the institution by developing its curriculum in alignment with program-level learning objectives.
Velez will consult and run a pilot program over two weeks, as well as hold a regional forum on the design and assessment of learning objectives.
“It is always an honor for me to get to work with international partners, sharing and learning more about what higher education looks like across contexts,” Velez said. “This project is particularly powerful for me because it takes me to coffee country in Colombia, where my own ancestors on my father’s side came from. I’m looking forward to supporting UNISARC’s growth and development as an institution, collaborating to develop their efforts to serve students, and enjoying some great café.”
UNISARC was founded in 1980 by the Colombian Coffee Federation, which was led by Velez’s paternal great grandfather, Manuel Mejia, from 1937-57.
Read more about Velez’s family heritage in the Colombian coffee industry in Marquette Today.
The Fulbright Specialist Award aims to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions and communities both in the U.S. and overseas through a variety of educational and training activities within education. Velez is one of over 400 U.S. citizens who share expertise with host institutions abroad through the Fulbright Specialist Program each year. Recipients of Fulbright Specialist awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field, and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the U.S. and abroad.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
About Marquette University
Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, Marquette prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And, we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, Marquette is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. When students graduate with a Marquette degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.
About Kevin Conway
Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of Marketing and Communication. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.