Eldonna May's recent visit to southern Africa resulted in the establishment of an international academic partnership between Wayne State University and Botho College in the Republic of Botswana. The music history professor received a Faculty Teaching Travel Grant (FTTG), which helped make the trip possible.

May used the grant to attend Botho College's Interdisciplinary Research Conference, where she presented her research and gave the keynote address. She says the additional funds provided her with a "terrific opportunity, particularly in terms of teaching and faculty engagement."

The FTTG helps Wayne State faculty participate in or present at conferences, workshops, and other professional development activities. Awardees receive up to $1,200 for expenses, including professional travel that cannot be funded from other sources, such as departmental budgets or grants.

"I think the FTTG program is a really good way to support faculty who value teaching and engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning," says Timothy Spannaus, senior lecturer and program coordinator in the College of Education. He used his grant to attend the International Lilly Conference on College Teaching at Miami University in Ohio. Spannaus presented his work (co-authored with Associate Professor Ke Zhang) on collaborative knowledge construction using a wiki.

Full‐ and part-time faculty members can apply for the grants. There is no deadline; however, applications must be made at least six weeks prior to proposed travel.

For more information, visit the Office for Teaching and Learning online at www.otl.wayne.edu. Click here to download the application procedures.