Awards

John W. Ryan Award for Distinguished Contributions to International Programs and Studies - 2000

About Howard Mehlinger

When it comes to global education, it might be said that Howard Mehlinger wrote the book.

The textbook, that is. During his 34-year Indiana University tenure, Mehlinger made–and continues to make as an emeritus professor–many contributions, including conception and direction of the U.S./U.S.S.R. Textbook Studies Project, whose purpose was to examine and change inaccuracies that the two countries taught about each other.

Mehlinger came to IU to serve as administrator of the Inter-University Committee on Travel Grants, a consortium of 40 American universities that handled all academic exchanges between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. When he retired in 1999, he was co-director of International Studies for Indiana Schools.

As director of the Social Studies Development Center from 1968-81, he directed the India Curriculum Development Project; led the national Global Studies for Middle School Project; co-founded the Center for Global Studies; chaired a UNESCO conference on the status of social studies worldwide; and served as adviser to the Institute for German Studies. As dean of the IU School of Education from 1981-1990, he established and co-directed the Institute for the Study of Soviet (now Russian) Education, created an office to provide counseling and support to international students, supported the development of a global studies emphasis in the teacher education program, established an academic exchange with Hangzhou University of China, and directed a program that allowed African social studies educators to acquire an IU master’s degree in one year.

As director of the Center for Excellence in Education from 1990-1999, he directed the IU/Ryazan State Pedagogical University Project and in 1998, co-chaired the 40th anniversary conference of Title VI of the Higher Education Act. Currently, he is president of the Mid-America Center, a foundation whose mission is to advance a "global perspective" among American educators.

-2000