SYLVIA R.
COWAN
200 Market
Street, # 605
Lowell,
MA 01852, USA
(978) 452-9114
Fax: (978) 452-0614
AREAS OF
EXPERTISE:
*Adult
Education & Learning *Intercultural Communication
*Training and Mentoring of Trainers *Development
of Professionals
*Program &
Curriculum Development * Organizational Development
*International
& Intercultural Management * Project Management
EDUCATION:
Ed.D.,
Humanistic, Organizational & Developmental Studies, Boston University,
1982;
Dissertation: An Exploration of the Nature of Support.
An interdisciplinary investigation of the structure and
meaning of support and marginality, incorporating perspectives from psychology,
social psychology, sociology, and anthropology.
M.A., Linguistics/English as a Second Language
(ESL), University of Hawaii, 1970;
Fulbright
Award for Graduate Study in Spanish, University of Costa Rica, 1965;
NDEA
Fellowship in Spanish, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 1963;
B.A.,
Spanish & English, LaGrange College, GA, 1962. Magna Cum Laude.
EXPERIENCE
SUMMARY:
Dr.
Cowan has more than 30 years of experience working in the field of education
and professional development with educational institutions and the intersection
with private and public sectors. She has taught and provided professional
development seminars to more than 2000 educators. She directed training services and developed
an international network of trainers for two major intercultural consulting
firms serving Fortune 500 companies. She
conducted a major international development training project for 492
professionals—university professors and business owners/managers in a variety
of industries—and led international projects on conflict resolution and
multicultural understanding for leaders in human services, education and
government.
Dr. Cowan has worked with educators
and private sector professionals in program and curriculum development and
evaluation. As Director of Faculty and
Curriculum at the Emmanuel College Advancement Program in Business
Administration, Dr. Cowan worked with faculty to develop, modify, and adapt
curricula for 37 courses in business management areas; she supervised 80
experienced faculty in this accelerated adult degree completion program for working
professionals and managers. As Program
Director for Babson College’s Executive & Management Programs, Dr.
Cowan designed and oversaw delivery of
programs for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies. At the Multicultural Institute for Change at
Regis College, Dr. Cowan worked with faculty from six Boston-area colleges to
develop multicultural curricula.
Currently
Program Director and Associate Professor for the Master’s Program in
Intercultural Relations at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she
teaches and supervises graduate students, oversees program and curriculum
development, and oversees an international faculty. She consults for organizations on
intercultural management, organizational development, conflict transformation,
and change.
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE:
Program
Director & Associate Professor,
Lesley
University, Masters Program in Intercultural Relations, 1999 to present. Oversee curriculum, program development, and faculty.
Teach selected graduate level courses in Intercultural Communications,
Intercultural Management, Intercultural
Training and Consulting, Identity.
Director of
Training Services; Interim President, Prudential Intercultural, 1997 to
1999. Oversaw $4 million (US) /year
international company. Developed overall company strategy; managed directors,
marketing and production specialists, and trainers. Oversaw delivery of intercultural training
services to Fortune 500 companies from 9 field offices across the U.S. and 2
international sites. Managed a network of 75 training professionals and
consultants; developed and implemented “train-the-trainer” program. Directed
all intercultural curriculum and product development.
Adjunct
Faculty, Lesley
University, Master’s Program in Intercultural Relations, 1988 to 1999. Taught selected graduate level courses in
Intercultural Communications, Intercultural Management, Intercultural Training
and Consulting, and Proposal Writing.
Principal, Cowan Associates,
1986 to present. Perform needs assessments,
develop training designs, provide customized training, coaching, and
organizational development for educational and non-profit organizations,
corporations, and government. Specialize
in intercultural and international management, multicultural program and
curriculum development, team building, and human resources development.
Senior
Associate, International Programs, Education Development Center, Newton,
MA, 1993 to present. Plan and
direct projects, conduct study tours and training, provide consultation for
organizations.
Senior
Consultant, Director of Training and Development, Bennett Associates, 1994-1995. Designed and directed
training programs and curriculum development for international managers of
Fortune 500 companies. Provided consultation
to organizations. Hired, trained and
supervised experienced international/intercultural trainers and
consultants. Managed training department
and a network of intercultural trainers and consultants.
Director of
Faculty & Curriculum, Emmanuel College
Advancement Program, 1993-1994. Developed curricula, managed programs, hired
and managed over 80 experienced faculty members for intensive adult degree
completion program in business administration.
Senior Project
Director , International Programs, Education Development Center,
Newton, MA, 1988-1992. Planned and
directed various international projects.
Directed all aspects of a $2.3 million training for private sector
development project for 492 owners and managers of businesses in Costa Rica. Developed and directed projects on Tolerance
and Pluralism in Multi-ethnic Societies with Israel and with five countries in
South Asia; led team for Strategic Environmental Training of Trainers symposium
for 7 countries (Brazil, China,
Commonwealth of Independent States,
India, Indonesia, Mexico,
Nigeria). Responsibilities
included assessment and design; hiring and supervising staff, consultants,
subcontractors; overseeing implementation of training programs;
evaluation; negotiating contracts;
writing reports; managing budgets.
Worked bilingually (Spanish / English) with government officials,
private institutions, professionals, managers.
Consultant,
Director of Training & Relocation , Special Project, Polaroid Corporation, 1986-1987. Advised Polaroid Corporation in staffing and
preparations for opening a new manufacturing plant in Mexico. Analyzed relocation and training needs;
provided human resources consultation; developed and directed intercultural and
Spanish language training for U.S. managers and their families. Provided relocation assistance, ESL
instruction, and cultural orientation for Mexican managers and their families
in the U.S. Developed in-depth training
and provided leadership for the intercultural management team.
Program Director , Executive
and Management Programs, Babson College,
MA, 1983-1985. Developed and
directed management education programs for executives and middle managers in
business and industry. Determined needs,
designed and staffed programs, developed marketing plans, marketed programs and
services, evaluated programs, managed budgets, coordinated and supervised
staff, worked with corporate directors and college faculty. Organized and
directed several major conferences.
Adjunct
Faculty
, Showa University, Boston, MA;
1988-1989. Taught undergraduate courses
in Intercultural Communications and American Studies to Japanese students.
Consultant and
Trainer
, Multicultural Institute for Change, Regis College, MA , 1982-1983. Developed
curricula with university professors of education at six Boston-area
Universities (Simmons College, Lesley
University, Clark University, Framingham State University, Regis College, Wheelock College) for graduates and undergraduates;
integrated multicultural content and
processes. Conducted training in intercultural concepts.
Training
Coordinator , Bilingual/Multicultural Special Education Project,
Massachusetts State Department of Education, 1982. Planned, organized, and implemented training
sessions and workshops for administrators and educators throughout the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Conducted
needs assessments, selected and hired consultants, coordinated consulting
teams, supervised publicity for conferences, managed budgets, evaluated
training experiences, wrote promotional
materials and summary reports.
Instructor , Adjunct
Faculty, Northeastern University, MA; College of St. Rose, NY, 1973-1982.
Taught over 1500 educators-- counselors, administrators, and teachers-- in
graduate level professional development courses and workshops in subjects such
as management, effective group process, psychology, and other areas.
Instructor , Adjunct
Faculty, University of Hawaii; Mangold
Institute (Madrid, Spain); Atlanta Adult Education, GA, 1969-1970. Taught English to speakers of other languages
in university, private school, and
community settings.
Coordinator , Foreign
Languages and ESL Programs, Atlanta Public Schools, GA, 1968-1971. Organized and developed program
for immigrants. Coordinated program of
Spanish instruction in elementary schools throughout city. Supervised staff of professionals and
paraprofessionals teaching and delivering services. Directed curriculum development. Coordinated services with community agencies
and leaders.
Coordinator , Foreign Languages, Atlanta Public Schools, GA, 1967-1968. Supervised 150 language teachers (6
languages) in the development and implementation of a major city-wide curriculum
revision. Coordinated language
program for all city schools (50 elementary and secondary schools).
Teacher of
Spanish
, Atlanta Public Schools, 1962-1966.
Created materials for educational television Spanish instruction. Developed curriculum for follow-up classes. Taught classes in various city schools.
Bilingual,
English & Spanish.
SELECTED
PUBLICATIONS, PRESENTATIONS, PROJECTS:
*Currently
in process: Co-editing book, working title, “Southeast Asian Refugees
and Immigrants in the Mill City:
Changing Families, Communities, Institutions—Thirty Years Afterward,”
expected publication spring 2007.
*Currently in process: Articles and Presentations on recent research
(February 2006) in Cambodia. “Can you go home again? Re-entry Re-visited: Migration and Identity After War—A Cambodian
Example,” presentation November 2006, publication expected spring 2007.
*Presentation: “Intercultural Training in a War Zone: Intersections Between Identity, Culture, Conflict, and the Learning Process.” Presented at SIETAR-USA Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon, November 14, 2002 (with Meenakshi Chhabra)
*Conducted “Faculty Institute on
Diversity in the Curriculum of the Multicultural University” at the at the
University of Massachusetts / Lowell, June, 2001, and January, 2002. (with Anne Mulvey)
*Presentation: “Using Diversity as a Catalyst for Learning”; presented at Seventh Diversity Symposium, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Tuesday, October 2, 2001. (with Meenakshi Chhabra)
*“Trauma
and Humanitarian Assistance Program in the Former Yugoslavia: Interim Evaluation Report.” April, 1997. (with Dr. Abigail Sivan;
Educational Development Center.)
Evaluation of an International Training Program presented to the United
States Agency for International Development.
Became part of public record, 1997.
*Conducted
Workshop for Russian Leaders of Non-Profit Organizations, Training Project,
“Training Managers of Emerging Non-Profit Organizations Throughout
Russia,” January, 1997.
*Conducted
on-site evaluation study for Harvard University’s Training Project for Medical
Professionals on Dealing with Trauma in Bosnia and Croatia, spring, 1997. (with Dr. Abigail Sivan)
*Project
Report, “Promoting Tolerance and Resolving Conflicts: Challenges of Democracy
in Multi-Ethnic Pluralistic Societies,” A Fulbright-Hayes Program for Exchange
between the United States and Israel, Sponsored by the Office of Citizen
Exchanges, United States Information Agency, November, 1992.
*Project
Report, “Tolerance and Pluralism in Multi-Ethnic Societies: South Asia
Project,” A Fulbright-Hayes Program for Exchange between the United States and
Israel, Sponsored by the Office of Citizen Exchanges, United States Information
Agency, October, 1993
*Invitational
Presentation, Durango, Mexico, International Symposium, Education for the 21st
Century Conference, Presentation on “Knowledge, Skills, and Awareness for
Living in the Global Society,” audience
of 1500 educators at special conference, in Spanish, October 8 & 9, 1993.
*Invitational
Chapter, “Environmental Considerations in the Success of the Bilingual Program:
The Director’s Role,” in De George, George, ed., “Bilingual Program
Management: A Problem Solving Approach.”. Cambridge,
MA: Evaluation, Dissemination and
Assessment Center, Lesley University, 1985.
Curriculum
Development:
On-going
development of curricula for graduate level courses, Master’s Program in
Intercultural Relations, Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Developed
curricula for executive training seminars for Fortune 500 companies (with
Prudential Intercultural): Intercultural
Competencies for Living and Working Abroad; Global Awareness; Assessment and Overseas Assignment
Success; Doing Business in.... (a number
of specific countries around the world), 1997-98.
Developed
curricula for managers and executives for Fortune 500 companies (with Bennett
Associates) on Intercultural / International Competencies for Living and
Working Abroad; Developing Global Organizations; Diversity in Global
Organizations, Conducting Business Across National Borders, 1994-95.
Developed
curricula, with faculty, for International Business Management Courses and 37
courses with business/management emphasis, Emmanuel College, 1994.
Developed
curriculum for 76 courses for Costa Rican Business CEOs and Managers in 26
industries, 1988-1992.
Developed
Integrated Intercultural / Multicultural Curricula with Professors of Education
in six Boston-area Universities, 1983.
Developed
curricula for training public school educators (teachers, counselors,
administrators) across the state in the Multicultural and Bilingual Issues
Related to Special Education, 1982.
Developed
curricula for Atlanta Public Schools, English for Speakers of Other Languages,
K-12, 1971.
Developed
foreign languages curricula for Atlanta Public Schools, language programs in
six languages in fifty schools throughout the city, 1968.
Developed
video curriculum series with Atlanta Public Broadcasting and Atlanta Public
Schools, Spanish culture and language series, 1966.