Understanding Cooperative Extension Directors' Conceptualizations of, and Perceived Roles in, Internationalization

The Cooperative Extension System has been engaged in internationalization for decades. Ludwig and Barrick (1996) outlined five indicators of an internationalized Extension system. In the broader higher education literature Knight (2003) has conceptualized internationalization as a process. Extension directors have been identified as key leaders of internationalization within the Extension system. This dissertation investigated directors' conceptualizations of internationalization and their roles in such pursuits. I conducted semi-structured interviews with directors from across the U.S. to ascertain their understanding of internationalization as a phenomenon. I used Knight's (1994) internationalization cycle as a primary analytic framework and also drew on additional arguments from the higher education and Cooperative Extension System literatures. The study participants revealed a lack of a shared definition of internationalization. They articulated a perceived imperative that domestic audiences receive the primary benefits of internationalization and financial considerations as prevailing lenses for considering engagement in such initiatives. They suggested process-based, position-based, rationale-based, and system leadership-based rationales for such efforts. They also acknowledged the mediating impact of university priorities and resources on whether their systems would become involved in internationalization.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Planning, Governance, and Globalization

Department dc:contributor.department

Public Administration/Public Affairs

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Grove, Benjamin Bryant

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Stephenson, Max O. Jr.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Kniola, David John
• Archibald, Thomas Greig
• Schenk, Todd Edward William

• Cooperative Extension
• internationalization
• higher education
• community education
• leadership

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:45040

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/139656