This spring, the Fulbright Global Teacher Exchange Program took JPII Dean of Faculty Dr. Tina Finley halfway across the world, but for Dr. Finley, the journey had begun long before she boarded a plane to Romania.

During her first year at JPII, Dr. Finley has become known for her passion for education, innovation, and helping students see beyond the walls of the classroom, so it was natural that this passion earned her a place in the prestigious Fulbright Global Teacher Exchange Program, a U.S. Department of State initiative that allows K–12 educators to develop their practice, foster international collaboration, and bring global understanding back to their schools.

Out of 120 American teachers selected to participate across eight countries, Dr. Finley joined a cohort traveling to Romania for a three-week immersive teaching and cultural exchange experience.

For Dr. Finley, applying for the program had been a natural next step in a lifelong journey of learning.

“I enjoy being a learner,” she shared. “I had just finished my doctorate and began wondering what my next experience in education would look like.”

The application process itself lasted almost a year, beginning in the fall of 2024 and involving multiple rounds of interviews, coursework, and collaborative projects. Dr. Finley reached semifinalist status on the very day she began her role at JPII and advanced to the final round just as teachers returned to campus after summer break.

Rather than treating the preparation process as something personal or separate from school life, Dr. Finley intentionally invited JPII students into a similar experience.

Throughout the fall, participants completed graduate-level coursework focused on global education, sustainability, and the interconnectedness of educational systems around the world. Dr. Finley created a collaborative assignment that paired JPII computer science students with the CNC metalworking class students at a rural school in Indiana. Together, they explored how technology could bridge distances and build understanding between communities.

Students created “elevator pitches” explaining and promoting their classes, eventually deciding to produce videos and share them through a Padlet virtual bulletin board. The project became a lesson in curiosity, communication, and cultural exchange.
“Natural curiosity kicks in when we meet people from other places,” Dr. Finley explained. “We can learn and grow from getting to know others and understanding different cultures.”

In February, Dr. Finley traveled to Washington, D.C., for a global symposium that brought together Fulbright alumni, current participants, and international host teachers. There, she met her Romanian counterparts and engaged in discussions about international education, testing systems, and ways to help students become active participants in a global educational community.

“One of the goals is helping students realize they are part of something larger than their immediate community,” she said.

“These experiences broaden our own perspectives so we can help our students broaden theirs.”

Beginning April 20, Dr. Finley spent three weeks in Romania, starting in Bucharest before traveling to the city of Iași to work alongside her host teacher, Dr. Christina Mocanu, at Costache Negruzzi National College, one of Romania’s oldest and most prestigious schools, with roots dating back to the 1800s.

While there, Dr. Finley observed and co-taught programming and computer science courses, including lessons taught in C++, a shift from the Java programming environment familiar to many JPII students. She also visited technical schools specializing in robotics and computer science while collaborating with teachers and administrators across multiple educational settings.

The exchange was designed to be deeply immersive. Participants lived within the school community, worked closely with student hosts fluent in English, and even participated in a “living library” experience where educators shared stories and perspectives about American culture and education.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Finley enjoyed Romania’s rich artistic and cultural traditions through visits to symphonies, operas, and historical sites.

To document the experience, she also created a travel blog titled Dr. Finley Goes Global, where members of the JPII community could follow her journey abroad.

For Dr. Finley, however, the most important part of the experience was not simply travel; it was growth.

“The ideal thing is to grow as an educator, to see and experience other ways schools are successful,” she said. “Anything I can learn about another school can help me help teachers, faculty, and students at JPII.”

She hoped the exchange would strengthen not only her own perspective, but also the opportunities available to JPII students in the future.

“If connecting students to others around the world is valuable, how can we continue to make that happen?” she asked. “I want our students to see themselves as part of the global community, not just the local world.”

As Dr. Finley reflected on her time abroad, her Fulbright experience embodied JPII’s commitment to forming students and educators who are curious, compassionate, and connected to the wider world.