AWB volunteers are dedicated academics who collaborate with their colleagues at AWB’s partner institutions in low- and middle-income countries – giving generously of their time and efforts – to share expertise through working on projects across objectives and disciplines.
Dr. Cynthia Korpan is an active AWB volunteer, currently involved in two collaborative projects with the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDs) in Wa, Ghana.
The first project, initiated by SDD-UBIDs in 2023, is establishing a graduate student professional development program at SDD-UBIDs. Working with another AWB volunteer, Dr. Heather Merla from Queen’s University, the project began with a literature review and needs assessment involving surveys and focus groups with various stakeholders in Wa, Ghana that provided the information necessary to develop the program. Cynthia and Heather recently returned from Wa where they provided instruction (train-the-trainer model) to the peer mentors who will teach the program.
The second project involved training facilitators to implement the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) at SDD-UBIDs. Over seven days, Cynthia along with AWB volunteer, Dr. Jill Grose (Brock University) trained nine dedicated faculty to be facilitators to roll out the ISW in the fall of 2025. The institution aims to provide the ISW program to all faculty at SDD-UBIDs.
Previously, Cynthia was a key member of an AWB volunteer team (Kathleen Matheos, University of Manitoba; Wenona Partridge, University of Saskatchewan; and Joan Sharp, Simon Fraser University) working collaboratively with colleagues from the University of Agriculture – Faisalabad (UAF) in Pakistan with the project goal of transforming the pedagogical culture to one that is student-centered and outcomes-based. After 18 months, the project was successfully completed in February 2025.
Additionally, in 2021, Cynthia began working, in conjunction with Dr. Geraldine Van Gyn (University of Victoria), in collaboration with Fr. Jino Mwaka (Vice Chancellor of the University of the Sacred Heart, Gulu, Uganda), who requested support for two courses to expand participants’ understanding of engaged teaching, learning, and community based participatory research and to develop their academic mentoring skills. The first phase involved online synchronous and asynchronous instruction, which was followed with an in-person two-week program in August 2023.
Cynthia’s commitment as an AWB volunteer stems from a deep desire to share her expertise and experience. AWB provides the structure to make that happen. Cynthia states: “The approach that AWB takes to supporting institutions establishes a framework of collaboration to ensure that the needs and goals of the institution are at the forefront. This means that the partner institution is highly supportive of the projects being carried out, which results in a dedicated team that not only wants the project to succeed but also be sustainable.”
Cynthia is an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria. Up until 2023, Cynthia was the Director of Teaching Excellence, designing and teaching graduate and faculty development courses. She holds a doctorate from the University of Victoria that focuses on early academics learning how to teach in post-secondary education. Further, Cynthia holds the position of Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), is an Associate Editor for the Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CJSoTL), a Committee Member for the Graduate Student, Professional Student, and Postdoctoral Scholar Development Special Interest Group (GPPD SIG) of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD), and Director of ITeach: Certification in Higher Ed Inc.
Academics Without Borders deeply appreciates the work of Cynthia and all AWB Volunteers.
