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University of Michigan expands global bolsters partnership with India’s Madras Christian College
This partnership exemplifies U-M’s broader commitment to fostering global connections, with 16 active partnerships across Indian universities spanning disciplines like engineering, medicine, business, and social work.
Students from University of Michigan and Madras Christian College / Image- University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M) School of Social Work has strengthened its partnership with India’s Madras Christian College (MCC), renewing its collaborative program for a second time since its inception in 2016.
This partnership exemplifies U-M’s broader commitment to fostering global connections, with 16 active partnerships across Indian universities spanning disciplines like engineering, medicine, business, and social work.
“We have been partnering with Madras Christian College since 2016,” said Dr. Katie Lopez, director of the office of global activities at the U-M School of Social Work. “We have found it so valuable that we’ve renewed the five-year partnership program twice. We offer an exchange of faculty and students, research collaborations, and a global course introducing key social work issues in India.”
This year, the partnership launched a new chapter with the inaugural Global Course Extension (GCE), a faculty-led international program in Chennai. Eleven Master of Social Work (MSW) students participated in the program, which focused on the “Grand Challenges for Social Work.” Key topics included addressing racism and caste disparities, closing health gaps, responding to environmental challenges, and fostering healthy relationships to end violence against women.
Dr. B. Prince Solomon Devadass, MCC’s associate professor and fieldwork coordinator, highlighted the program's mutual benefits. “Both schools are passionate about a shared value system, professionalism, and global engagement. That is our connection and why the partnership is so successful,” he remarked.
The GCE program, led by Dr. Ashley Cureton (Bhavalkar), combined rigorous academic coursework with immersive field experiences. Students began with a one-credit preparatory course in Ann Arbor before traveling to Chennai for a two-credit experiential course. Once in India, participants engaged in Tamil language lessons, attended lectures by local experts, and visited field sites, including a home for mentally disabled women and the Irula Tribal Women’s Welfare Society.
“Our days were long and extremely impactful,” said Kelz Cousins, an MSW student. “In the mornings, we learned Tamil and heard lectures from amazing local experts. In the afternoons, we visited communities and organizations doing incredible work. The Irula communities, in particular, stood out as some of the greenest, most sustainable places I’ve ever seen.”
The program culminated in a farewell dinner, an emotional moment of reflection and celebration. “This course deepened my connection to the field of mental health,” shared Shreeja Vachhani, a U-M MSW student originally from India. “It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that allows students to explore a different culture while gaining meaningful professional insights.”
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