Central Michigan University’s new interim director of international education has not only studied other cultures – he has lived them.

Mark Poindexter can speak English and French fluently. He has also studied three other languages, has traveled to more than 15 countries and said he has been motivated by other cultures since being an undergraduate in college.

“When I was in college, there were people taking LSD to expand their consciousness,” Poindexter said. “And for some reason it struck me that if you really wanted to expand your consciousness and get into a sort of altered state, a new universe, that one of the ways you could do that was not chemically, but by learning another language and really immersing yourself in another culture.”

Poindexter, a broadcast and cinematic arts professor, was assigned to lead CMU’s international education department for one year beginning July 1.

Poindexter said his first hands-on experience with another culture was as a 21-year-old in France.

His experiences on that first trip gave him motivation to emerse himself in other cultures.

“That really stuck with me,” he said. “I graduated from college in 1973. From that point on, I’ve always been looking for opportunities internationally.”

Poindexter earned a bachelor’s degree from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., in 1973, a master’s degree from CMU in 1980 and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota in 1987.

After college, Poindexter was a journalist, a radio station manager, an interpreter for a French mayor during the United States Bicentennial and and employee of the U.S. government.

He said working with international programs kept him traveling.

Poindexter took over for Tracy Nakajima, international student coordinator. She held the position for three months while the Provost’s Office searched for a different faculty member to fill the position.

“We are very excited about the resources he will bring into the office and how they will impact internationalists at CMU,” Nakajima said. “Also, with his experiences with other cultures and knowing what it is like for the international students is always a benefit to the office.”

The Office of International Education handles everything from faculty exchanges to studying abroad.

Poindexter said CMU’s international education department has been expanding in the last 10 years, but wants the program to still improve and reach out to more cultures.

He said to do this, the university and the international education department have to work together as part of CMU’s 2010 plan.

Director of Special Projects Carole Richardson said the CMU 2010 program is a five-year strategic improvement and growth plan for CMU that uses key performance indicators for certain goals.

Two key performance indicators under Priority II provide educational experiences and programs that enhance diversity and a global perspective, involving the international education department.

“The whole idea is that we absolutely have to prepare our students for life in the 21st century, and we are certainly in a global economy,” Richardson said. “The more they can be exposed to international issues, international perspectives and cultures, the better we prepare our students for that world.”

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