Catherine Cutcher

Education

Ph.D., Ohio University, 2013

M.A.I.A., Ohio University, 2000

B.A., Kalamazoo College, 1996

Research and Specialization

• Comparative and International Education
• International Development
• Anthropology & Sociology
• Cultural Studies
• Africa
• Swahili language and culture
• Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• Diversity Studies (race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, language, culture, religion)

About Catherine Cutcher

Dr. Catherine Cutcher is the Associate Director of the Center for International Studies at Ohio University. She directs the Ohio Valley International Council (OVIC), a K-12 school outreach and community engagement program with international students of the Center for International Studies. She previously served as the Assistant Director for Global Studies Undergraduate Programs (2013-2022), African Studies (2000-2003), and Southeast Asian Studies (2000-2001) in the Center for International Studies at OHIO.

A native of Ohio, she has studied and conducted research in East Africa and the Swahili language since 1994. She has led study abroad programs in Eswatini (Swaziland) and South Africa and participated in study abroad programs in Kenya and Tanzania. She participated in the Fulbright-Hays Swahili Group Projects Abroad (GPA) program with Yale University in Arusha, Tanzania in 1998. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Kenya in 2007-2008 and was awarded the American Association of University Women (AAUW) dissertation fellowship in 2008-2009. She has conducted ethnographic research in Kenya among street children in Nairobi and with grassroots women's organizations in Nairobi and the coastal area of Kenya. Her experiences inspire students interested in studying abroad and conducting research in Africa. She previously worked as a Program Coordinator in the Office of Global Opportunities and continues to advise students about study abroad, exchanges, language immersion, and internship programs. She loves to travel and has explored the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, South Africa, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Vatican City, and Thailand.

She also facilitates World Languages programs at Ohio University.  A native speaker of English, she has studied French, Latin, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, and Arabic. She coordinated the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships program and Title VI National Resource Center grants for Africa and Southeast Asia at Ohio University from 2000-2003. She coordinated the Summer Cooperative African Language Institute (SCALI) (2003-2004) and the Swahili STARTALK summer language program (2016 and 2019). She is certified in Second Language Acquisition from the Swahili STARTALK Program for Language Instructors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2010).

She is a strong advocate for community engagement, outreach, and service learning. She completed two years of national service with AmeriCorps’ National School and Community Corps in Philadelphia, PA, and VISTA with Rural Action in Athens, OH. She lives on an organic farm with her family in Appalachian Ohio.

Honors and Awards

Distinguished Service Award, Center for International Studies (2022)

The Outstanding Learning Community Instructor Award, University College (2019)

STARTALK grant (Program Director), National Security Agency (2016 and 2019)

Outstanding Employee Award, Center for International Studies (2014)

1804 Award: Undergraduate Service Learning in Ecuador (2014-2015)

American Association of University Women Dissertation Fellowship (2008-2009)

Fulbright U.S. Student Fellowship to Kenya (2007-2008)

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship for Arabic (2003-2004)

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship for Swahili (1997-1998)

Fulbright-Hays Fellowship for Swahili, Group Projects Abroad in Tanzania (1998)

HVFH/Pi Beta Phi Endowment Graduate Fellowship (2010-2011)

College of Education Graduate Study and Educational Research Fund (2009-2010)

Outstanding Graduate Student in Cultural Studies in Education, Ohio University (2008)

Phi Beta Delta International Scholars Society Award (2002)

Community Service Award, Ohio University (2000)

Outstanding Contributions to the Center for International Studies, Ohio University (1999)

Academic Excellence in African Studies, Ohio University (1998-1999)

Courses Taught

• Diversity and Democracy (INST 4001) – UG
• Understanding the World (INST 1010) – UG
• Global Studies Learning Community (UC 1900) - UG
• Qualitative Research Methods of Interviewing (EDRE 7510) – MA / Ph.D.
• Introduction to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS 1000) – UG
• School, Society, and the Professional Educator (EDCS 400) – UG
• Education and Cultural Diversity (EDCS 301) - UG