Marina Aleixo

Marina B. Aleixo is Director of International Initiatives and Relations at the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Minnesota. Her work involves developing and negotiating global partnerships on behalf of CEHD with institutions from around the world. As director, her focus is on developing new opportunities for international collaboration, research, and worldwide partnerships, particularly in the area of teacher and faculty education and training. Dr. Aleixo also leads the Global Teacher Education Program (GTEP) initiative, a short-term professional development program designed for international educators.

Dr. Aleixo’s research and scholarship explores the experiences of immigrant students and families. Currently she is involved in two international research projects. Multi-national Exploration of the School Experience of Somali Immigrant and Refugee Students examines the experience of Somali youth in Sweden, Netherlands, and England. The study explores how immigration policies in each country impact these school experiences. Supporting Refugees through Family Separation: Ambiguous Loss for Cambodian American Minnesotans documents the experience of recently deported Cambodian refugees in Cambodia, and their families left behind in Minnesota. Domestically, Dr. Aleixo has been involved in a collaborative multi-institutional research study that documents the college experiences of immigrant students.

Dr. Aleixo teaches courses that explore immigration policy and its impact on student school and community experiences. Her course, Borderland, Education Policy, and the Immigrant Student Experience examines the historical marginalization of immigrant and underrepresented students and families in the US educational system. This spring semester course also includes a one-week experience over spring break to Tucson, Arizona where students work with organizations that support migrants during the border crossing process. Dr. Aleixo also teaches Taste of South Korea: Culture, Language, and Education, a comparative international education course that evaluates and compares current US and Korean educational systems. The course also explores the historical background of Korean education, and its impact on current social, political and educational policies.

• CI 5150 Borderland, Education Policy, and the Immigrant Student Experience
• EDHD 3100/5100 Taste of South Korea: Culture, Language, and Education