Shenandoah University has partnered with Toucan Education Programs, a study abroad program provider in Belize, to allow students within and outside the SU community an opportunity to earn academic credit through courses offered by and delivered at Toucan.
This collaboration establishes Shenandoah as a School of Record for Toucan’s summer programs, a designation that allows the university to serve as an intermediary accredited institution that facilitates the transfer of academic credit to a student’s home institution. Such partnerships help to ease the burden of transferring credits earned through courses provided from non-accredited organizations – a common challenge for students who take courses abroad – and to foster academic innovation through international collaboration with higher education institutions.
Rhondine Petrof (left), founder and CEO of Toucan Education Programs, and Bethany Galipeau-Konate, Shenandoah University’s executive director of global education, signed a memorandum of understanding in January. (Abdon Tzib Photography)
Bethany Galipeau-Konate, D.Prof., Shenandoah’s executive director of global education, and Rhondine Petrof, founder and CEO of Toucan Education Programs, signed a memorandum of understanding in January.
“We’re delighted to partner with Toucan. Our organizations share a strong commitment to innovative student-centered programming with an interdisciplinary approach,” Dr. Galipeau-Konate said. “This natural alignment in values and entrepreneurial spirit makes our collaboration especially promising for creating dynamic opportunities for students.”
As a School of Record, Shenandoah will develop new courses within its curriculum to serve as equivalents to three summer session courses currently offered by Toucan – Sustainable Development, Natural Resource Tourism, and Cultural Learning – and recruit faculty to develop academic programming to be delivered in Belize. SU also will create a simplified online application process for Toucan students to register and enroll in those courses at SU as visiting students.
Toucan, which emphasizes experiential learning opportunities that promote community and values, will administer and operate the educational programs, including marketing and student recruitment, fee collection, academic advising and student services; facilitate instructional delivery for all proprietary courses; and provide logistical support such as housing and travel for visiting faculty and students.
After one year, Shenandoah and Toucan will explore the expansion of the partnership to potentially include online coursework and internship and service-learning credit.
This new partnership further reinforces Shenandoah University’s already-strong commitment to providing international opportunities for students. Shenandoah’s Global Experiential Learning Program provides its students with short-term, study-abroad experiences all over the world each academic year, and its Global Citizenship Project – which sends 50 students, faculty and staff on an all-expenses paid, weeklong trip to five international destinations each spring – is celebrating its 20th year in 2025. Shenandoah also provides a wealth of virtual exchange opportunities with international partners through its Barzinji Institute for Global Virtual Learning.
About Toucan Education Programs
Toucan Education Programs is a study abroad program provider based in San Ignacio Town in the Cayo district of Belize, Central America. Locally owned, Toucan has operated as an independent provider since 2010. It works with institutions of higher education in the United States and elsewhere to offer courses taught by local faculty, and to serve as a resource base for visiting faculty from a growing list of institutions in the U.S. It is known for its deep partnerships with local organizations and specialists, and its rigorous approach to traditional and experiential education. The organization also supports virtual partnerships with faculty in their home institutions. Toucan operates a social enterprise, and its programming design and administration philosophy is guided by “The SLE Factor” (Serve, Learn, Explore ethically and responsibly) and reciprocity. Its social responsibility is exemplified by the Marilyn McElwain Belizean High School Scholarship, which supports students who otherwise could not afford secondary education. Ecologically, Toucan is committed to reforestation and sustainable practices. Since 2022, over 600 trees have been planted through its reforestation program in partnership with Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD).
About Shenandoah University
Shenandoah University was established in 1875, and is headquartered at the top of Virginia, in Winchester, Virginia, with additional educational sites in Clarke and Loudoun counties, and online offerings. Shenandoah is a private, nationally recognized university that blends professional career experiences with wide-ranging education. With approximately 4,400 students in more than 200 areas of study in six different schools, Shenandoah promotes a close-knit community rich in creative energy and intellectual challenge. Shenandoah students collaborate with accomplished professors who provide focused, individual attention, all the while leading several programs to be highly nationally ranked. Through innovative partnerships and programs at both the local and global level, there are exceptional opportunities for students to learn in and out of the classroom. Shenandoah empowers its students to improve the human condition and to be principled professionals and leaders wherever they go. For more information, visit su.edu.
All photos are courtesy of Abdon Tzib Photography.
