The rapid growth of a Mexican-origin population in the Pacific Northwest challenges public agencies and non-profit organizations to develop new response capabilities for effective, efficient service. This requires a clear understanding of the needs of this population and the requisite skills for productive engagement. In collaboration with the Southwest Center for International Studies in Tucson, Arizona, and the Instituto Tecnologico de Oaxaca the MPA Program has created an array of training programs to better equip current and future public service professionals for new responsibilities. Organizational staff in education, health care, public safety, and other fields develops enhanced language ability, cross-cultural communication techniques, and social awareness facilitating pragmatic problem solving. The PSU approach has drawn attention and requests for consultation from across the United States as other universities seek to provide similar support to public service. A more recent, and complementary, effort has been collaboration between Mexican and American researchers on researchers on research regarding Mexican migration to the Pacific Northwest to better inform policy and program development at the community and state levels. The broadening and deepening of such collaboration establishes Portland State in the forefront of regional universities addressing the realities of cross-border interaction.
For further information contact.
Associate Professor Jack Corbett
corbettj@pdx.edu
503-725-8226 or
The Southwest Center for International Studies
info@swcis.org
520-320-1650
