Dr. Bowling is an international education leader with over 20 years of experience spanning academic and student affairs across K-12 and higher education settings in the U.S. and abroad. Currently a researcher affiliated to OSU’s College Impact Lab (CoIL), her research interests are critical and comparative internationalization, educational leadership, worldview diversity education, global learning, decolonizing practices, and international education policy.
Current & Past Projects
Framing Global Diversity Leadership
Worldview Diversity Education at Global Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
PI: Dr. Matthew Mayhew, OSU
Interfaith Spiritual, Religious, and Secular (NSPIRES) Index
Co-PIs: Dr. Matthew Mayhew, OSU & Dr. Alyssa Rockenbach, NC State
Interfaith Diversity, Attitudes, and Experiences Survey U.K. (consultant)
Co-PIs: Dr. Kristin Aune, Coventry University, Dr. Mathew Guest, Durham University
Selected Publications
Bowling, R. L. (June 2024). “Postcolonial Religious Education in International Schools”, In Lucinda Mosher, Christine Gallagher, & Axel Takacs’ (Eds.) Interreligious Studies and Secondary Education: Pedagogies and Practices for Living and Learning in a Religiously Plural World. Interreligious Studies Press.
Bowling, R. L. & Dahl, L. S. (2024). Building a Spiritual Home on Campus. Journal of College Admission, Winter 2024, 16-19.
Combs, L. D. & Bowling, R. L. (2024). “Liminality as a Necessary Companion to Intersectionality”, In Donald Mitchell, Jr., Jakia Marie, and Patricia Carver (Eds.) Intersectionality & Higher Education: Theory, Research and Praxis (3rd ed.). Peter Lang Group AG.
Bowling, R. L. (2023). Worldview Diversity Education at Global Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities [Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1700155025359695
Bowling, R. (2023). Global Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities: A Source of Critical Hope? Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.32674/jcihe.v15i1.4506
Bowling, R. L. and Combs, L. D. (2023). Liminality as a Third Wave Conceptual Framework. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, published online March 9, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1080/19496591.2022.2150974
Bowling, R. L. (2023). Spiritual Development Theory and Internationally Mobile Students. Journal of College and Character, 24(1), 69-77. https://doi.org/10.1080/2194587X.2022.2157441
Bowling, R. (2023). Worldview Diversity Education at Global Liberal Arts Campuses. Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education, 14(5A), 7–13. https://doi.org/10.32674/jcihe.v14i5A.5065
Bowling, R. L., Dahl, L., & Mayhew, M. J. (2023). Index measures campus efforts to create welcoming environments for religious and non-religious diversity. Admitted blog, NACAC (November 30, 2023). https://admitted.nacacnet.org/wordpress/index.php/2023/11/30/index-measures-campus-efforts-to-create-welcoming-environments-for-religious-and-non-religious-diversity/
Bowling, R. L. (2022). Inclusive Internationalization: What about Religion & Spirituality? In H. de Wit, G. Blanco, & E. Buckner (Eds.), Proceedings of the WES-CIHE Summer Institute 2022. CIHE Perspectives, 21. https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/bc1/schools/lsoe/sites/cihe/Perspectives%20No.%2021.pdf
Bowling, R. L. (2021). Religious Literacy and Interfaith Cooperation: Toward a Common Understanding, Religious Education, October 2021. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2021.1983286
Mayhew, M. J., Winkler, C., Rockenbach, A. N., & Bowling, R. L. (2023). You Don’t Get to Say What I Believe, I Do: Provocative Encounters as Catalysts for Self-authored Worldview Commitments During College. Journal of Higher Education, [published online Apr. 23, 2023]. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2023.2171207
Selected Presentations
“Approaches to Worldview Diversity: Findings from Global Liberal Arts Campuses,” Society for Cultural Interaction in East Asia 2024
“Emerging Research to Drive Equity-Based Change in International Education,” NASPA International Symposium 2024
“Comparisons Across Contexts: Findings from Collaboratively Adapting IDEALS for the U.K.”, ASHE CIHE 2023
“Competencies and You: Leadership Panel”, NASPA VLE January 2023
“Including Religion & Spirituality in DEI and Global Learning Work”, AAC&U Transforming Global Learning 2022
“Cultivating Capacity to Engage with Religious, Spiritual, & Secular Diversity”, IASAS Global Summit 2022
“Not Business as Usual: Decolonizing School Counseling Programs”, IntlACAC 2022
“Leading Internationalization Efforts Past the Honeymoon Stage”, NASPA International Symposium 2021
“Code of Ethics and Professional Practice”, IntlACAC 2019
Service
Editorial Board, Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice
Chair, Spirituality & Religion Knowledge Community, NASPA
Policymakers & Influencers Task Force, World Council on Intercultural and Global Competence
High Impact Practices Advisory Committee, OSU
Reviewer, Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education
Reviewer, Religious Education
Treasurer, Journey Services Board of Directors
Memberships
AAC&U, ACE, ACPA, ASHE Council on International Higher Education, American Academy of Religion, Association of Interreligious and Interfaith Studies, Council of International Schools, Critical Religious Studies in Higher Education, Diversity Collaborative, International Association of Student Affairs and Services, IntlACAC, NASPA, NAFSA, Religion & Education Collaborative, World Council on Intercultural and Global Competence
Awards
Best Practices in Research & Scholarship Award, NASPA International Education Knowledge Community, 2024
Porterfield-Dickens Award, OSU, 2023
Global Forum Grant, World Council on Intercultural and Global Competence, 2023
Career Development Grant, Council of Graduate Students, OSU, 2023
Sonkin-Bergman-Wasserman Families’ Scholarship for International Understanding and Peace, 2022
American Academy of Religion Pandemic Crisis Fund Grant, 2022
Ray Travel Award, The Ohio State University, 2022
Comparative and International Education Society Travel Award, 2022
InternationalACAC Conference Scholarship, 2022, 2023
Dr. Richard and Dorene Miller Scholarship, The Ohio State University, 2022
Susan R. Jones Award, The Ohio State University, 2022
Anderson Memorial Fund Scholarship, The Ohio State University, 2021
Jack A. Culbertson Award, The Ohio State University, 2021
University Fellowship, The Ohio State University, 2020