About
Jared Scism is an intercultural educator and leader dedicated to helping individuals develop the knowledge, skills, and perspectives needed to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world. As Director of the Centre for Global Competency at the University of Central Oklahoma, he has led several initiatives that promote intercultural understanding for nearly 15 years. His passion for intercultural leadership began during his undergraduate years, when friendships with international students transformed his perspective and inspired a lifelong commitment to building bridges across cultures. That passion led him to study abroad in Japan and later return to work in Japan as an English teacher and missionary, experiences that reinforced his belief that intercultural competence is developed through authentic relationships, cultural humility, and meaningful engagement with people from diverse backgrounds.
Throughout his career, Scism has not only worked to expand opportunities for cultural understanding within higher education, but also throughout the state of Oklahoma. In addition to teaching a university applied intercultural competency course, he has served in various leadership roles with organizations including the Oklahoma Governor's International Team, the Japan-America Society of Oklahoma, Edmond Sister Cities board and Global Oklahoma, helping strengthen international partnerships between education, government, business, and local communities. His leadership philosophy centers on creating environments where people move beyond simply recognizing cultural differences to genuinely valuing and learning from them.
Jared earned his master's degree in education at the University of Central Oklahoma. He is also a licensed Qualified Administrator with the Intercultural Development Inventory and Qualified Facilitator with the AFS Global Cultural Competency Certificate Program and completed a Facilitating an Intercultural Learning course with his Tara Harvey. Through all of this work , Scism continues to equip students, educators, and community leaders with the intercultural knowledge needed to lead effectively in diverse workplaces and communities, fostering a more globally connected and culturally inclusive world.