Office of International Programs

Office of International Programs

International Campus Update

December 18, 2002

Headlines

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK 2002: Colleges and departments hosted more than 35 events to highlight the University’s support of international education – from presentations and lectures to music concerts and festive celebrations. To see a listing of events and photos, go to http://www.international.umn.edu/ieweek/2002/.

JUDD LECTURE: More than 100 people attended the inaugural Walter H. Judd Lecture, given by J. Brian Atwood, new dean of the Humphrey Institute. Atwood’s lecture, “America: Vulnerable? Hegemonic? Or Both?” discussed the role of international development in U.S. foreign policy. The Judd Lecture is named in honor of late Minnesota Congressman Walter H. Judd, who devoted his life to public service and international awareness. To learn more about the Judd Lecture and to read Atwood’s speech, go to http://www.international.umn.edu/funding/student_funding/judd/lecture.html.

PRESIDENT VISITS ECUADOR: During a trip to Ecuador in November, President Robert Bruininks visited with staff and students of the Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID) study abroad program. Learning from experience is the core of the MSID curriculum, which explores the theoretical and practical implications of international development and intercultural issues. Field experience is an integral part of all courses. “I believe this program is outstanding,” Bruininks said. “I was particularly impressed with the important conceptual foundation for their program and the extraordinary attention our students receive.” MSID also has sites in India, Kenya, Ghana, and Senegal. To learn more about the MSID program is Ecuador, go to http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/AMERICAS/msid_ecuador.html.

RHODES SCHOLAR: David Simon – a political science, global studies, and Russian major on the Twin Cities campus – was named a Rhodes Scholar, which will allow him to pursue a graduate degree in international relations at the University of Oxford in England. He is the second University of Minnesota student to receive the award in three years.

STUDY ABROAD RESEARCH: The Maximizing Study Abroad Research Study hosted their first orientation session on Dec. 7. Almost 60 student volunteers, who will be leaving soon for study abroad programs, will be assisting in the study of the new “Maximizing Study Abroad” Students’ Guide (produced by the University’s Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition). A portion of the students will not receive the Students' Guide, and their orientation to the research project was brief. The remaining students received a copy of the guide and an intensive orientation. While abroad they will read the guide and submit a bi-weekly electronic journal entry describing how, when, where, why, and with what frequency they used specific language and culture strategies from the guide. To learn more about the Students’ Guide, go to http://carla.acad.umn.edu/studyabroad/guides.html.

THANKSGIVING DINNER FOR INTERNATIONALS: Leaders from the International Friendship Group Program made and served dinner to more than 130 international students at the 8th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner. The dinner is sponsored by International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) and the International Friendship Group Program, which offers experienced international and U.S. students an opportunity to mentor newly arrived international students during their first semester on campus.

CHINESE EXECUTIVE TRAINING: The China Center is hosting the following delegations at its Mingda Institute for Leadership Training:

DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PARTNERSHIP: The Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities (MUCIA), a consortium to which the University has belonged since the 1960s, is reconfiguring itself to include five universities that work together on technical assistance and institution-building projects abroad (The other schools are Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Purdue). MUCIA has signed a new agreement to work on bids for Agency for International Development projects with Chemonics, a firm based in Washington, DC. On Dec. 11 and 12, representatives from MUCIA and Chemonics met with University faculty in agriculture/natural resources, health sciences, and public policy to discuss the strengths of the University in these areas.

International Education After September 11

OIP continues to monitor news, legislation, and issues related to international education and the events of September 11. Updated information and resources are posted on the OIP September 11 Web site.

SEVIS DEADLINE APPROACHES: The deadline for universities to start sending information to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is Jan. 30, 2003. SEVIS is an electronic reporting system that provides the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) with information on students, scholars, and faculty on non-immigrant visas. Certain situations, such as a student falling below a full course of study, can have serious implications. If you are an international student or scholar or if you work with them, you are strongly encouraged to attend an information session. You may attend the next student session (Jan. 16, 9 a.m., 210 Anderson Hall) or call ISSS for other information session opportunities (612-626-7100). For up-to-date information on SEVIS, go to http://www.isss.umn.edu/INSGen/SEVISUpdate.html.

Campus and College News

CARLSON SCHOOL: The Carlson School will offer a new Global Enrichment Elective for MBA students in May 2003. This three-credit course, “The Ethical Environment of International Business,” will take place in Brussels and London.

The Carlson School welcomed its largest group of exchange students in the school’s history. Thirty students from around the world attended classes during fall semester.

Enrollment in the Global Executive MBA degree programs continues to grow. Forty new students joined the China program and 52 new students joined the Warsaw program this fall. The Global Executive MBA programs, which also include a program in Vienna, allow executives abroad to learn about fundamental global issues.

CONTINUING ED: The Great Conversations discussion with Professor Patricia Hampl and author Eva Hoffman will air on Twin Cities Public Television (Channel 17) on Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. The women discussed writing memoirs about their family’s emigration from Eastern Europe.(The event was sponsored in part by the Office of International Programs and held during International Education Week.) The spring series will feature Archbishop Desmond Tutu discussing human rights with Robert Jones, vice president and executive vice provost for faculty and academic programs, on February 25.

HUMAN ECOLOGY: The School of Social Work will offer a special topics course on international welfare in Peru, May 28 to June 6. Students will visit social service and economic development sites throughout Peru. For more information, contact Megan Morrissey at 612-624-4210 or mmorriss@che.umn.edu.

HUMPHREY INSTITUTE: Senior Fellow Marsha Freeman traveled to the Netherlands to be part of an expert group that is assisting the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to develop its policy statement on affirmative action under the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Freeman provided a practical framework for evaluating government efforts to affirmatively address the affects of discrimination.

LIBERAL ARTS: Elaine Tarone, professor in the Institute of Linguistics, English as a Second Language, and Slavic Languages and Literatures, gave a plenary lecture, "Frequency, Noticing, and Creativity: Current Issues in Second Language Acquisition Research," at the 26th Annual Conference of the Spanish Association for Anglo-American Studies (AEDEAN) in Santiago de Compostela, Dec. 12-14. AEDEAN's current membership of nearly 1,300 includes University professors, lecturers, and graduate students from all Spanish universities and also from abroad.

MEDICAL SCHOOL: Epidemiology professors will combat tobacco-related illnesses and death in developing countries with grants from the Fogarty International Center, which is part of the National Institutes of Health. Harry Lando will lead a tobacco cessation project in India and Indonesia. Cheryl Perry will develop a smoking prevention program for 6th to 9th graders in 44 schools in three Indian cities.

MINNESOTA ENGLISH CENTER: A new course, "Semi-Private ESL Tutoring," will assist non-teaching members of the University community (both students and staff) who need help improving their English language skills in a small-group setting where their particular needs can be addressed. Each participant will work intensively with an instructor and two groupmates on areas of common concern and interest. The seven-week course runs Jan. 21 to March 11, 2003. For more information, call 612-626-4548 or e-mail mec@umn.edu.

MINNESOTA INTERNATIONAL CENTER: For more information on the following events, go to http://www.micglobe.org/cal/cal.cfm or call 612-625-4421. Reservations are generally required for MIC events.

Funding Opportunities and Announcements

JUDD FELLOWSHIPS: Deadline Feb. 10, 2003.
Fellowships for students enrolled in University master's and professional degree programs to study, undertake internships, and conduct research abroad. For more information, go to http://www.international.umn.edu/funding/student_funding/dunn/dunnpeace.html. Applications available in OIP, 645 Heller Hall, or the Graduate School Fellowship Office, 321 Johnston Hall.

NSEP GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS: Deadline Jan. 31, 2003.
Fellowships enable U.S. graduate students to pursue specialization in area and language study or to add an international dimension to their education (in countries other than Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand). Campus contact is Stephanie Bettermann (612-624-5580 or international@umn.edu). For more information, go to http://www.aed.org/nsep.

NSEP UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS: Campus deadline Jan. 24, 2003.
Scholarships for undergraduate study in countries other than Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Focus on less commonly taught languages. Campus contact is Stephanie Bettermann (612-624-5580 or international@umn.edu). For more information, go to http://www.iie.org/nsep/.

STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS: The application deadline for University of Minnesota study abroad scholarships for travel during May Session is Feb. 14, 2003. For a listing of scholarships and an application, go to http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/uofmscholarships.html.

HUMAN ECOLOGY: Scholarships to support CHE student experiences overseas. Application deadline (for May and summer session) is Feb. 14, 2003. For more information, go to http://www.che.umn.edu/ss/cs/international/.

UNDERGRAD TRAVEL GRANT: Center for Austrian Studies offers two travel grants of $1,000 to enable study of language or other subjects at an educational institution in Austria. Students need to be studying German. Contact Harold Stelzer at 612-624-4825 or stelz005@umn.edu. Deadline: March 14, 2003.

GRADUATE TRAVEL GRANT: Center for Austrian Studies offers two travel grants of $1,000 to enable research in Austria or neighboring countries formerly part of the Hapsburg monarchy. Applicants must be pursuing an advanced degree in humanities, social sciences, or business administration and proposing research that requires time abroad. Contact Harold Stelzer at 612-624-4825 or stelz005@umn.edu. Deadline: March 14, 2003.

University of Minnesota
International Campus Update
Vol. 3, No. 8

Office of International Programs
Assoc. Vice President: C. Eugene Allen
Editor: Jennifer Schulz

Interested persons may request to receive this newsletter as an e-mail update by contacting the editor at schul160@umn.edu or calling 612-624-0557.

The next issue will be sent in January. International Campus Update welcomes submissions. Please send items to be included to schul160@umn.edu or call 612-624-0557.