Office of International Programs

Office of International Programs

International Campus Update

October 14, 2005

Headlines

AWARD FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT, a new University-wide award, will be presented to Josef A. Mestenhauser, professor emeritus, College of Education and Human Development, on November 18. The award recognizes faculty and staff for outstanding contributions to global education and international programs at the University or in their field or discipline. Mestenhauser came to the University as a graduate student from Czechoslovakia in 1951, worked in international student affairs and international programs for four decades, and helped build the graduate program in Comparative and International Development Education. MORE: 612-624-5580 or international@umn.edu

ALUMNUS NAMED AMBASSADOR: President Bush has nominated Benson Whitney to serve as U.S. ambassador to Norway. Whitney, 49, the son of longtime state Republican leader Wheelock Whitney, has worked mainly in business, law, and politics. Whitney is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's law school.

DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR INTERNATIONALS: Nominations are now being accepted. University-wide award recognizes international alumni, former students, and friends of the University who have attained unusual distinction as professionals and demonstrated sustained outstanding achievement and leadership or demonstrated promise of such. MORE: http://www.international.umn.edu/awards/leader/leader.html [2005 recipient Dr. Paul Sun was honored Oct. 7 at a reception hosted by the College of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences. See article in the Daily: http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/10/10/65520]

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK: Mark your calendars for International Education Week 2005, to be held Nov. 14-18. All student organizations, colleges, and departments are encouraged to plan activities and events that highlight international education at the U. Submit your events online before Oct. 24 to be included in campus-wide publicity. MORE: http://www.international.umn.edu/IEweek/

GOVERNOR?S DELEGATION TO CHINA: As part of the new Minnesota-China Partnership initiative, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty will lead a 200-member delegation of business, government, academic, and civic leaders to China Nov. 11-19. President Bruininks will lead the education delegation. Several other representatives from the University will also be a part of the delegation including Regents David Metzen and Patricia Simmons. MORE: http://www.minnesota-china.com/

TRAINING FOR GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING: A series of workshops designed to help faculty and staff better understand the University?s international and multicultural communities and learn specific strategies for developing supportive environments in meetings, classrooms, and service settings. Sponsored by International Student & Scholar Services and Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence. REGISTER: http://www.isss.umn.edu/programs/itc/GlobalUnd.html QUESTIONS: 612-626-7100

Program News

CENTER FOR AUSTRIAN STUDIES:

NEW COURSE ON CHILD LABOR: In the last decade there has been a great upsurge of interest in child labor?from advocates, international organizations, and country-level policy-makers as well as researchers. To address this interest, a new course, "Child Labor," will be taught by Professor Deborah Levison, Humphrey Institute, in spring 2006 at the upper-level-undergraduate (PA 4490) as well as the graduate level (PA 5490). Prereq. introduction to microeconomics; must be at least a junior. QUESTIONS: bsnyder@hhh.umn.edu

STUDY ABROAD RESEARCH: A comprehensive research report was recently completed for the study, ?Maximizing study abroad through language and culture strategies.? Funded by the U.S. Dept. of Education, this research study was housed in the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) and led by Professors Andrew Cohen and Michael Paige. The research was comprised of three related studies that investigated the use and impact of the ?Maximizing Study Abroad? guidebook series for students, program professionals, and language instructors. MORE: http://www.carla.umn.edu/maxsa/research.html

Professional Notes

Professor RAGUI ASSAAD, director of the International Fellowship Programs, will take a two-year leave to serve as the regional director for programs and research in West Africa and North Africa for the Population Council, an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental research organization. With a base in Cairo, Egypt, where he will be surrounded by friends and family, Assaad will oversee the organization's activities in Egypt and other Arab countries as well as in Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey. Assaad plans to continue his work on gender, family, and development and to support projects on the transitions to adulthood, youth and women's livelihoods, and reproductive health and fertility services.
Professor

SALLY J. KENNEY, director of the Humphrey Institute's Center on Women and Public Policy, will travel (with her husband, a Belfast native) to Northern Ireland as the recipient of the Fulbright-Queen's University Fellowship in Governance, Public Policy, and Social Research. She will lecture and conduct research for three months this fall at the university's new Institute of Governance in Belfast. Kenney aims to write a case study of Northern Ireland's Women's Coalition—a non-sectarian women's party that has contested and won several recent elections in Northern Ireland despite verbal abuse by opponents who did not believe its candidates belonged in the race. Kenney will also continue her research on gender and reforms of judicial selection in the United Kingdom.

Study, Work, Intern, Volunteer, and Travel Abroad

STUDY ABROAD AND GRADUATION: A recent study shows that University of Minnesota (Twin Cities) students who study abroad graduate at a higher rate than students who do not, regardless of college, freshman academic profile, or ethnicity. Graduation rates for students doing study abroad are about 50 percent higher than overall graduation rates. "These numbers confirm that carefully planned study abroad opportunities do not need to delay graduation while the sense of purpose and self-confidence that students develop may enhance their commitment to timely graduation," said Gene Allen, associate vice president for international programs.

LINCOLN COMMISSION: The University will host a regional conference of the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program, Oct. 25, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at the McNamara Alumni Center for presidents, provosts, chancellors, and senior academic leaders in support of undergraduate study abroad. The commission, created by an Act of Congress in 2004, will present a set of recommendations to President Bush and the Congress in December 2005, including a major funding request for study abroad fellowships. MORE: http://www.lincolncommission.org/

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE SERIES: The Learning Abroad Center will offer short informational sessions for students to learn more about work, intern, volunteer, and travel opportunities around the world. MORE: http://www.UMabroad.umn.edu/news/index.html or daby0005@umn.edu

LEARNING ABROAD BROWN BAG LUNCHES: Monthly session with topics relating to increasing the international profile of the undergraduate experience. Faculty and advisers are invited to bring their thoughts, ideas, and questions. All sessions meet noon-1 p.m. in 289 Humphrey Center. The next sessions are October 27, ?Work, intern, volunteer, and service learning options,? and November 17, ?Talking with students about the costs of study abroad and scholarship resources.?

SPAN: The Student Project for Amity among Nations (SPAN), Minnesota?s oldest study abroad program, will offer its unique independent research and study abroad programs in Denmark and Senegal in summer 2006. Students earn eight academic credits for in-depth, pre-departure coursework, eight weeks of self-designed field research in country, and completion of an extensive research paper. APPLICATIONS: span@tc.umn.edu or 612-626-1083

PEACE CORPS: Dan MacLaughlin, Peace Corps recruiter, holds office hours on Tuesdays in the Learning Abroad Center (230 Heller Hall) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the St. Paul Campus Career Center (198 McNeal Hall) from 2 to 4 p.m. Students are invited to stop by to pick up catalogs or applications, discuss strategies on how to boost their competitiveness for service, or review their application materials. Meetings can also be arranged by appointment. CONTACT: 612-348-1484 or dmaclaughlin@peacecorps.gov

LEARNING ABROAD MINOR: The foreign studies minor has officially been renamed the learning abroad minor. It is an individualized, interdisciplinary CLA minor that integrates a study abroad experience with related University coursework. MORE: http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/academic/foreignstudies/

Funding Opportunities and Announcements

U of M STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS: Applications for winter break, spring semester, or academic year are due Oct. 28. MORE: http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/financial/scholarships/index.html

CROSS-CULTURAL SOLUTIONS SCHOLARSHIP: Cross-Cultural Solutions offers internship and volunteer programs in 10 countries around the world in a variety of fields, including public health, social work, education, development, and many others. Students will receive a $455 scholarship when applying through the Learning Abroad Center. MORE: http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org or daby0005@umn.edu

OIP: The following funding opportunities are administered by the Office of International Programs. MORE: http://www.international.umn.edu/funding/ or 612-624-5580

OIP FACULTY TRAVEL GRANTS deadline is December 1, 2005, for travel in January, February, March, and April 2006. Download application or apply online at http://www.international.umn.edu/travelgrant/ or call OIP at 612-624-5580.

PAULO FREIRE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT: Selected students will receive $2,000 to work on an individually designed international community service project. DEADLINE: Nov. 30, 2005 APPLICATIONS: http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/financial/scholarships/pauloFreire.html, Learning Abroad Center, 230 Heller Hall, or Career and Community Learning Center, 345 Fraser Hall. (Also, see International Experience Series above for session on the Freire Grant.)

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FUNDING FOR GERMANY: The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) offers a wide range of funding opportunities to students, scholars, and faculty for study and research in Germany. MORE: http://www.daad.org/?p=46362

USDA INTERNSHIP: The USDA is looking for exceptional senior and graduate-level students to work in its offices abroad to promote U.S. agricultural interests. The agency needs about 10 students each semester to work on international agricultural trade policy issues, commodity and market analysis, and organizing trade events during a 10 to16 week paid internship. U.S. citizen students who are majoring in a business or science related agricultural field are eligible. Online registration closes October 24. MORE: http://www.fas.usda.gov/admin/newjobs/newjobs.html

Events

AUSTRIAN STUDIES LECTURE SERIES:

GLOBAL DISCUSSION ON CAMPUS with guest speaker Thomas Hanson, program secretary for the St. Paul-Minneapolis Committee on Foreign Relations and a former U.S. diplomat. ?Asian security?Political and military tensions on the rise,? Oct. 17, 12:10-1:20 p.m., 110 Heller Hall. Sponsored by Culture Corps and the Minnesota International Center. MORE: maed0015@umn.edu

GRADUATE STUDY IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) is hosting a forum at the Humphrey Institute on Nov. 1 from 5-7 p.m. to share information on master’s and doctoral programs in international affairs. Representatives from outstanding universities (American, Columbia, Duke, Georgetown, George Washington, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Syracuse, Tufts, UC-San Diego, Denver, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, USC, and Washington) will meet with prospective students to answer questions about degree programs, admission requirements, financial aid, and career opportunities. The forum is free and advance registration is not required. MORE: nmattson@hhh.umn.edu or 612-624-2909

MINNESOTA INTERNATIONAL CENTER:

OTTOMAN EMPIRE THROUGH EUROPEAN EYES: Exhibit highlights Wilson Library?s collection of more than 100 accounts of the Ottoman Empire written by early modern European explorers. Through Dec. 5, room 472 Wilson Library.

RUSSIAN ART AT WEISMAN: The ?Mir Iskusstva: Russia?s Age of Elegance? exhibit features Russian landscapes, artists? portraits, book illustrations, and costume and stage designs, on tour in the U.S. for the first time from the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. Show runs through Dec. 31. MORE: http://weisman.umn.edu/exhibits/miriskusstva/home.html

RWANDA FILM SCREENING: A screening and discussion of the documentary ?In Rwanda, We Say ? The Family That Does Not Speak Dies? will be held Oct. 18, 6-9 p.m., in room 25 Law School. The screening is free and open to the public. The documentary addresses the reconciliation process in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. The screening is part of the Human Rights Center?s 2005-2006 film series. MORE: http://www.ur.umn.edu/FMPro?-db=releases&-lay=web&-format=umnnewsreleases/releasesdetail.html&-RecID=35156&-Find

University of Minnesota
International Campus Update
Vol. 6, No. 6

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 November. International Campus Update welcomes submissions. Please send items to be included by December 9 to schul160@umn.edu or call 612-624-0557.