Office of International Programs

Office of International Programs

International Campus Update

January 22, 2007

In This Issue:

Headlines

BORLAUG HONORED: Norman Borlaug, University alumnus and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, will receive the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor. He will join famous recipients including George Washington, Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, and Dr. Martin Luther King. Borlaug is honored as the “father of the green revolution” that brought modern farming techniques to developing countries in the 1960s and 70s.

DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR INTERNATIONALS nominations are due by Feb. 1, 2007. University-wide award honors international alumni, former students, and friends of the University who have distinguished themselves in their post-university work as leaders in their professional careers. QUESTIONS: Meaka Henningsen, 612-626-9123 or meaka@umn.edu APPLICATION MATERIALS & PAST RECIPIENTS: http://www.international.umn.edu/awards/leader/leader.html

INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI IN POLITICS: Many University alumni lead countries and hold top cabinet positions in nations around the world, including Luis Carranza, Peru’s minister of economics and finance. ARTICLE: http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/From_international_student_to_world_leader.html

PEACE CORPS: The Twin Cities campus ranked 11th among large universities in the number of students who became Peace Corps volunteers in 2006, with 65 volunteers. This is down from 10th place last year with 64 volunteers. The top institution was the University of Washington, with 110 volunteers. A Peace Corps representative is on campus Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in 230 Heller Hall and 2-4 p.m. in 198 McNeal Hall. COMPLETE RANKINGS: http://www.peacecorps.gov/news/resources/stats/pdf/schools2007.pdf

Program News

ESL: The University’s new Minnesota English Language Program will offer an intensive English program, July 2-Aug. 17. The program is designed for international students who want to improve their English skills in preparation for study at a university or college or to accomplish their professional goals. A 15-week program will be held in both fall 2007 and spring 2008. MORE: http://www.cce.umn.edu/esl/iep

GRADUATE SCHOOL: Music commissioned by the Graduate School in honor of its centennial was recently performed by the Chamber Ensemble of the City of London Sinfonia. 'When you and I were young' was composed by Yoon-Hee Hwang, who came to the University as an international student from Korea and received her Ph.D. in composition in 1992. She currently teaches at Seoul National University.

HUMPHREY INSTITUTE: Dr. Robert Kudrle has been appointed to the Orville and Jane Freeman Chair in International Trade and Investment Policy and will lead the Freeman Center for International Economic Policy, which identifies and analyzes the major challenges of an increasingly interdependent global economy. Kudrle has been a member of the faculty since 1972 and served as associate dean for research from 1992 to 1996. Kudrle succeeds Regents Professor G. Edward Schuh who retired in November.

ICGC: The Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change has been awarded $1.7 million in four new grants ($1.2 million to ICGC and $500,000 to affiliated faculty). These funds, from the Mellon and Luce foundations, will further the objective of internationalizing the University. MORE: http://www.ur.umn.edu/FMPro?-db=releases&-lay=web&-format=umnnewsreleases/releasesdetail.html&-RecID=36113&-Find

Study, Service Learning, Intern, Volunteer, Work, and Travel Abroad

FACULTY LEADER HANDBOOK, created by the Learning Abroad Center, is designed to help first-time and veteran study abroad program directors alike manage day-to-day responsibilities, on-site orientations, inappropriate student conduct, voluntary withdrawals, health issues, and emergency situations. MORE: http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/faculty/facultyLeaderHandbook.pdf

MEDICAL SCHOOL: In partnership with the U of M Learning Abroad Center and Fundacion CIMAS del Ecuador, the Medical School has developed a one-month summer internship program for medical students in Ecuador. University alumnus Jose Suarez, M.D., Ph.D., is executive director of CIMAS, a non-profit organization focused on the study of the environmental, developmental, and medical problems of Ecuador. Dr. John Kersey has been a major leader in the development of this new program. Travel awards for up to five students will be available for this program. MORE: http://www.med.umn.edu/imer/home.html

SPAN: The Student Project for Amity among Nations, one of Minnesota's oldest study abroad programs, will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2007. Through SPAN, students travel abroad to conduct research on a self-chosen topic and build bridges of understanding across cultures and continents. SPAN is located at the University of Minnesota, but is open to students from all of the state's colleges and universities. Since it began in 1947, more than 2,500 SPANers have visited 76 countries on six continents. In summer 2007, students can visit Egypt, Greece, or New Zealand. MORE: http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/programs/span/

Funding Opportunities and Announcements

INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY GRANTS: The following are new University funding programs to promote a global network of scholarship and engagement and encourage interdisciplinary and transnational partnerships. Grants are administered by the Office of International Programs. DEADLINE: Jan. 29 (doctoral fellowship is March 9)
QUESTIONS: Karen Brown at 612-624-0832 or kbt@umn.edu
MORE: http://www.international.umn.edu/funding/strategic.html

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

ALEXANDER DUBCEK FUND: The inaugural projects to be supported by the fund are: 

The Dubcek Fund supports academic exchange between the University of Minnesota and the countries of Eastern Europe. U of M faculty, staff, and students are invited to submit proposals for activities that will support the general goals of the fund: institutional linkages, faculty and staff research, visiting scholars and students, and U of M student study and research. Proposals may be submitted at any time. MORE: http://www.international.umn.edu/funding/dubcek.html

Events

CENTER FOR AUSTRIAN STUDIES:

INTERNATIONAL PIZZA & TALK: Monthly session sponsored by the Committee on International Education in the College of Education and Human Development, noon-1:30 p.m., 250 Wulling Hall. Feb. 5: “New Initiative in the Kingdom of Jordan” by Rosemarie Park and Shari Peterson, Work and Human Resource Education. Complimentary pizza and beverages served at noon. No reservations necessary. MORE: 612-624-1006

MINNESOTA INTERNATIONAL CENTER:

SUDAN AT THE CROSSROADS: TWO YEARS AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PEACE AGREEMENT by Norwegian diplomat Tom Vraalsen, Jan. 30, 11:30 a.m., at Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Center.

University of Minnesota
International Campus Update
Vol. 8, No. 1

Office of International Programs
Interim Associate Vice President and Dean: Meredith McQuaid
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 February. International Campus Update welcomes submissions. Please send items to be included by Friday, Feb. 9, to schul160@umn.edu or call 612-624-0557.