The University of Wisconsin–Madison has a long, distinguished history of international engagement and producing globally talented graduates who create better lives for people in the state and around the world. International Education Week, November 11-15, will provide an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the university community’s ongoing commitment to that tradition.
“Today, international education touches all majors and fields of study,” says Guido Podesta, interim vice provost and dean of the Division of International Studies. “Every student needs to develop the skills, attitudes, and knowledge to succeed in an increasingly diverse, interconnected world.”
The U.S. Department of State and Department of Education jointly sponsor International Education Week to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange and to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.
The list below highlights a variety of events – some specially planned for International Education Week, others part of UW–Madison’s ongoing international programming – being held on campus during this special week.
For a regular weekly campus-wide listing of international events, go online to Global Happenings: http://ghapps.global.wisc.edu/. Also, subscribe to receive Global Happenings by email.
International Education Week Events Listing
International Photo Exhibit: Crossing Cultures – Monday, November 11, through Friday, November 22, 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. daily, Room 106, Red Gym. This exhibit features prize-winning photographs taken by international and study abroad students at UW–Madison; these photos depict scenes from around the world and include such categories as international cultures, natural and urban landscapes, Badgers abroad and best UW experience. Sponsored by International Academic Programs (IAP), International Student Services (ISS), School of Business International Programs and International Engineering Studies and Programs.
International Resource Fair – Monday, November 11, 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Sonata Room, Gordon Event and Dining Center: Students can learn about academic units (e.g., languages, area studies and certificate programs), campus offices (e.g., study abroad, internships abroad, residential, and careers), and student organizations with an international focus. The fair is sponsored by the Division of International Studies, Language Institute, and International Learning Community. Internationally themed refreshments will be served.
Peace Corps Reception – Tuesday, November 12, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the University Club, 803 State St., Madison: Returned Peace Corps volunteers will share their experiences abroad and at home. This event is free and open to the public, sponsored by the Peace Corps@UW-Madison and Division of International Studies, in conjunction with the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) of Wisconsin–Madison, and the Global Health Institute.
At the Peace Corps reception, Lori DiPrete Brown of the Global Health Institute will facilitate a panel discussion on the needs of refugees and immigrants and efforts to ease their transitions into our society. Panel members include: Leila Pine, immigration reform advocate; Kim Johnson, former Peace Corps campus recruiter, who has worked with Myanmar refugees in border camps; Mohammed Ezzat, an Iraqi refugee who now works for Lutheran Social Services; and a representative of the Literacy Network.
Undergraduate Global Health Field Course Fair – Wednesday, November 13, 5-7 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union: Hosted by the Undergraduate Certificate in Global Health, students are invited to come and learn about field courses in Ecuador, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Mexico, Austria and other locations. Food included.
International Careers: Choose Your Path – Wednesday, November 13, 6-8 p.m., Masley Media Room, Red Gym: A discussion on international careers will feature a distinguished panel: Ambassador Ian Kelly, Diplomat-in-Residence for the Midwest, U.S. Department of State; Barbara Nichols, consultant and the former chief executive officer of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International); Andy Best, international territory manager at Saris; and Lora Klenke, vice president of international business development, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Sponsored by the International Internship Program (IIP), International Academic Programs (IAP), and the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) in the Wisconsin School of Business. Refreshments provided.
Visit by a U.S. Ambassador: Ambassador Ian Kelly, Diplomat-in-Residence for the Midwest, will visit UW–Madison during the week and participate in a variety of sessions (including the International Careers panel listed above). Kelly, a career Senior Foreign Service Officer, served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Cooperation in Europe (March 2010 to September 2013), as director of the Office of Russian Affairs (2007-09) and as a State Department spokesman (2009-10). He has a Ph.D. from Columbia University in Russian Language and Literature. Other sessions include:
- U.S. State Department Info Session – Tuesday, November 12, 1:30-3 p.m., 120 Middleton Building: Ambassador Kelly will talk about careers and internships in the foreign service and his own experience, and respond to questions from students. Sponsored by Letters and Science Career Services
- The U.S., Russia, and the East-West Divide – Tuesday, November 12, 4:00 p.m., Industry Room, Union South: This talk is free and open to the public, sponsored by the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia (CREECA), the Russian Flagship Center, and the Division of International Studies.
- U.S. State Department Diversity Info Session – Wednesday, November 13, noon, 58 Bascom Hall: Ambassador Kelly will talk about opportunities and initiatives with the U.S. Department of State for students from diverse backgrounds; to represent the United States in the world, the State Department seeks a workforce that reflects the rich composition of its citizenry. Sponsored by the International Internship Program (IIP) and programs within the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement.
- Coffee with a U.S. Ambassador – Wednesday, November 13, 3 p.m., 206 Ingraham Hall: In this casual session, Ambassador Kelly will talk about his career in Europe and Eastern Europe and about opportunities for internships and careers with the State Department. Staff from the International Internship Program (IIP) will be available to answer questions regarding credit and scholarships for students participating in State Department internships overseas.
World Languages Day – Thursday, November 14, 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Union South: This annual outreach event, sponsored by the Language Institute, brings more than 600 high school students and teachers from around Wisconsin to campus for a day to celebrate languages and cultures. UW–Madison faculty, staff, and students offer introductory language lessons and presentations on traditions from around the world.
Global Café – Thursday, November 14, 1-3 p.m., Room 106, Red Gym: The Global Cafe is an informal monthly gathering of international and study abroad students over coffee, tea, and snacks. This month gathering will feature an International Trivia Contest. Students are invited to drop by for casual conversation, make new friends and practice a language. Sponsored by International Academic Programs (IAP), International Student Services (ISS) and the School of Business International Programs.
Learn about Fulbright programs: The International Fellowships Office will hold information sessions.
- Graduate students interested in doing research abroad can learn about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program (MA or PhD research) and the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) program, at an information session on Wednesday, November 13, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. 336 Ingraham Hall.
- Undergraduates interested in pursuing an overseas project after graduation are invited to attend a general information session on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program – including different types of grants, application process, and planning for a successful application – on Tuesday, November 12, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at Union South.
- A second session for undergraduates – on Thursday, November 14, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., in Room 336 Ingraham Hall – will focus on Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship grants.
Thinking about studying abroad? International Academic Programs (IAP) will offer several opportunities during the week for students to learn about opportunities:
- Information table, Wednesday, November 13, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Four Lakes Market, Dejope Hall.
- Academic Year in Freiburg Information Session, Wednesday, November 13, 2-4:30 p.m., Room 106, Red Gym.
- NSEP-Boren Scholarship Info Session, Wednesday, November 13, 3-4:30 p.m., On Wisconsin Room A, Red Gym. Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to study in areas of the world critical to U.S. interests and under-represented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. (Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand excluded.) The UW-Madison application deadline for the 2014-15 award cycle is December 2, 2013. Contact for more information: Matt Geisler, mdgeisler@studyabroad.wisc.edu.
- The School for Field Studies Lunch and Learn, Thursday, November 14, noon-1 p.m., Room 15, Science Hall (Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies). Learn about SFS programs in Australia, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Kenya, Panama, Tanzania, and Turks and Caicos.
- How to Talk to Your Parents About Study Abroad, informal session, Friday, November 15, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Room 106, Red Gym.
Lectures and presentations on international topics: Each week, programs and lectures on international topics are presented by centers, departments and other units across campus, free and open to all. Here are some of the programs scheduled during International Education Week:
- Swiss Church’s Experience in El Salvador — Tuesday, November 12, 3 p.m., 206 Ingraham Hall: Presented by Frank Kilpatrick, physician in internal medicine and associate professor in the UW–Madison Department of Medicine. The Swiss Church has a long tradition of charitable works in Wisconsin, the United States, Mexico, and El Salvador. In 2001, the All God’s Children program was added to assist in furthering the education of impoverished children. Sponsored by Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies (LACIS)
- Normalizing the Exceptional: History, Myth, and Memory in Immigrant Ethnicity – Wednesday, November 13, noon, 336 Ingraham Hall: Brown bag presentation by Anne Giblin, graduate student in history, sponsored by Center for East Asian Studies
- ‘For the Benefit of the Whole Nation’: Framing Tanzania’s Moyowosi Game Reserve as Nationalist and Local Resource – Wednesday, November 13, noon, 206 Ingraham Hall: Talk by Julie Weiskopf, assistant professor of history at UW–La Crosse, as part of the ongoing Africa at Noon series, sponsored by African Studies Program. Bring a lunch and enjoy complimentary African coffee roasted by Just Coffee.
- Beyond the Language of the Courtroom: The Narratives of the Survivors of Srebrenica — Wednesday, November 13, 4 p.m., Vandeberg Auditorium, Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street: Talk by Selma Leydesdorff, Professor of Oral History and Culture, University of Amsterdam. Sponsored by The European Union Center of Excellence (EUCE), Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia (CREECA), Division of International Studies, and Global Legal Studies Center.
- Sacred Site of Nimogram, Dt. Swat, Pakistan – Thursday, November 14, noon-1 p.m., 206 Ingraham Hall: Joan Raducha, associate dean emerita of the Division of International Studies, conducted research on this site for more than 30 years. In her presentation, she will discuss significant iconographic imagery from the site and the process of creating a digital archive. Sponsored by the Center for South Asia
- Oliver Frljic’s Call of Duty: Political Theater on Post-Yugoslav Stages – Thursday, November 14, 4 p.m., 206 Ingraham Hall: Miranda Jakiša, Humboldt University Berlin, sponsored by the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia (CREECA)
– by Kerry G. Hill