In today’s super-connected world, having an understanding of, and appreciation for people from all across the globe is essential. Spending time in a foreign country, or becoming acquainted with foreigners who are spending time in the United States creates an exchange of ideas that is enriching for both sides.
That’s why the United States government recognizes this week, Nov. 14 to 18, as International Education Week. The government’s International Education Week website says that this week “is part of our efforts 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.”
CCCF Program Assistant Erin Rowley stands in Red Square, in Moscow, as part of SchMilka semester abroad that she participated in during college.
Penn State is also participating in this week, calling it “an opportunity to prepare Americans for a global environment and to celebrate the benefits of international exchange.”
Penn State has planned many events for this week. Check out the schedule below, and let us know in the comments how you feel about studying abroad. Did you ever study abroad, or spend an extended amount of time in another country for some other reason? What did you learn from it?
Wednesday, November 16th
International Association of Students Interested in Agriculture and Related Sciences (IAAS) Club Meeting
- Audience: All who are interested in joining the club are welcome
- Time: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Location: 122 Ag Administration Building
- Hosted by: IAAS
- You are welcome to join in the IAAS club meeting as they discuss a possible international service trip this spring, fundraising projects, and more.
World Affairs Forum Panel Discussion:
A Place to Call Home: Welcoming Refugees to Our Community
- Audience: All are welcome.
- Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
- Location: Schlow Centre Region Library, Community Room
- Hosted by: Global Connections
- The annual world Affairs Forum, sponsored by Global Connections, brings global issues to the community for public discussion. The event features a panel presentation, a question and answer session, and light refreshments. Global Connections is a community-based organization that fosters intercultural community and understanding.
Milking the Rhino Documentary Screening & Innovative Solutions Showcase
- Audience: All are welcome
- Time: 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. for film screening, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for Innovative Solutions Showcase
- Location: HUB Auditorium
- Hosted by: Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE)
- Milking the Rhino is a documentary that explores the complex relationships between people and wildlife in sub-Saharan Africa. It provides the context for students to develop appropriate, innovative and sustainable solutions to empower indigenous communities to leverage natural resources for self-determined development in Africa.
- Student teams of one-four students are invited to prepare three-minute video pitches for the competition. All video pitches will be showcased and winners will be announced at the Milking the Rhino Innovative Solutions Showcase on Wednesday, November 16th at 6:30 p.m. in the HUB Auditorium. For more details, please visit: http://mtrsolutions.weebly.com/
Thursday, November 17th
Noontime Performance: Malaysian Lion Dance and Traditional Chinese Folk Songs
- Audience: All are welcome
- Time: 12:30 p.m.
- Location: Ground floor of the HUB-Robeson Center
- Hosted by: University Office of Global Programs
- Stop by the HUB during lunch and take in a special International Education Week cultural performance. The Malaysian Students Club will perform a traditional “lion dance” and Taoran Xue, an international student from China, will perform several Chinese folk songs for which she has won many awards.
International Coffee Hour
- Audience: All are welcome
- Time: 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.
- Location: Global Programs Lounge, 410 Boucke Building
- Hosted by: University Office of Global Programs and OPenn State
- Every Thursday from 3:30 to 5:00 pm, the Global Programs Lounge is transformed into a cosmopolitan café as international and domestic students, faculty, and staff meet to enjoy conversation and fair trade organic coffees and tea.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) Webinar
- Audience: International students at Penn State campuses
- Time: 5:00 pm
- Location: Via PolyCom to Penn State campuses
- Hosted by: University Office of Global Programs
- Registration: Contact Sandi Richter at smr274@psu.edu if you would like to take part in this session.
- International students at Penn State campuses who are interested in applying for OPT training this winter can attend this Adobe webinar session to learn about the procedures for doing so.
Found in Translation: World Poetry Read by World People
- Audience: All are welcome
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Location: Irvings (Downstairs), 110 East College Avenue, State College
- Hosted by: Global Connections
- Suggested donation: $5 ($3 students)
- Readers (community members, faculty, and students) from around the globe will come together for Global Connections’ 6th “UN of poetry” to share words in their native language with translations from their home countries. All proceeds benefit Global Connections, a local United Way agency.
Friday, November 18th
International Careers Panel
- Audience: All are welcome
- Time: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
- Location: Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library
- Hosted by: College of Agricultural Sciences Office of International Programs, the Center for Global Studies, and University Libraries
- Learn about international career opportunities from the experts. Includes discussion about government, NGOs, industry, and academia in international careers, with a special focus on Food Security issues. General tips and resources about searching a position in your field will be covered as well.
Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony
- Audience: All are welcome
- Time: Stop by between 12:15 and 2:20 p.m.
- Location: Tea House in 34 Ritenour Building
- Hosted by: GongFu Cha Club
- Cost: Free! The cost of the tea is waived for International Education Week
- Stop by between 12:15 and 2:20 p.m. to sample tea brewed according to the traditional Chinese tea ceremony known as GongFu Cha. The Tea House will be waiving the cost of the tea during these hours in celebration of International Education Week.
Exhibit and Presentation on Syria
- Audience: All are welcome
- Time: Exhibit from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., presentation at 3:00 p.m.
- Location: Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library
- Hosted by: Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, College of Education, and Education and Behavioral Sciences Library
- Humphrey Fellow, Dr. Amal Alachkar, will organize an exhibit and talk about the country of Syria. The exhibit will be from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and the talk will be at 3:00 p.m.
Happening all week:
International Education Materials and Children’s Books Display
- Audience: All are welcome
- Dates: November 14-28, 2011
- Location: Education and Behavioral Sciences Library, 501 Paterno Library
- Hosted by: Education and Behavioral Sciences Library
- Visit the Education and Behavioral Sciences Library to see an exhibit of International Education Materials and Children’s Books during International Education Week, 501 Paterno Library
International Authors Book Display
- Audience: All are welcome
- Dates: November 14-28, 2011
- Location: Leisure Reading Area, Pattee Library
- Hosted by: Library Learning Services, University Libraries
- Books by authors from around the world in many genres will be on display in the Leisure Reading Area, Pattee Library, 1st Floor, November 14 -18. The display will feature popular international authors in translation, including Stieg Larsson, Isabel Allende, Umberto Eco, Bernhard Schlink and many more.
Post-International Education Week
Ten Thousand Villages Sale
- Audience: All are welcome
- Dates: Monday, November 28 to Friday, December 2, 2011
- Time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Location: Global Programs Lounge, 410 Boucke Building
- Hosted by: University Office of Global Programs
- Just in time for the holidays, stop by to purchase beautiful handmade items from around the world made by artisans who are paid a fair wage for their work. Proceeds benefit study abroad scholarships and the International Student Distress Fund. To learn more about Ten Thousand Villages, visit: http://www.tenthousandvillages.com
-Erin
Centre Foundation 