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Fall 2008
New Partnership Creates Unique International Service Opportunities for Students
The International Programs Office is proud to announce a new partnership with the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership. Warren Wilson students now have the opportunity to spend a semester in Ecuador or India with IPSL. IPSL study abroad programs integrate academic studies with volunteer service and cultural immersion. A limited number of Warren Wilson students a year may remain enrolled in the college while participating in one of three IPSL programs. Students have the option of studying in Quito, Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands or Kolkata, India.
Students in the Quito program will study at Universidad San Francisco, developing Spanish skills while living with an Ecuadorian family. Students applying for the Quito program must have advanced Spanish skills and a recommendation from language department faculty.
Students in the Galápagos program will explore issues related to development, the environment and
service at the Galápagos Academic Institute for the Arts and Sciences. . Environmental studies majors will receive top priority for placement in the Galápagos program.
Students in the Kolkata program will examine Indian history, culture, literature and contemporary society at Loreto College and live with local families. The Kolkata program is particularly suited for global studies majors with an Asian studies concentration.
Students in all IPSL programs volunteer approximately 15 hours a week with local service agencies. All WWC students applying for IPSL programs through Warren Wilson must have a recommendation from the Service Learning Office. Please contact the International Programs Office to learn more.
Warren Wilson Students Awarded Prestigious Scholarships
Two Warren Wilson students received prestigious study abroad scholarships from the federal government this fall.
Junior Lindsay Roberts received a 2008 Freeman-ASIA Award. Freeman Awards for Study in Asia support American undergraduates studying overseas in East or Southeast Asia. Lindsay is studying adolescent psychology at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan. Since the launch of the program in 2000, Freeman-ASIA has supported over 2,500 U.S. undergraduates with their study abroad plans in East and Southeast Asia. Freeman-ASIA Award recipients are expected to share their experiences with their home campuses to encourage study abroad in Asia by others, and to spread greater understanding of Asian peoples and cultures within their home communities.
More information about Freeman-ASIA Awards can be found at www.iie.org/programs/Freeman-ASIA. The deadline for students to submit on-line Freeman-ASIA Award applications is Wednesday, October 15.
Junior Kayleigh Burgess is one of 700 undergraduate students from over 320 colleges and universities across the U.S. who was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship this year. Kayleigh will be studying conservation and ecology this fall in Tanzania through the School for International Training. Gilman Scholars receive up to $8,000 to apply towards their study abroad program costs. The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go. The program is sponsored by the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
To learn more about the Gilman International Scholarship Program, visit www.iie.org/gilman. The deadline for students to submit on-line Gilman Scholarship applications for spring 2009 programs is Tuesday, October 7.
Please contact Naomi Otterness in the International Programs Office for more information about these and other scholarships.
Bon Voyage to our Winter Courses!
Three WWC study abroad courses will be departing this winter break.
Students in SWK 377 Eco-Social Lifeways in Costa Rica, led by Lucy Lawrence and Marion Yeager , will live with local families and work with community members on a service project while delving into the social and environmental institutions that support individuals, families and communities.
Students in THR 377 The City and the Stage: Theatre History and Criticism in London, taught by David Mycoff, will develop their appreciation of live theatre as an art form and place this practical appreciation in the context of theatre history, as well as the diverse social and cultural history of London.
Students in LAN 37x Spanish Conversation: A Full Immersion Course, taught by Luis Arevalo, will study in Chile for 2 months, immersed in colloquial Spanish and aspects of Chilean culture, history, economics, agricultural practices and geography.
We wish all of these students safe and happy travels!
Study Ecological Agriculture in the United Kingdom
There are limited spaces available in ENS 37x Ecological Agriculture: Policy and Practice in the United Kingdom. This 2-credit course is taught by environmental studies professor Laura Lengnick and co-led by garden manager Karen Joslin. The United Kingdom is home to internationally recognized organic farming pioneers, the oldest
agricultural research center in the world and the oldest sustainable agriculture organization. Students will meet with farmers and artisan food-producers, researchers, policy makers and sustainable agriculture advocates to better understand how government policies can support a strong ecological food system.
Students must have taken the pre-requisite course ENS 116 Introduction to Environmental Studies. ENS 377 will meet on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm throughout Semester II and travel to England and Wales in late May. Contact the International Programs Office for more details. Applications must be received no later than October 10.
Study Modern History in China
There are limited spaces available in HIS 377 Continuity and Change in China: Exploring Urban and Rural Worlds. This 2-credit course is taught by history and politicalscience professor Dongping Han. Students in this course will study modern day China, seeking an exposure to its broad, complex history evolving to the present through Mao's revolution and post-Mao developments. Pre-travel coursework will also include an introduction to the Mandarin language, traditional Chinese customs, and personal interaction. After several days in Beijing visiting the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace, the group will travel to Shandong Province, home to 100 million people and the birthplace of Confucius. Students will have the opportunity to interact with Chinese university students and will participate in homestays with local families for a portion of their study.
The course will meet on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm during Term 4 and travel to China in late May. Contact the International Programs Office for more details. Applications must be received no later than October 10.
Welcome, New International Students!
A warm welcome to Warren Wilson’s newest international students! This semester, seven new international students joined the Warren Wilson community: Adon Adon from Tibet; Kolrav Acharya from India; Emma Fitzsimons from Northern Ireland; Chang Liu from China; Na Hee Moon from South Korea; Saki Sadeike from Japan; and Die Yi Xiao from China. We’re glad you’re here!
Coffee, Cheesecake, Culture and Conversation
Please join the International Student Office on the following Fridays at 4:00 for a new series of international conversations! We have had many offers to lead discussions this year from international students, global studies and study abroad students, and faculty with international interests and projects, so we hope you’ll come and enjoy these delicious international gatherings.
October 10: Nepalese Festivals: Dashain and Tihar. Conversation led by Eros Guatam, Swarup Thapa and fellow Nepalese students.
November 14: Panama : Deforestation at the Crossroads. Conversation led by David Abernathy.
December 12: Weddings in Botswana. Conversation led by Kopano Mmalane.
Locations To Be Announced
Portos da Entrada in Sage Café
Students from LAN 377 Portos da Entrada: Portugese and Culture in Northern Brazil will give a presentation about their experiences on Thursday, October 9 at 8:30 pm in Sage Café. Students in this course investigated different language-learning techniques and frameworks for viewing culture. After on-campus coursework, students boated up the Amazon into the Brazilian rainforest where they considered the cultural elements which have enabled indigenous groups to maintain their families, culture and home in a sustainable manner. The presentation will feature photographs, poetry and food. Join our returned students to learn more!
Warren Wilson Hosts Asian and African Studies Conference
On September 26 and 27, Warren Wilson hosted the annual conference of the Southern Atlantic States Association for Asian and African Studies. SASASAAS supports faculty teaching, funds international activities on member campuses, provides audiovisual resources, organizes programs abroad for faculty and students, and maintains linkages with other professional organizations as well as with the public schools and decision-makers in government and the private sector. The focus of this year’s conference was the politics and economics of environmental sustainability in China and India. The featured speakers were Dr. Yingling Liu of the Worldwatch Institute, who spoke on China’s coming environmental renaissance, and Dr. Bhagwati Agrawal of Sustainable Innovations, Inc., who spoke about domestic rainwater harvesting in India. Dr. John Brock of Warren Wilson led a discussion about Manufactured Landscapes, a documentary film about the effects of China’s massive industrial revolution.
Diwali Dance Party!
The Office of Multicultural Affairs is sponsoring a Diwali Dance Party on Saturday, October 11 at 9:00 pm in the Pavilion. Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the globe as the "Festival of Light," signifying the victory of good over evil within every human being. Come learn about the religious significance of Diwali, then celebrate this fun holiday with a party and Indian dance music!
Vote in the International Photo Contest
We in the International Programs Office would like to thank everyone who submitted photos for the annual International Photo Contest! We had 82 submissions from 29 students, faculty, staff, and other members of the Warren Wilson community, representing many different countries and experiences. Photos will be on display in the library from October 3 throughout November. Be sure to stop by and vote for your favorite! Prizes will be awarded in the categories of cross-cultural interaction, nature/landscape and people’s choice.
¡Bienvenidos! Bienvenue!
Want to practice your language skills?The Spanish Conversation Table is located in Cow Pie Café every Tuesday from 12:00 – 1:00. The French Conversation Table takes places in Cow Pie Café every Thursday from 11:30 – 12:30. All speaking levels are welcome. Enjoy your comida and make new amis while improving your skills!
Making Study Abroad Sustainable
Warren Wilson encourages all qualified students to study abroad, but the College also seeks to minimize the environmental and social impact of study abroad.
Air travel is a large contributor to greenhouse gases. The International Programs Office encourages all study abroad students to use Appalachian Offsets' carbon footprint calculator to find out and offset the impact of their plane travel. Appalachian Offsets is a voluntary carbon offset program to combat global climate change through
local renewable energy and efficiency projects in western North Carolina. For example, a 14,356 mile round-trip flight to China will produce 1.22 tons of carbon per person. According to Appalachian Offsets' carbon footprint calculator, the cost to offset that is $18.30. Appalachian Offsets’ calculator can be accessed at www.wncgbc.org/offset/offsetFootprint.php.
Whenever possible, study abroad courses make use of public transportation. For example, students in LIB 377 Brothers Grimm to Contemporary Berlin used trains, buses and bikes to travel throughout Germany. Many courses, such as ENS 377 Salmon and Cedar: Natural and Cultural Histories of Southeast Alaska, also incorporate low-impact camping. The International Programs Office works closely with local host country organizations whenever possible and uses locally produced products and services when available.
A major component of every study abroad course is learning about a host country’s history, political situation, current events, cultural groups and intercultural dynamics, religion, geography and cultural traditions, so that students will be informed and respectful guests of that nation.
To learn more about sustainable travel and study abroad, visit www.greenpassport.us.
Increasing the Mileage of Your International Experience
The Office of Career Services and the International Programs Office will host a special workshop for returned study abroad students, "Increasing the Mileage of your International Experience," on Thursday, October 30 at 4:00 pm in the Laursen International Center conference room--close to the International Programs Office. This
session will provide study abroad returnees with information on how they can identify and better articulate the skills they have acquired through studying abroad on resumes, job and graduate school applications, cover letters, and in interviews. This has always been a fun and useful session for students.
Students are also invited to make individual appointments with Bates Canon of Career Services, so that they may get a jump start on building a strong
resume.
International Education Week Approaches!
Each year, countries all over the world observe International Education Week, a week filled with celebrating international study. In the 2004-2005 academic year, 205,983 United States students studied abroad. Here at Warren Wilson, 144 students studied abroad last year alone. The College plans various events in honor of International Education Week, so check the Events listing on the Inside page of the Warren Wilson website for updates as the week approaches. Be sure to check out the display in the library lobby about International Education Week, too!