International Education Week 2020
International Education Week (IEW), November 16-20, 2020, is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education 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 past, IEW at Wesleyan has allowed international student organizations, student identity groups, and study abroad goers/returners to organize globally-focused events that gather members of the community.
This year is certainly different. In-person events are discouraged, study abroad has been cancelled, students abroad last semester were evacuated, and most international students are joining us remotely. However, IEW this year still gives us a unique chance to engage the global community; now from the comfort of our homes. Thus, the goal of IEW this year is to provide an opportunity for student organizations to connect with students virtually, both across the U.S and around the globe, to share current realities and new social norms formed in this period, and provide virtual spaces for self-care in the midst of a global pandemic and a tense political environment.
The Fries Center for Global Studies, Gordon Career Center, Jewett Center for Community Partnerships, Resource Center, Shapiro Writing Center, and Office of International Student Affairs have partnered together to oversee IEW at Wesleyan University, which this year includes spotlighting student events and providing additional support as needed.
- Monday, November 16, 2020
12:00pm: Learn about Fellowships with Genesis Garcia '22 and FCGS Staff
Learn the fundamentals of applying for national fellowships: what they are, what they fund, who can apply, why you should be thinking about them - and anything else you want to know. Genesis Garcia '22 interviews Magdalena Zapędowska, Assistant Director of Fellowships, with Q&A from the audience.
See recording here.
Hosted by the Fries Center for Global Studies
3:00pm: Study Abroad Session for First-Years & Sophomores
As part of International Education Week, the Office of Study Abroad is hosting an interactive session for first-years and sophomores (Classes of 2023 and 2024). In this session, you will learn the basics of study abroad at Wes and get to chat with students who recently studied abroad. We hope to see you there!
See recording here.
Hosted by the Office of Study Abroad & Class Deans (2023/2024)
6:00pm: Partnering with Displaced Communities: A Student Experience Panel
Please join us to hear from a panel of students who have worked with a variety of refugee assistance organizations! This panel will feature students who are currently taking "Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages", a course that has partnered with SAWA—a refugee center in Hartford—as well as members of the Wesleyan Refugee Project, a student organization that partners with local and international refugee resettlement agencies and assistance organizations. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in learning about these organizations and thinking about finding possible internships or work opportunities for the future. We hope that this panel will be helpful to any students considering a career in education, public policy, refugee resettlement, or humanitarian assistance.
See recording here.
Hosted by the Wesleyan Refugee Project & Wesleyan ELL Tutors
- Tuesday, November 17, 2020
2:00pm: Navigating Wes as an International Student During a Pandemic
This event will focus on how international students can navigate Wesleyan and the Wesleyan experience during a pandemic.
See recording here.
Hosted by the Study Abroad Ambassadors
9:00pm: Speak Up! Participating in Classes as an International Student
Participating in classes is never easy in a foreign environment or language—especially so when you are taking classes more than a few hundred miles away in the age of digital learning. This event is intended to create dialogue among international students, especially English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speakers, of different countries and class years. Come listen to the Academic Peer Advisors talk about their experiences participating in Zoom classes, how to recognize different modes of communication and navigate them, and be more confident in speaking up in class!
See recording here.
Hosted by WesSpeaks
- Wednesday, November 18, 2020
11:00am: Social Protests Around the World Forum
This will be an informal, horizontal space to discuss social movements and protests around the world. We hope to trace connections between these different struggles and foster awareness for local, regional, and global social issues.
See recording here.
Hosted by Foreign Language Teaching Assistants & Study Abroad Ambassadors
12:00pm: Peer to Peer: Navigating Internships and Summer Experiences for International Students
International upperclassmen would be sharing their advice, thoughts, and wisdom about navigating various summer experiences in the U.S. and globally. Come here your peers talk about where to begin, where and what you should do to apply, what you need to know about Visas, and the challenges in securing internships as an international student.
See recording here.
Hosted by the Gordon Career Center, Freeman Asian Scholars Association, OISA, Academic Peer Advisors
3:00pm: Global Public Health Panel
A discussion with Wesleyan professors Anthony Hatch (SISP, Sociology, AAS, Environmental Studies, Natalie Shibley (SISP), and Frederick Cohan (COE, Biology, Environmental Studies, CIS) about what public health means and looks like on a global scale, what factors may contribute to health disparities around the world, what threats exist to global public health, and what factors inform the varied responses to the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen around the world.
See recording here.
Hosted by the Study Abroad Ambassadors
6:00pm: Less Common Study Abroad Programs Panel
Join us for a panel of students and alumni who chose to attend some of Wesleyan's less popular options for their study abroad experience. They will be answering questions gathered from students like yourself about their time in places like Greece, Germany, Tanzania, and Trinidad & Tobago.
See recording here.
Hosted by Kennie Etienne '21
- Thursday, November 19, 2020
Oh no! It seems like there are no IEW events scheduled today.
- Friday, November 20, 2020
3:00pm: From Students to ARTivists: A discussion with activists about how to find your global voice
Gabo Benavente and Madelaine Caracas, two student activists from Nicaragua, share their stories of resistance against a corrupt government that murdered its civilians. From living in exile to using art as a form of protest, these two young leaders will help us navigate our passions, draw parallels between our current political realities, and find our global voice to fight for the causes we believe in.
See recording here.
Hosted by the Fries Center for Global Studies