An International Tradition |
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Message from the Assistant Provost - July 11, 2005
July 11, 2005
Reflections on Past and Future
As the cicadas screech under the Midwestern storm clouds, the Office of International Studies enjoys a moment of relative calm, prompting reflections on the past and anticipation of exciting events to come.
A. 2004-05: Growing Demand for Study, Research, and Service Abroad
Study abroad remains a priority for undergraduates of Notre Dame: many of our overseas programs have become highly competitive, due to unprecedented levels of student interest. But study abroad is only one way our students supplement their on-campus academics: we are also witnessing an upswing in summer projects for independent study, internships, and service projects world-wide.
How do I know? Because we now have a centralized way to capture those numbers. Building on a need for better oversight and safety planning, since 2003 Deputy General Counsel Bill Hoye and I have developed and refined an application and evaluation procedure for undergraduate students planning to travel abroad independently, or for faculty planning to accompany a student group abroad. (See the form at bottom of OIS website: http://www.nd.edu/~ois/ )
Results? In 04-05, we reviewed 144 applications from students and faculty who sought permission to travel to countries such as Argentina , Belgium , Bolivia , Chile , China , England , Ghana , India , Mali , Panama , Peru , South Africa , and Tanzania . Although the process of review is time-consuming, it allows the university a privileged insight into the dynamism of our campus culture, and fills an important security function. We can now better appreciate the activities such as:
• Center for Social Concerns, whose International Summer Service Learning Program sends students to volunteer in schools, hospitals, NGOs, and orphanages in India , Benin , and Mexico ;
• Student International Business Council, whose internship programs send students to learn about teaching with staff of schools in locales such as Estonia , Romania , and Thailand ;
• Kellogg Institute, whose internship programs allow students to work for organizations such as the Foundation for Sustainable Development, in Mbale , Uganda ;
• Nanovic Institute, whose students pursue independent study in places like Paris , France , and Krakow , Poland ;
• College of Arts and Letters' Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts and the Dean's Office, who have provided funding for students to learn about micro-lending in Jamaica; to undertake historical research in Cyprus; and to attend the International Model United Nations summit in Bonn, Germany.
• Lacrosse and Swim teams, Notre Dame Marching Band, and a team of Anthropology students, who departed on expeditions of training, competition, performance, and excavation in sites such as Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, and Jordan.
The safety benefits of the application are invaluable, as we found last week in our efforts to account for all the Notre Dame students in the United Kingdom following the tragic bombings in London on July 7. Thanks to your cooperation, we had applications on file for current student travelers, and were able to easily ascertain which students were in Britain, to make contact with them, and to verify their well-being.
B. New in 2005-06
- New ND-sponsored program in Africa
- Students: watch for details on how to apply to SIT program in Uganda , beginning 2006-07.
- International and Off-Campus Teaching Award.
- Returning students: watch the OIS websites for instructions on how to nominate your best professor from abroad. Let's give credit where credit is due, for outstanding teaching on- and off-campus.
Thanks for the support. Enjoy your summer and see you in the fall.
Sincerely,
Julia Douthwaite
Assistant Provost for International Studies
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