The quarterly College of International Studies newsletter is your source for CIS updates and stories, events and news related to international education at OU. If there's something you'd like to see included in our next newsletter, email Maura McAndrew at mmcandrew@ou.edu. |
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Dear OU Community,
As I write this blog, we are experiencing a classic Oklahoma blustery day. As strong winds blew autumn leaves in seemingly all directions at once, I even experienced a few wobbly moments while riding an 800-lb motorcycle to work! Though the metaphor may be a bit strained, the truth is that the College of International Studies also has continued in recent months to experience a high degree of turbulence in our environment.
One such strong headwind is, of course, the continuing pandemic. The Omicron variant has injected renewed uncertainty, complexity and anxiety into international mobility and social life more generally. International travel restrictions have cropped up across the world, despite limited evidence of their effectiveness. These have complicated our ongoing efforts, quite successful to date (with fall 2021 study abroad numbers a full 85% of fall 2019 participants), to relaunch study abroad in pandemic circumstances. They have also already hit many international students hard. Many international students have not been able to travel back home since before the pandemic struck nearly two years ago. They are once again facing separation over this holiday break. This is painful to see, and our hearts go out to those affected. As we did last year, we are stepping up support for the students over winter break.
Another source of instability has been “the Great Resignation,” i.e. the significant uptick in U.S. workers voluntarily leaving their jobs roughly since spring 2021. It has certainly hit CIS, where over one-third of our Norman-based, non-teaching staff tendered their resignations since July 1. This is probably an unprecedented rate of turnover in the 10-year history of the college, and it has affected every facet of our operations, disrupting normal programming and increasing stress on personnel throughout the college. We are not immune to the threat of professional fatigue — burnout — affecting everyone from study abroad advisers to faculty across the nation, and this high rate of staff turnover is both a sign and a cause of this stress.
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Ongoing Exhibit: "Taiwan Literature in Translation at OU," Bizzell Memorial Library
A new exhibit titled "Taiwan Literature in Translation at OU” opened Nov. 23 at The Chinese Literature Translation Archive at Bizzell Memorial Library. The exhibit, co-sponsored by TECO Houston Office and the Taiwan Ministry of Culture, OU Libraries and CIS, features work by Taiwanese-American poet-translator Wai-lim Yip, new works of translated Taiwanese fiction, and the personal collection and translations of scholar-translator Steve Bradbury.
For more information about the exhibit or CLTA, contact CLTA curator and Harold J. & Ruth Newman Chair of US-China Issues Jonathan Stalling at stalling@ou.edu.
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Jan. 26, 9-9:30 a.m. (Zoom)
Feb. 11, 2-3 p.m. (Zoom)
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As mentioned in the dean's opening blog, CIS has gone through many recent staff changes since July 2021. See below for the full list of recent promotions, title changes, and new employees in our college.
Dean's Staff
- Melody Astani – appointed Director, Finance and Administration
- Tracy Holloway – promoted to Director, Academic Advising
International and Area Studies
- Malin Collins – promoted to Assistant Director of Advising for Undergraduate Programs
- Rebecca Cruise – promoted to Associate Professor
- John Emery – appointed Assistant Professor of International Security
- Manata Hashemi – promoted to Associate Professor
- Amel Khalfaoui – promoted to Associate Professor
- Katie Watkins – promoted to Assistant Director of Advising for Graduate Programs
- Zhu Zhang – appointed Newman Post-Doctoral Fellow, Institute for US-China Issues
Education Abroad and the International Study Centers
- Marta Agnelli – promoted to Assistant Director of Financial and Administrative Operations, OU in Arezzo
- Ursula Armstrong – promoted to Assistant Director of OU in Arezzo
- Brittany Da Silva – promoted to Global Engagement Fellowship and Scholarships Coordinator
- Christiana Datubo-Brown – appointed Residential Life Coordinator, OU in Arezzo
- Kaydee Dyer – promoted to Assistant Director of Operations, Education Abroad
- Giulia Lombardi – promoted to Programs Coordinator, OU in Arezzo
- Kelsey Mays – promoted to Senior Study Abroad Adviser, Education Abroad
- Stephanie Sanders – appointed Assistant Director for Student Engagement, Education Abroad
- Shanna Vincent – promoted to Director, Education Abroad
International Student Services
- Hannah Musselman – promoted to Assistant Director, International Student Programming
- Caroline Serçe – promoted to Associate Director (and appointed Acting Director through January 3, 2022), International Student Services
Center for English as a Second Language
- Tom Hoyt – appointed Instructor and Assistant Curriculum Coordinator
- Hilary Kirk – appointed Curriculum Coordinator and Instructor
- Mary Martin – appointed Director
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International and Area Studies |
Department of International and Area Studies News & Faculty Publications: |
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International Student Services |
Our ISS office has had a busy fall semester, resuming in-person activities for our international student community while also navigating changing immigration and travel rules. Highlights of the semester included the OU Homecoming parade, in which International students carried flags and which drew about 50 international students overall (see photos above). The International Advisory Committee International Gala (formerly International Prom) was also back on this fall, with 200 students attending for dancing, prizes and a red carpet.
ISS staff are now gearing up for winter programming initiatives for international students, collaborating with Student Life and the DEI office to support those staying on campus. The goals are to create opportunities for social interaction, to address food insecurity and to address financial need. In addition, ISS advisors are monitoring the travel restriction landscape and communicating with students as they make international travel plans. They have also begun sending out immigration documents to new students arriving for spring semester and getting excited for the upcoming in-person international student orientation. There's never a dull moment in ISS, an we appreciate all the staff does for our international community!
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Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) |
CESL will be marking its first semester in CIS with a graduation ceremony for students moving on to degree programs in January. Hong Li and Huiting Zhou will be pursuing graduate degrees, and Xinyue Shi will begin undergraduate studies. We wish them the best as their next chapters develop!
CESL is also delighted to be moving ahead with a new partnership with the Graduate College: the Graduate English Pathway program. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recently approved a five-year pilot of this program at OU’s Norman campus beginning in fall 2022. The GEP program allows international graduate applicants with English proficiency test scores slightly below regular admission minimums to be admitted to OU on a conditional basis while they simultaneously complete up to two semesters of English language training at CESL. Upon successful completion of the GEP, participants transition fully into their academic program coursework. With this program, we are expanding the pool of talented international applicants who can be recruited to OU while taking additional steps to help ensure their academic success.
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Left: Fall 2021 students at OU in Arezzo, Italy
We are pleased to announce that Shanna Vincent is the new director of Education Abroad! Shanna has been with EA for many years, and stepped up from assistant director into the interim role following Whitney França's departure. Shanna has provided steady guidance for EA through a challenging year, and we are excited to see EA grow and thrive under her leadership. EA also welcomed Stephanie Sanders as assistant director of student engagement.
In other EA news, the office is looking ahead to summer and fall 2022 study abroad, with a wide variety of options for programs all over the world. Summer highlights include a new faculty-led program, Summer in German: Language, Culture, and History (great for German majors/minors), and programs for engineering majors in Mexico, France and Italy. Fall highlights range from our signature OU in Arezzo, Italy program to exchange programs at Utrecht University in the Netherlands (good for finance and economics) and the University of Latvia (which offers many courses in English).
These are just a few of the many options available through Education Abroad — browse our list for more. Application deadlines for summer and fall 2022 are between Feb. 21-28, depending on the program.
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Study Center Snapshot: An OU in Puebla Student's Perspective |
Study abroad is back for fall 2021, though with the COVID-19 lingering, fewer students are venturing abroad than usual. This didn't phase D'Angelo Gatewood, a senior Spanish major at OU and the only fall semester student at our Mexican study center, OU in Puebla. "Is it challenging being the only student sometimes? Yes," D'Angelo wrote in a recent post for CIS Snapshot. "Do I regret doing it? Not at all." He describes the difficulties and rewards of exploring on his own and being out of his comfort zone, and the satisfaction of forging friendships abroad. "I befriended numerous people and found a sense of community," he writes. "I learned that while it is great having people to join in the experience with you, the same experience is magnificent even if you are by yourself." Read more of D'Angelo's thoughts at the link below, and find out more about study abroad in Mexico at puebla.ou.edu.
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Faculty Spotlight: Zhu Zhang, Newman Post-Doctoral Fellow
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We are happy to welcome to CIS Zhu Zhang, the 2021 Newman Post-Doctoral fellow at the OU Institute for US-China Issues! Zhu conducts her research in comparative politics with a focus on Chinese politics and state-business relations. Her book project, "Wealth Without Power: The Rise of Chinese Private Business Elites and Their Relationship to the Communist Party," examines how the Chinese Communist Party incorporates and controls the rising super-rich in China in order to prevent state capture and maintain regime stability.
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Staff Spotlight: Caroline Serçe, Associate Director of ISS
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For our latest Staff Spotlight, we profiled Caroline Serçe! Caroline has been with International Student Services since she began as a student worker in 2010, and she was recently promoted to associate director. She has become an invaluable member of the CIS staff, using her knowledge and experience to guide international students through changing immigration laws and difficulties posed by the pandemic.
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Student Spotlight: Nayifa Nihad
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Congratulations to CIS graduate student Nayifa Nihad! Nayifa's paper (co-authored with Dr. Adriana Erthal Abdenur, head of Cipó Platform in Brazil), "At the Forefront of Climate Action: Local approaches to climate-sensitive conflict and violence prevention," was published by the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict. Nayifa is pursuing an master of arts degree in Global Studies, and her research focuses on the climate crisis from the perspective of the Global South.
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Kitten Spotlight: Meet Staymos, the CIS kitten
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CIS has a brand-new mascot: Staymos the kitten! IT support specialist Zander Wroblewski was helping his mother on her property when he heard a mewling that sounded like a bird. In fact it was a tiny gray kitten, curled up inside an RV. Staymos has now met most of the CIS staff, and his presence is an instant day-brightener. Thank you, Zander, for bringing him into our lives!
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Remembering Harold Newman: OU Alumnus Helped Create Institute for US-China Issues |
Harold J. Newman, beloved OU alumnus whose generous gift created both the Harold J. and Ruth Newman Chair and the Institute for US-China Issues (housed in the College of International Studies), passed away on Sept. 23, 2021, at the age of 90. Newman was a creative mind and spirit, embracing change and taking risks. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma, where he first developed a lifelong interest in Asian studies.
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Te'a Williams Named CIS Outstanding Senior 2021 |
The College of International Studies has selected Te'a Williams as this year's Outstanding Senior! Outstanding seniors are selected for their exceptional achievements in scholarship, honors, awards, leadership and service. Te'a is a double major in international studies and sociology with a minor in Spanish and hails from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was recognized at a recent ceremony by OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. and Associate Dean of Student Services Rebecca Cruise.
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Persian Language Students Assist Afghan Refugees at Asian Health Fair |
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Italian Student Interns Bridge Two Cultures With OU in Arezzo Living Experience |
OU in Arezzo, OU's study center in Italy, offers many opportunities for students to engage with Italian culture and interact with locals. One way they do this is through a cross-cultural internship and living experience program with the University of Siena, which allows Italian students to intern at OUA and (if they select the living experience option) live alongside American students for one semester/summer. This fall's two living experience shared their stories recently in the CIS Snapshot.
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IAS Professor Michelle Morais and Students Form Petition for Clemency in Julius Jones Case |
IAS Assistant Professor Michelle Morais and students Hellen Ombachi, Ryleigh Horst, Jada McGowan and Eileah Hale created a petition calling for action from Gov. Kevin Stitt in the case of death row inmate Julius Jones in November (Jones's sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole). It began with an assignment in Morais’s International Human Rights class for which students were instructed to write a real-case petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. When the four students wrote high-quality petitions, Morais approached them about officially submitting to the IACHR.
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OU IAS and Kansas City Art Institute Students Collaborate on Chinese Poetry and Printmaking |
This semester, students in IAS Professor Jonathan Stalling's China Today course at OU, as well as students in a Modern Chinese Narratives class at the Kansas City Art Institute, have all been producing a style of poetry called jueju, an English version of a traditional Chinese form. This has led to a collaboration with KCAI printmaking students, who created original woodblock prints featuring pictorial interpretation of the English jueju poems alongside transliterations. To create these transliterations, students used Stalling’s translation app Pinying.
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OU Receives Eighth Davis Cup, Sets Record for United World College Freshmen |
For the eighth time in the last nine years, the University of Oklahoma has been awarded the Davis Cup in recognition of its record-setting enrollment of Davis United World College international freshmen. The Class of 2025 includes 85 Davis UWC Scholars, an all-time high for the university. OU also holds the largest total enrollment of UWC Scholars in the United States, with 285 scholars representing 107 countries.
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OU Community Steps Up to Help Afghan Refugees |
The aftermath of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan has triggered an exodus of refugees seeking a new life in the United States and other countries around the world. With around 1,800 Afghan refugees starting to make their way to Oklahoma, OU community members are standing ready to help with the resettlement efforts. Scott Fritzen, dean of the David L. Boren College of International Studies, has been organizing a university-wide effort to support some of Oklahoma’s newest residents.
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Professor Joshua Landis has recently been interviewed for 10 TV shows, podcasts, and more, including France 24, Reuters, AP, Al Jazeera, Al-Sharq Alawsat, the New Republic and Israeli News i24. He was also interviewed in Tokyo Newspaper, Syriana Analysis, Al-Monitor, Responsible Statecraft, and Energy Intelligence.
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Assistant Professor Waleed Mahdi was interviewed for the documentary Valentino's Ghost: Why We Hate Arabs, part of the Online Film Salon series, organized by Voices from the Holyland and Arab America Foundation
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The CIS Newsletter is a publication of the David L. Boren College of International Studies at the University of Oklahoma.
The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. ou.edu/eoo
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