Office of Global Education Roundup

UPDATES FROM CU DENVER'S OFFICE OF GLOBAL EDUCATION (OGE)

VSFS: The U.S. Department of State is currently accepting applications for the Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS). The Virtual Student Federal Service is the largest virtual internship program in the world! This year we will offer 3,000 positions with 52 federal agencies. VSFS offers unique mentoring and exposure to job opportunities within the U.S. government. Each year, applications are open to U.S. college students during the entire month of July. Go to VSFS and look to the 950+ projects available. Then, create an account on USAJOB, build a resume, and apply to the VSFS vacancy announcement. You can upload transcripts; VSFS does not ask for any for any documentation. The most important part of your VSFS application is your personal statement of interest. VSFS interns should expect to spend ten hours a week on their project from September through May. This is unpaid, volunteer work, but interns make connections that make a difference, gain valuable experience, and sometimes get course credit. All applicants must be U.S. citizens in student status at a university or college in the U.S. or abroad. VSFS is open to undergrad through PhD candidates taking classes full or part-time, in-person or online. 

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News from our partners

• Our partner in study abroad, USAC, recently provided a great spotlight on their semester program in Chengdu, China.  Check out this blog for a glimpse into their semester abroad, which is very similar to the semester abroad in Beijing which will start up again in Fall 2022.   https://blog.usac.edu/program-spotlight-chengdu-china/

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Winter 2021-2022 CU Denver Faculty Led Programs 

Watch for news of our OGE Study Abroad Fair on Wednesday September 8th! Information will be available on the following awesome faculty led programs. More information is available today on OGE’s website: https://studyabroad.ucdenver.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.SimpleSearch

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Summer 2022 Faculty Led Study Abroad:

Summer 2022 DOMESTIC Study Program!!

We’re pleased to announce that Brian Delevie and Rebecca Heavner of the College of Arts and Media will be leading a program to New York next summer.  This is an exciting opportunity to learn about our own country and its relationships with the global world.  

Here are some of the program highlights:

• New York City museums: Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim, the 911 memorial and the Museum of Modern Art

• New York landmarks: SOHO and Chelsea Gallery Districts, the East Village, Central Park and Rockefeller Center

• Lectures and Presentations from professional galleries, design firms, production houses, and professional arts: MAD Gallery, Society of Illustrators, Pixeldust Studio, the Society of Illustrators, BrandTuitive, Weil & Jones UX Design, and the Cartoon Network

• Free days to see Broadway shows, music, arts and enjoy the culture and food of New York City!

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Fulbright Scholars:  Three University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus Students Awarded Fulbright Scholarships.   The honorees will conduct research in Poland, Brazil and the Netherlands

Press Release of June 24, 2021

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In May 2021, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program announced three University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus graduate students were awarded grants for the 2021-22 academic year. Students will join international researchers to study skin cancer, mathematics, and engineering.  

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. 

“I am thrilled that these CU Denver students will get the experience of working in a foreign country,” said Catherine Ebert-Gray, Director of Global Education at CU Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus. “The Fulbright Program is a wonderful acknowledgement of hard work, persistence, and skill. These three students should be proud to be accepted into such a prestigious program.” 

Odalis Castro 
Odalis will carry out her Fulbright grant in Kraków, Poland where she will conduct skin cancer research, specifically skin cancer cells and proteins. Odalis graduated with a degree in bioengineering from CU Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus in spring 2021.  

As a Fulbright recipient, Odalis’ goal is to serve as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. abroad while simultaneously establishing an international collaboration in the sciences. She hopes to showcase the presence of Hispanic culture in the U.S. and at the same time immerse herself in Polish culture and collaborate with international scientists.

Peyton Gibson  
Peyton will travel to the Netherlands during her Fulbright program. She’s pursuing a master’s in spatial economics at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. She graduated from CU Denver in spring 2021 with a master’s in transport engineering. 

Once back in the United States, Peyton plans to use her research to advocate for spatial planning reforms throughout the U.S. She will help mayors, governors, or other decision-makers design and implement policies to focus on equitable outcomes through infrastructure planning. 

Christina Ebben 
Christina will spend her Fulbright grant in Brazil working with Dr. Carlile Campos Lavor, IMECC and Dr. Aurelio Ribeiro Leite de Oliveira, IMECC at the University of Campinas. The work will be focused on modeling molecular structures. Christina is a graduate student in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at CU Denver.  

After her abroad experience, Christina plans to focus on her doctoral work with molecular modeling methods to add to her math research in radiation therapy treatment planning. She plans to speak at U.S. colleges and high schools regarding STEM research in Brazil and continue her work with STEM for Girls-UNICAMP to establish international connections for the program. 

“The Fulbright Scholarship Program continues to grow at CU Denver,” said Alana Jones, Interim Vice Provost/Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success at University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus. “We’re continuing to add more services to help students apply and narrow down which program best suits their interests, skills, and experiences.” 

In addition to the three award winners, CU Denver had two alternates, Ephrat “Ephi” Fisseha and Yasmine Dakhama. While they won’t be traveling abroad for research, the recognition by the Fulbright U.S. Student Program is an extraordinary accomplishment. 

At the University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus, information about Fulbright scholarships is widely distributed to all students, and every interested student is provided with direct support for their application process. To learn more about the services offered through the Office of International Affairs visit https://www.ucdenver.edu/offices/international-affairs/resources/fulbright.  

Written by Meghan Azralon, University Communications

Here are the Fulbright application and program details, with applications due next summer – but they take a lot of planning:  https://www.ucdenver.edu/offices/international-affairs/resources/fulbright/students  I think students would also be interested in our new and popular virtual study abroad courses.  

Within Every Student’s Reach:  Virtual Study Abroad Programs

Students Benefit from New, Affordable Virtual Offerings

The Office of Global Education has worked with faculty this past year to offer interesting new virtual study abroad programs.   Nearly forty students have completed virtual courses so far and more courses will be offered in 2022.   Students have universally noted that the virtual experience exceeded their expectations! 

WHY STUDY ABROAD FROM HOME?  

Virtual study abroad programs offer major benefits, similar to on-location programs. For students who are not planning to travel internationally while they are in college, virtual study abroad opens a window to the world, right from their own home.  Students who do hope to travel in the future are able to dive deeply into their favorite subjects in advance.

Student feedback from our first virtual courses on Spanish society, Danish Architecture, Recording Studios in Prague, and East African development were very positive – with some students saying they would have never been able to get away to study overseas.  (Yet we bet they will make a point of traveling there in the future!)

Very affordable, practical, and accessible to more CU Denver | CU Anschutz students, the virtual study abroad programs are designed to augment the CU Denver student success experience. Three course credits can be earned per program in under three weeks. Students gain valuable knowledge relevant to their degree program, tour museums virtually, hear from guest speakers, and enlarge their perspective and understanding of their roles as modern global citizens.

STUDENTS: BENEFITS OF A STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

Virtual and on-location study abroad programs enhance a student’s resume/CV; global educational experiences are looked upon favorably by potential employers. The Global Education: Study Abroad office works closely with faculty and staff to provide students with interviewing tips and professional resources after course completion. Students report that virtual and on-location study abroad experiences contribute to their personal growth and provide new networking contacts.

 “The virtual study abroad program opened new doors for me,” explained Max Morgan, who participated in a virtual study abroad three-week program, Danish Solutions to Sustainability. “We learned about a few companies in Denmark, and you’re sitting there as a student thinking, ‘I would love to work for one of these companies, but what’s in my backyard?’ And lo and behold, some of these Danish entities are right here in Colorado.”

UPCOMING VIRTUAL COURSE IN SUMMER 2022

Listen. Think. Act. Exploring Best Practices in Community Development Work in East Africa – UGANDA!

Gain insights and an understanding of how to engage in public service through good governance in the areas of public management, international development, and public health, through interdisciplinary lectures and participation in transformational dialogue with members of various communities—ultimately, to listen and think before jumping to action.

When you complete this course, our hope is that you will think differently about public service. And you will think big.

As a student in this highly interactive virtual course, you will be exposed to a series of dialogues, lectures, conversations, and interactions with the grassroots leaders of several distinct communities (both rural and urban), with university professors, and with nonprofit and public sector personnel and leaders in Uganda and Rwanda.   The course will connect students with thought leaders and meaningful experiences in their areas of interest.

The lessons of this course will apply to your own work, whether it be in an international setting or in a community setting in the United States.

Here are a few testimonials from students who just completed the virtual course titled “Public Service and International Development” focused on Uganda.  This input will be applied to marketing, future course development and long term planning for virtual study abroad.  

Lisa Lytle

“All students considering public administration or public health should take this course! The course

content is powerful because of the many different perspectives that are shared each and every day of the

course! My views of public service certainly have expanded and I am a better citizen of the world for it,

and a much better leader. It is also a perfect showcasing of the important work that the Global Livingston

Institute does. Thank you for the opportunity! I am forever grateful.”

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Ricky Abilez

“This course will exceed every expectation you have. We often enter international development with a

"savior" mindset, so neocolonialism is a common concern. However, GLI, and everyone contributing to its

enormous impact in East Africa, understand that listening and thinking are the two most important parts of

the change-making process. I have learned more in two weeks than I've learned in any 16-week course. I

am empowered to engage with my communities, inspired to tackle large issues, motivated to dismantle

the colonialist roots that continue to harm marginalized communities domestically and internationally, but

above all - I'm grateful for GLI's ability to enlighten the soul so that we may embrace collaborative

development as we continue to listen, learn, and grow. I am forever changed, and should you encounter

anyone from GLI, you will be too. “

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Melina Dimas

"My perspective has widened ten fold from taking this class, and has inspired me to explore different

career possibilities in community development. Before this class I knew I wanted to play a role but this

class showed me how I could do that. This was a turning point in my education and for that I will be

forever grateful. The most memorable aspect was the zoom presentations from a variety of people in the

GLI and partners that have helped shape the course. It was an honor to meet phenomenal people and be

able to ask them questions and grow my network. Extra thanks to Tom, Jamie and Rebecca for pulling

together so many people to create this virtual study abroad opportunity!"

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Dana Mallozzi

“My perspective on community development and my role in it has changed since taking this course. I had

the opportunity to listen to keynote speakers every day; of note, particularly memorable our class had the

chance to meet a survivor of the Rwanda Genocide, Agnes Igoye, over zoom. Agnes is now an icon in

helping to end human trafficking, rescuing survivors, and training law enforcement. To name a few more

of the speakers, Nasser took us on a virtual tour of Kampala, providing us detailed photos bringing us as

close to Africa as possible virtually. We got to hear from Monica Brown, who delivered a stimulating

speech about the role of women in community development. Danny Rubin and Aaron Kirunda taught us

about how anyone and everyone can find a way to make a positive impact in their community. Even if it's

something they do for fun on the side, we learned from Rob Drabkin and Seth Goldstein that it is possible

to live out your dreams of being a rock star and simultaneously help save lives by providing people with

HIV testing in East Africa. All of the speakers brought thought-provoking content to the table every day.

Students were encouraged to make future connections with all of the speakers via linked-in and

email, providing the class with permanent networking opportunities and informed of the possibility of

future internships in East Africa. We learned about how the residents of East Africa are making leaps and

strides collectively as a nation, which is inspiring considering how far they have come since the 1994

Rwanda Genocide. The community has brought a higher perspective into the equation of the historical

imprint of the genocide by recon. My classmates and I had the opportunity to speak with leaders in each

community sector, such as governmental, education, health, and agriculture, engaged in rerouting

Rwanda towards a higher trajectory. I left the class feeling there is an essential lesson to be learned from

Rwanda for humanity. Anyone who takes this class can walk away with professional development skills

and apply the lessons in the course to their own lives and their community as future leaders.

Going into this class, I did not know much about international Development. Albeit the facilitators

Thomas Karel and Jamie Van Leeuwen created a virtual space that was fun, supportive, and engaging so

where we could all share our perspectives and insights from our juxtaposing backgrounds as students.

Jamie and Tom do an excellent job including all students in the dialogues and incorporating all student's

perspectives as valuable in international development topics and conversations. Thomas and Jamie

made it clear that one does not have to be well versed in the subject matter to contribute to meaningful

and impactful conversations about community development. They create a safe virtual space where

everyone is encouraged to share their thoughts and reflections each day.

I realized that anyone and everyone has insights into the topics dissected in this International

Development in East Africa course; so long as you have been living and existing in the world, each

individual has relevant experiences to contribute to class discussions. I learned that international

Development is so important because it aims to improve the lives of individuals worldwide through areas

of need and interest. With areas such as health, education, democracy, sustainability, and economics,

people are better equipped to live more equitable lives with great opportunities. Like working on

sustainable goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and

prosperity by 2030 like our speakers mentioned and ensure that poverty, aids, and discrimination against

women and girls are addressed in East Africa all countries. This class truly is a fun class for anyone.

The GLI has successfully modeled love to both their students and the East Africa Community

Rwanda/Uganda. After taking this course, I feel that every story is subject to change, whether in our

individual lives or the world stage. Everything is moving, and everything can be morphed towards the

highest outcome if enough people ascribe to the positive narrative, as Rwanda and the work the GLI is

doing is a prime example of the power of good leadership.”

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Other OGE News 

• Emily continued working on compiling TerraDotta study abroad data from the last five years. Here are some interesting stats from CU Denver which she found among our participants: 

o   In the last 5 years, 64% of SA participants identified as women, 36% identified as male. 

o   In the last 5 years, the four most popular countries our students traveled to are Spain, China, United Kingdom, and Italy. 

o   In the last 5 years, the four most popular majors to study abroad were Communications, Architecture, Business Administration, and Psychology. 
 

• Two CU Denver students - Juliet Ariza and Kevin Zalinsky - have been awarded the Adell and Hancock scholarship for study abroad.   Several others have received Gilman awards! 
   
• Delighted to report that Krystal Booker-Reusch accepted the OGE Program Manager position.  She will bring to the position more than ten years of experience in the field and deep knowledge of Asia, an area of growing interest to our students.   Krystal has most recently been a Program Manager at the Office of International Education at Denver University. 
   
• And so pleased to have Megan White back on our staff, who will be out to see you in classrooms this Fall!  Megan graduated from CU Denver in International Studies and is working on her Masters in Public Administration.   As an undergraduate she participated in OGE’s study abroad programs, the semester in Beijing, and an overseas internship.   She will continue to be an exceptional Ambassador for Global Education.   
   
• LYNXCONNECT Open House August 31:  Stop by LynxConnect adjacent to the Tivoli on Tuesday August 31 to learn more about study abroad, internships, resume writing, research abroad and much, much more!  We will have plenty of sandwiches, snacks and schwag!   
   
• The CO/WY International Educators 2021 Conference selected our own Emily Wheeler for their annual Rising Star Award:  “A big congratulations to Emily Wheeler from the University of Colorado Denver, recipient of the Rising Star Award, and Marjorie Smith from the University of Denver, recipient of the Career Contributions Award! Learn more about the awardees and their contributions in this short video. “
   

Whether you want to travel abroad or study virtually, CHECK OUT OGE’S WEBSITE at https://studyabroad.ucdenver.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.SimpleSearch or email the staff at study.abroad@ucdenver.edu