Upcoming Events

Greetings UNC Charlotte!

Ok, by now you've had a chance to figure out your schedule, time your parking searches and are likely just getting (re-)introduced to the geese. While you pick your extra-curricular activities and pack your schedule, here are a couple more events to add:

1) International Speaker Series kicks off with Adrian Wooldridge talking about "The New Face of Globalization." Wooldridge is the management editor for The Economist (recommended reading!) and writes the Schumpeter column for the online version. Mark your calendar for Monday, September 20 from 3:30-4:30 PM in the Dale Halton Reading Room of the Atkins Library.
2) 35th Annual International Festival - it's older than most of you and is UNC Charlotte's longest-running tradition. It's free. It's all-day. Music, dancing, art, crafts, entertainment, what more do you want? Take the opportunity to explore countries and ethnic groups from around the world - meet some new people, taste new food and learn about different places.

Int'l Education for Future of Charlotte

Want to hear what business and community leaders think about having an international perspective upon graduation? Perhaps you'd rather hear it from a student? We've invited a panel of four people to reflect upon the changing nature of Charlotte and the realities of an international Charlotte - what can we do to be effective citizens and employees of the city? Though they'll be giving their perspective and opinions, the purpose of the Community Conversations program, with the Levine Museum of the New South and UNC Charlotte, is to engage in discussion about the topic at hand. So you'll have plenty of opportunity to ask question, debate or just listen to ideas about an international future for Charlotte and for UNC Charlotte students.

Panelists include:

Kurt Waldthausen, Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany (North Carolina) & Founder and Chairman of the German Language and Culture Foundation

Alina MacNichol - Executive Director, Charlotte International Cabinet

Kareem Abdelnabi - Study Abroad Alumnus, UNC Charlotte

Lalit Mandel - international graduate student in Electrical and Computer Engineering, UNC Charlotte

Plan to attend on Wednesday, July 21 from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Levine Museum of the New South (200 E Seventh St.). The event is free and open to the public, but you do need to register. To see the invite and to register, click here.

Oh, and there's a reception included.

Pics & Links: Fox News Rising & Study Abroad

Just so you have proof that there were, in fact, people awake at 5 AM at UNC Charlotte yesterday, here are some pics from our Fox News Rising adventure before the Study Abroad Fair.

We were told that snippets of the show would be available online at some point so check back regularly to Wilson's World to see a bit of the excitement and possibly some student interviews!

The early morning crowd!

The debut of the NINER interNATIONal t-shirt

modeled by leaders of the Education Abroad Association

The blur is meant to demonstrate how the world looks behind

the haze of "waking up" before the sun....

...or it's just camera-user-error.

Still, great support from the students - thanks for coming out!

Interview with Rebecca Hallatschek

Your illustrious Education Abroad staff - kudos on a job well done!

More photos are available on our Facebook page - "UNC Charlotte - International Programs"

Study Abroad 24/7 on 4/27 - TV, Fair, RFC, web site, general advising....

You have no reason not to check out study abroad at UNC Charlotte after Wednesday, April 7. It doesn't always work out in our office to have a unit doing a full day of programming - from 5 AM to 3:30 PM. On Wednesday, we'll have over 10 hours of opportunity for promoting, supporting, talking about and being involved with study abroad.

Check out Fox News Rising between 5-8 AM to see International 'Niners talking about their study abroad experiences. Then, as you walk to the Student Union, check out the Study Abroad Fair in the plaza between the College of Education and the College of Health and Human Services. You can pick up information about various study opportunities overseas, talk to advisors, set up a time to get an overview of the process and financial aid opportunities.

As if that's not enough, if you've not checked in to Radio Free Charlotte (you need to do that anyway), check out the show at 3 PM for a half hour of chatting about study abroad and international UNC Charlotte. Hosted by DJ, and former guest blogger, Jonathan Beltz and Lead Advisor in the Office of Education Abroad, Melissa Watkins.

If you can't figure out after all that how to study abroad and who to talk to, the Education Abroad web site is full of study options, pictures, scholarship information and contact information (and it's 24/7).

Think you know about it and want to check it out more, general advising is open for students just like you - sign up in the Office of Education Abroad, 2nd floor of the College of Health and Human Services (room 256).

What's your excuse?

Be informed.

UNC Charlotte has several opportunities to broaden its international perspective in the next few weeks. In order to highlight and add some depth to these intiatives, here is some recent news on the areas and topics that will be coming soon. These events are open to faculty, staff and students.

International Women's Day - March 25, 3:30-5:00 PM in Student Union 340 G-I
Reception, recognition ceremony and special remarks by Ambassador Linda Tarr-Whelan

Though this day will take the time to honor the achievements of women around the world and at UNC Charlotte, there is still much to be done. In a recent article The Economist shed light on a rising number of girls who do not make it to achieve their full potential due to social, political, cultural and other factors.

"Imagine you are one half of a young couple expecting your first child in a fast-growing, poor country. You are part of the new middle class; your income is rising; you want a small family. But traditional mores hold sway around you, most important is the preference for sons over daughters..." Read more.

International Film Series: What a Wonderful World - March 30, 4:00-6:00 PM in CHHS 281
Set in Morocco, this is a film of romance, intrigue, cybercrime, murder and a tangled web of acquaintance. In French and Arabic with English subtitles.

Of a less dramatic nature, is this story looking at social trends in Morocco as young families balance the responsibilities that come with two working parents. Read more.

One source for a variety of topics and content related to Morocco is www.morocco.com/news.

International Speaker Series: Executive Director of Doctors without Borders
"From Haiti to Afghanistan: On the Frontlines of Humanitarian Crises"
April 1, 3:30-4:30 PM, Atkins Library, the Dale Halton Reading Room

Sophie DeLaunay leads the U.S. division of Doctors without Borders/Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) after over ten years working in places such as China and Rwanda. Recent events in Haiti and Chile have highlighted the importance of these organizations in emergency response situations.

In an article from their website, MSF quotes Pierre Garrigou, a MSF logistician in Argentina, speaking to the devastation suffered in Chile after the massive earthquake: "Inland, in the areas far from the coast, there were lots of destroyed buildings, lots of rubble. Yet on the coast, earth tremors were compounded by a tsunami, which really devastated everything. While your home may collapse as a result of the earthquake, you may still be able to rescue something amongst the rubble; yet on coastal areas houses were literally swallowed by the tide." Read more.

For more information on these programs or for special accomodations, contact rebecca.vincent@uncc.edu.

A Day to Celebrate - International Women's Day, March 8

Happy Spring Break UNC Charlotte!

But today is about much more than that - today is International Women's Day. Women around the world will be honored in their homes, businesses and countries. It is an opportunity to remember those who have gone before and opened doors for this generation and to recognize those who continue to do so. It's a chance to celebrate the different perspectives, skills and ideas that women contribute to the world.

UNC Charlotte will be celebrating this day on Thursday, March 25 from 3:30-5:00 PM in the Student Union rom 340 G-I. We will have a reception, hear remarks by Ambassador Linda Tarr-Whelan and recognize UNC Charlotte women who have been nominated by their colleagues, friends and peers. The celebration is open to faculty, staff and students. This year we celebrate 5 years of recognizing women on-campus - and this year will mark the honoring of at least 100 women at UNC Charlotte. What a beautiful tradition and heritage.

If there is a UNC Charlotte woman you would like to nominate to receive recognition at the ceremony, check to make sure she meets the nomination criteria and fill out a form. Details are located on our website.

International Film Series: What would you do at 10-years old if you knew what you do today?

Do you remember what it was like to watch the interactions of the adult world as a child? Life on a much grander scale but with a simpler understanding. In the film, Mutum, Thiago sees the world with curiosity and wonder, despite the difficult realities of his family. Living in rural Brazil on a struggling farm, he sees a world colored by his parent’s unhappy marriage and his father’s abuse. Despite this context, he continues to try to understand the world of the adults in his life – his mother, father, uncle and grandmother – until an event one day forces all the complexities to the forefront. He and his brother Felipe attempt to reconcile the kindness of their grandmother and the harshness of their father in the adult world that is not yet their own.

Consider who you were and where you were when you were 10 years old. Knowing what you do now, how would you have acted differently? As an adult looking back, what do you miss about your 10-year-old self? What are you glad has changed?

Faculty, staff and students are welcome to the screening of the first film in the Spring 2010 line-up for the International Film Series. Mutum will be shown on February 25, 2010 from 4:00-6:00 PM in CHHS 281. A post-film discussion will be facilitated by Ms. Xanda Lemos, a graduate student in the Latin American Studies Program and lecturer of Portuguese.

Help for Haiti: One month later

By: Sayde J. Brais

On Jan. 12, 2010, the world watched one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world get practically reduced to rubble underneath one of the worst earthquakes in the region in more than 200 years. It is one month later and the devastation surrounding Haiti continues.

Haiti occupies an area approximately the size of Maryland, in which almost all of its over nine million residents are of African descent and speak Creole and French. Today, most of its capital, Port-au-Prince, lay in ruins. With a history of political instability, corruption, and severe poverty (an estimated four out of five people live in poverty and of those, more than half live in abject poverty), this earthquake has only added to the turmoil.

Almost immediately following the quake, initiatives all over the world began—some by well-known individuals like award-winning singer/song writer and Haiti-native, Wyclef Jean, and many by those just trying to make a difference. UNC Charlotte students along with community members participated in Haiti-focused initiatives. Some simply walked around collecting spare change while others launched full-blown projects. The Iota Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated set up a table in late January to encourage donations of water bottles toward disaster relief.

Coming up is the “Dance 4 Haiti: Dance-a-thon” event presented by the UNC Charlotte Student Alumni Ambassadors on Saturday, Feb. 13. This event mirrors a traditional walk-a-thon but dancing will take place instead starting at 6:00 PM in the SAC Salons.

Also, The College of Education (COED) joined hands with Samaritan's Purse and University City Church to start the “Haitian Children’s Relief” initiative. From Feb. 1-19, donations will be accepted on the lobbies of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of COED. Donations can include new socks, shoes (no name brand), and underwear.

Students with the English Language Training Institute (ELTI) will be collecting hygiene kits in partnership with the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program. Anyone interested in contributing should bring a Ziplock bag with the items listed below to the ELTI offices on the 2nd floor of the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS). Items to include in the bag are: 1 hand towel (16x28 inches), 1 washcloth, 1 wide-tooth comb, 1 nail clipper, 1 bar of soap (bath size in wrapper), 1 toothbrush in original wrapper and 6 band-aids.

Every initiative, donation, and any time spent can help Haiti. The country has a lot of work to do to bring itself back from a disaster of this caliber, and any way we can support them will get them on the track to rebuilding their beloved nation.

If your group is coordinating an initiative to assist with earthquake relief in Haiti, and it’s not mentioned here, feel free to post a comment to let others know.

15 ways to "go global" at UNC Charlotte

1. Participate in International Education Week
2. Join one of many International Student Organizations
3. Visit our Blog - http://ninerinternational.blogspot.com :)
4. Become a Friendship and Culture Exchange Partner
5. Study Abroad
6. Attend International Film Series
7. Join the International Club
8. Attend International Coffee Hour
9. Participate in the International Festival
10. Live in Witherspoon Hall’s International House
11. Become an International Studies Major or Minor
12. Join the Model United Nations
13. Join Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars
14. Facebook Group-Office of International Programs, UNC Charlotte
15. Attend the International Speaker Series


Right now we're most concerned with #1. The week of November 16-20, 2009 has 35 programs scheduled to reflect the global nature of UNC Charlotte - history, language, film, culture, speakers, food, coffee and much, much more are combined for an exciting international experience. The complete list of events is available online. Look for other announcements around campus - contact our office (704-687-7305) if you'd like more information or need special accommodations. Don't miss this chance to "go global."

Eat. Drink. Learn. Think. Read. Do. Go Global.

how to get the world's best job: Oct. 22

When I graduated with my undergraduate degree I was fairly certain of two things: I wanted a job on a college campus and I wanted a job doing something internationally-related. I pursued a graduate degree, got married, moved to Charlotte and was introduced to the field of international education.

Here was an entire professional trajectory devoted to "international" on "college campuses" (and beyond). So, I pulled together three part-time gigs in the UNC Charlotte vicinity - some teaching, some higher ed administration and some non-profit administration. Eventually it whittled down to full-time non-profit and part-time teaching; then it transitioned to full-time higher ed administration (in international education!) and part-time teaching; now, it's full-time, all out international education through higher ed. It was a process - still is.

So, I figured it out for now. It was perhaps the long approach and not entirely deliberate, but it got me a position in the most exciting office on campus (I'm biased, but that should be obvious)- Office of International Programs -"international" and "campus" requirements fulfilled.

On October 22 from 12-2, there will be a Careers in Student Affairs Resource Fair in the Student Union Multipurpose Room 340 A/D, and international education will be represented. I'll have information available on what you can do now (how to be international at UNC Charlotte), and what to consider when you graduate (graduate degrees and professional affiliations) if you're interested in a career in international education. There is also a panel and reception for students interested in student affairs on October 22 from 6-8 in the Lucas Room of the Cone Center.

This is a great way to get info now so you don't have to be completely surprised by career options - it's worth it.


Rebecca Vincent
Coordinator of International Initiatives

Longest Running Tradition at 'Niner Nation coming 9/26

Saturday, September 26 is the 34th annual International Festival (IFest) at UNC Charlotte. It is the longest running tradition on-campus and brings thousands of visitors from the community. Efforts to coordinate the massive event started at the end of the 33rd annual IFest. Over 700 hours of student volunteer work are contributed - in addition to time and energy contributed by staff from all over campus.

International student groups and international community groups set up under giant tents in and around the Barnhardt Student Activity Center. Color, arts and crafts, maps, one-of-a-kind jewelry, masks, dolls, clothes,musical instruments and delicious food are everywhere. If you come at 10 AM you are welcomed by the Loch Norman Pipe Band kicking off the festivities with the unmistakable sound of bagpipes and drums. Anywhere in the middle of the day is a smorgasbord of activity, sound and food. The final act, the Manny y Sus Trabucos band ends the day with of rush of adrenaline-infused Afro-Cuban/Caribbean music (on stage at 5 PM).

If you've not been, you need to. It's a free day of events and "travel" on-campus. It's part of celebrating the diversity of 'Niner Nation while recognizing the world beyond. It opens at 10 AM and closes at 6 PM - you can stay all day or come for a couple hours. There's always something going on, food being sold, stories being told, singing and dancing. The schedule of performances is at http://ifest.uncc.edu. If you're serious about going global this is the place to start!

Wine to Water: September 10

In January 2004, Doc Hendley decided it was time to do something about the water crisis facing numerous regions of the world - over 1 billion people today do not have adequate water and sanitation. Taking his bartending skills to local communities, he hosted wine tastings to raise awareness and funds. By August of 2004, Hendley had moved to Darfur, Sudan to install water systems for victims of the genocide. When he returned in 2005 his commitment to providing clean water to remote areas of the world had been solidified.

To date, Wine to Water, a 501(c)3 organization, has worked in Sudan, Uganda, India and Cambodia. Using funds raised through wine tasting events, Wine to Water creates sustainable solutions to the water issues of communities around the world. Hendley's work has been recognized on CNN's Heroes . Check out the video on the Wine to Water webpage for a glimpse of the project in Cambodia.

On Thursday, September 10, Hendley will be sharing his work and international projects with UNC Charlotte at 3:30 PM in Room 380 of the College of Health and Human Services Building. Join us for a presentation on an innovative approach to one of our world's most challenging issues.