As part of the Annual International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, The University of Alabama celebrates International Education Week with a variety of programs and activities that involve the entire community.
Global Cafe participants from the U.S. and around the world invite you to join us as we celebrate international education in Tuscaloosa. Our campus and community partners will lead a panel on career opportunities in International Education. This event is free and open to the public. Food and conversation will begin at 5:00 pm and the panel discussion will begin at 5:30 pm. All are welcome.
You are the focus at Global Café. Evenings at Global Café are opportunities to socialize and meet leaders from campus and community organizations. Each event is created by campus and community partners working together, Capstone International Center,Graduate Parent Support, Tuscaloosa’s One Place, the CCBP Student Leadership Team, Shelton State Community College, Stillman College, Tuscaloosa City Schools, the Tuscaloosa County School System, and Tuscaloosa Public Library.
Where?
Global Café takes place at The University of Alabama Center for Community-Based Partnerships, 900 Anna Avenue (directly behind Arby’s on University Boulevard). Free parking is available and bus stops are near. For more information, please check our website, globalcafe.ua.edu, email beverly.hawk@ua.edu, or call 205-348-7392.
More information and map: http://events.ua.edu/event/29035
By Peter Mullins
CCBP Student Assistant
Two university graduate students have begun a collaboration designed to change the stereotype of science and engineering as a career for white males only. While doing so, they also seek to educate the community about different cultures.
Fan Yang, a native of China, is a graduate student working in UA’s Crossroads Community Center. She is also a doctoral student in Social Work, who, along with Pandora White, an African-American graduate student in biochemistry, seeks to promote career opportunities in science regardless of race, sex and country of origin. Their efforts are part of Heart Touch, a program begun and directed by Yang for the past two years to enhance cultural competency and create greater understanding and knowledge between and among different ethnic groups.
Their most recent effort, on Oct. 12 in Shelby Hall on the UA campus, was entitled “#welooklikeresearchers.” Attendees were treated to dinner and a talk by White on career opportunities in science open to both men and women and to all racial and ethnic groups. White’s principal interest is in diabetes research.
“If people are rarely exposed to female or minority scientists,” she said, “they tend to think all scientists are male, white Americans. There are far too few female professors involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) research at the university. Our collaboration is designed to address that image.”
White got the idea for the collaboration at a conference she recently attended where conferees were using the “#Ilooklikeanengineer” Twitter hashtag to raise awareness of white male domination in the sciences and engineering.
To emphasize the diversity of looks and interest within the science field, White reported on her trip abroad in Taiwan, where she was conductng research, and her subsequent trip couch surfing in Japan.
Following White’s talk, the audience was treated to a Tai Chi performance led by local instructor Ping Shi and her students.
Yang said future programs that address stereotypes and enhance cultural competency across race, gender and nationality are being planned.
Photos by Jianlong Yang
Global Cafe participants from the U.S. and around the World invite you to join us as we relax, play games, and make friends. Everyone will enjoy games and other activities, balloons, face-painting, and sidewalk chalk. Free and open to the public. Food and conversation 5:00 pm. Games and activities 5:30 pm. All are welcome.
You are the focus at Global Café. Evenings at Global Café are opportunities to socialize and meet leaders from campus and community organizations. Each event is created by campus and community partners working together, Capstone International Center, Graduate Parent Support, Tuscaloosa’s One Place, the CCBP Student Leadership Team, Shelton State Community College, Stillman College, Tuscaloosa City Schools, the Tuscaloosa County School System, and Tuscaloosa Public Library.
Where?
Global Café takes place at The University of Alabama Center for Community-Based Partnerships, 900 Anna Avenue (directly behind Arby’s on University Boulevard). Free parking is available and bus stops are near. For more information, please check our website, globalcafe.ua.edu, email beverly.hawk@ua.edu, or call 205-348-7392.
More information and map: http://events.ua.edu/event/28555
Recent UA graduates Scott Leary, Conner Nix and Jenna Reynolds celebrate the beginning of their Fulbright grants to Spain as guests at the US Ambassador’s residence in Madrid.
14 UA graduates won Fulbright Awards to different parts of the world this year. If you would like to compete for a Fulbright award, please contact beverly.hawk@ua.edu or visit www.international.ua.edu.
Pruitt, Simon Honored, UA Well Represented at International Conference at Penn State
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Two veteran University of Alabama personnel — Dr. Samory T. Pruitt and Dr. Cassandra Simon — received special recognition at the 16th Annual Engagement Scholarship Consortium Conference held at Penn State University, Sept. 27–30. Pruitt is UA’s vice president for community affairs, and Simon is an associate professor of social work.
In 2016, Pruitt, in his 30th year as a UA employee and vice president for community affairs since 2004, will become only the second president of the ESC board of directors in its 17-year history.
Simon, a member of the UA social work faculty for 15 years, was honored as the founding editor of the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship (JCES), published at the University of Alabama. JCES is a leading journal in the important field of engagement scholarship.
University President Stuart R. Bell commended Pruitt and Simon, saying: “I congratulate Dr. Pruitt and Dr. Simon for their distinguished achievements and for their contributions to the growing field of engagement scholarship. I also applaud the many UA faculty, staff and students who brought the Crimson Tide banner to Penn State in September.”
As president of the ESC board, Pruitt will preside over a 33-member board that sets policy for ESC institutions, which include many of the nation’s leading research universities, as well as a number of international institutions.
As vice president of community affairs, Pruitt is UA’s designated officer for the encouragement and production of engaged scholarship. In this capacity, he works with the academic deans and faculty to promote best engagement practices with communities in Alabama and beyond. He is the founder and publisher of JCES, sponsored and partially funded by the Engagement Scholarship Consortium.
Also at the 2015 ESC conference, Pruitt was inducted into the Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship, recognizing his leadership in engagement scholarship through contributions to the theory and practice of working with community partners to address mutual needs. The nomination undergoes a rigorous review of the nominee’s body of work based on excellence in using engagement scholarship practices and values to address society’s pressing problems.
Simon received her award at an ESC conference reception in appreciation of her leadership, dedication to excellence and commitment to engagement scholarship as founding editor of JCES, now in its ninth year. Volume 8, No. 2, which featured articles and coverage from the 2014 ESC conference held at the University of Alberta, Canada, was distributed to attendees at the 2015 conference. JCES is sponsored by the ESC.
UA was represented at the conference by 25 faculty, staff and students. They presented research papers and/or served as program conveners and moderators.
ESC is an international group of universities that promote engaged scholarship, a blend of university teaching, research and service that addresses critical societal problems in collaboration with community organizations with students often playing key roles.
