Week celebrates international opportunities
Most of the events are sponsored by international student organizations.
Published April 22, 2008
In an effort to get more MU students to study abroad, International Education Week will feature a series of lectures and events.
The week, hosted by the International Center, is designed to increase visibility of the international aspects of education at MU, help people become global citizens and encourage students to study abroad, International Center Director Jim Scott said.
“There’s a lot going on at the MU campus that involves people all over the world, and we send students all over the world for study abroad,” he said.
The program is part of an initiative from the U.S. State and Education departments, which coordinate with schools across the country.
The week is planned as a project from the Council on International Initiatives. The council is an advisory council appointed by the provost “for all things international,” Scott said.
He said the planning process included a number of student organizations.
“One of my roles as director of the international center is to stay connected with all student groups with international interests,” Scott said.
In previous years, students and faculty planned events separately.
“This year, what we tried to do is mix up students and faculty,” he said.
Most of the events are sponsored by international student organizations including the Missouri International Student Council, the Cultural Association of India, the Thai Students Association, the Missouri Students Association/Graduate Professional Council International Programming Committee, the African Student Association and The Vedic Society.
Most of the week’s events are open to the public.
“We’ve targeted it to the whole community, but we’d be happy to have students participate,” he said.
MISC Activity Manager Hitoshi Harima, a second-year master’s student, said the week is important as a publicity tool.
“A part of it is to raise awareness to international students and all the international countries,” he said.
He said that he hopes MU students would participate in the week’s events.
“It’s getting closing to finals week, so they’re getting busier, but it’s out there,” he said.
On Thursday, Thai students will celebrate Songkran Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Carnahan Quadrangle in conjunction with International Education Week.
The MU festival will include music, dancing, performances and food, according to the International Center Web site.
Scott said MU is a unique campus because both Chancellor Brady Deaton and Provost Brian Foster speak Thai fluently.
He said Deaton learned Thai while he served in the Peace Corps, and Foster learned it while working on his dissertation in Thailand.
“They both have a lot of respect for Thai culture,” he said.
