The Places and Spaces I’ll be during the 2010 NAFSA Conference

I wanted to prepare this post some time ago but life did not permit.  I typed most of this post on my iPhone on the shuttle down from Milwaukee to Chicago and then my father called and the blogging application I was using lost my post so now I sit here at O’Hare watching and listening to the storm blowing through.  We’ll see if I am delayed in my departure!

During the NAFSA conference I hope to post to IHEC Blog frequently but internet connectivity is an issue as I’m only going for free internet.  I will be taking videos with the flipcam I won from ExchangesConnect and uploading them to IHEC Blog’s Facebook page.  Specifically, I’m thinking of a “three questions with IHEC Blog” type of flipcam interview.  We’ll see how that goes!  For the most part I’ll be micro-blogging on IHEC Blog’s Facebook page (http://tinyurl.com/IHECBlogFacebook) and via Twitter (http://twitter.com/DavidComp)

I wasn’t sure I would be attending this NAFSA conference due to cost as my attendance at NAFSA and related conferences are predominately/totally on my own dime.  As a result I did not join any panels or submit any proposals.  However, since I determined I would be attending the conference I have been invited to serve on four panels (at a general session, at a roundtable, at a meeting, and at a seminar).  Only one of my sessions/meetings is listed in the conference program as I was a late addition.  Here is a list of the scheduled sessions I have committed to (please note that I may not have the full or exact title of the session as I’m typing this from my notes):

Tuesday, June 1^st

The U.S. Army Approach to Exchanges: Sharing Best Practices with Colonel Steven Boylan at 2:30pm.

Wednesday, June 2^nd

Technology Forum at 1:15pm

Grad Student Roundtable at 3:$5pm

Friday, June 4^th

TLS Research Seminar at 8:00pm

Assuming my flight makes in on time tonight I’ll find myself at both the TLS and Education Abroad networking receptions.  Additionally, I’ll be at the opening reception and a few of the receptions (seems I received a few more invites this year ~ perhaps I’ll post to Facebook and Twitter about these receiptions!).  I want to attend the GOSAT meeting on Wednesday, June 2^nd from 5:00pm-6:00pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel City Bar (main lobby) but I have the Research & Scholarship subcommittee meeting at the exact same time so I hope there are some stragglers at the GOSAT meeting.  Finally, I plan to attend the 2^nd Tweet-Up on Thursday, June 3^rd from 5:00pm-6:00pm in the Education Abroad network center!  In addition to all of my scheduled activities I do plan to attend many sessions and open meetings…I hope our paths cross and I wish everyone a safe and productive #nafsa10. as these will be easiest for me to do via my iPhone.  Stayed tuned to those new media outlets for more and I hope you find interest in my posts.

I wasn’t sure I would be attending this NAFSA conference due to cost as my attendance at NAFSA and related conferences are predominately/totally on my own dime.  As a result I did not join any panels or submit any proposals.  However, since I determined I would be attending the conference I have been invited to serve on four panels and/or lead discussions (at a general session, at a roundtable, at a meeting, and at a seminar).  Only one of my sessions/meetings is listed in the conference program as I was a late addition.  Here is a list of the scheduled sessions I have committed to (please note that I may not have the full or exact title of the session as I’m typing this from my notes):

Tuesday, June 1^st

The U.S. Army Approach to Exchanges: Sharing Best Practices with Colonel Steven Boylan at 2:30pm.

Wednesday, June 2^nd

Technology Forum at 1:15pm

Grad Student Roundtable at 3:$5pm

Friday, June 4^th

TLS Research Seminar at 8:00pm

Assuming my flight makes in on time tonight I’ll find myself at both the TLS and Education Abroad networking receptions.  Additionally, I’ll be at the opening reception and a few of the receptions (seems I received a few more invites this year ~ perhaps I’ll post to Facebook and Twitter about these receiptions!).  I want to attend the GOSAT meeting on Wednesday, June 2^nd from 5:00pm-6:00pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel City Bar (main lobby) but I have the Research & Scholarship subcommittee meeting at the exact same time so I hope there are some stragglers at the GOSAT meeting.  Finally, I plan to attend te 2^nd Tweet-Up on Thursday, June 3^rd from 5:00pm-6:00pm in the Education Abroad network center!  In addition to all of my scheduled activities I do plan to attend many sessions and open meetings…I hope our paths cross and I wish everyone a safe and productive #nafsa10.) as these will be easiest for me to do via my iPhone.  Stayed tuned to those new media outlets for more and I hope you find interest in my posts.

I wasn’t sure I would be attending this NAFSA conference due to cost as my attendance at NAFSA and related conferences are predominately/totally on my own dime.  As a result I did not join any panels or submit any proposals.  However, since I determined I would be attending the conference I have been invited to serve on four panels and/or lead discussions (at a general session, at a roundtable, at a meeting, and at a seminar).  Only one of my sessions/meetings is listed in the conference program as I was a late addition.  Here is a list of the scheduled sessions I have committed to (please note that I may not have the full or exact title of the session as I’m typing this from my notes):

Tuesday, June 1^st

The U.S. Army Approach to Exchanges: Sharing Best Practices with Colonel Steven Boylan at 2:30pm.

Wednesday, June 2^nd

Technology Forum at 1:15pm

Grad Student Roundtable at 3:$5pm

Friday, June 4^th

TLS Research Seminar at 8:00pm

Assuming my flight makes in on time tonight I’ll find myself at both the TLS and Education Abroad networking receptions.  Additionally, I’ll be at the opening reception and a few of the receptions (seems I received a few more invites this year ~ perhaps I’ll post to Facebook and Twitter about these receiptions!).  I want to attend the GOSAT meeting on Wednesday, June 2^nd from 5:00pm-6:00pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel City Bar (main lobby) but I have the Research & Scholarship subcommittee meeting at the exact same time so I hope there are some stragglers at the GOSAT meeting.  Finally, I plan to attend te 2^nd Tweet-Up on Thursday, June 3^rd from 5:00pm-6:00pm in the Education Abroad network center!  In addition to all of my scheduled activities I do plan to attend many sessions and open meetings…I hope our paths cross and I wish everyone a safe and productive #nafsa10.

International Competitiveness and Education: A Conversation with Arne Duncan

Yesterday I posted to IHEC Blog's Facebook page with a link to the transcript of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations meeting yesterday.  If you are interested in watching/listening to Secretary Duncan's remarks you can do so on the Council on Foreign Relations website here.

Photo credit: U.S. Department of Education

CAMPUS (Central American Program of Undergraduate Scholarships) 1988-1999

As I was reading the book The Culture of Freedom: The Small World of Fulbright Scholars (1992) by Leonard R. Sussmann this weekend I came across something that reminded me of my college days at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (see my previous video of the week on the ESL program at Eau Claire).  What specifically caught my interest was Sussman’s description of the CAMPUS (Central American Program of Undergraduate Scholarships) pilot program and recommendations that this highly successful program continue.  The Campus program was created in response to the insurgencies in Central America during the 1980’s and brought undergraduate students to the United States from 1988-1999.  The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire participated in the CAMPUS program hosting several undergraduate scholars from Central America, many of whom I personally knew.  Sussman highlights some of the assessment findings by Development Associates, Inc., who was under contract by the United States Information Agency (USIA), identified that returned CAMPUS participants from El Salvador created an exchange program with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. 

Further research took me to the LASPAU website where I have copied and pasted some interesting historical information about the program as well as some more specific information about the CAMPUS program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire:

"The Fulbright Program initiated CAMPUS to enable academically gifted students to obtain bachelor’s degrees at U.S. colleges and universities. CAMPUS provided scholarships for students to complete 30 months of academic course work, including intensive English language training, general education courses, and specialization in disciplines including business administration, communications, computer science, education, natural sciences, and social sciences. Over the course of the program, 795 young people from Central America studied at 28 institutions and returned home to pursue professional careers."

“In 1988, the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire held a three-day conference on Latin America attended by over 400 delegates, including four Latin American ambassadors, a representative of the U.S. State Department, and CAMPUS students themselves. The university subsequently set up a Latin American Institute, providing undergraduate courses on Latin American history, geography, economics, and political studies, as well as field trips to Latin America.” (my note: I personally benefited from the Latin American Institute established at UW-Eau Claire as I majored in Spanish and minored in Latin American Studies)

You can read more about the CAMPUS program on the LASPAU website here.

A Place for Bloggers at International Education Conferences

Wouldn't it be great if international education related conferences offered a special place just for bloggers with free wi-fi (or even better a few desktop computers with internet access)?  There are not many of us bloggers out there but I hope this changes over time.  Yes, we have our smart phones that makes blogging a little easier (see my iPhone post from my travels last week in Houston) but it's not great as phones are best for e-mail, Twitter, LinkedIn and mobile Facebook posts.  The "media" get free conference registration (which I'm not asking for but would be great as most of my conference attendance the last several years has been on my own dime) and a special room dedicated specifically for them (I believe that is the case at at least one international education conference.  A "new media" space dedicated to us "new media" folks would be great and I think the conference/organization would get some great promotion as well, no?

While I will be lugging my heavy laptop around the NAFSA conference and hope I can find free wi-fi close by to upload posts from the conference I imagine I will resort to a more micro blogging via my iPhone to IHEC Blog's Facebook page so stay tuned to that "new media" tool I frequently use.

Photo credit: RealEstateZebra

The U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange

Good things are happening at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai!  During Secretary Clinton's remarks today at the signing of the U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange she reaffirmed President Obama's bold plan to send 100,000 U.S. students to China to study abroad.  Additionally, Secretary Clinton announced that 10,000 Chinese students will be supported to get their Ph.D.'s in the United States.  In addition to establishing the U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, Secretary Clinton and Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong renewed the the Implementing Accord for Cultural Exchange and as well as the Agreement for Cooperation in Educational Exchanges.

I won't go into all the details in this post as you can read more information in the fact sheet as well as text of Secretary Clinton's remarks at http://www.state.gov/headlines/142186.htm.
Embedded photo credit via @KateAtState at http://yfrog.com/5cj4yj

Videos of the Week - Interview with NAFSA President Chris Viers

As the NAFSA: Association of International Educators annual conference approaches next week I thought I would highlight several videos of one interview with NAFSA President Christopher Viers.  In these interview segments Chris talks about NAFSA's past, present and future as well as shares his thoughts on NAFSA's strategic plan.  I first met Chris back in February 2005 when we were members of the Teaching, Learning and Scholarship Task Force and I've always liked the way he thinks about NAFSA and advancing international education.  I'm not sure I have the videos in the correct order but I think that is okay.

Video of the Week - Welcome to Our World - UWEC

I chose the following video as my video of the week as I went to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) for my undergraduate studies and was a Resident Assistant for the ESL program for two summers.  Eau Claire has a long history in international education activities and it is the reason I decided to attend UWEC.