Headlines

The School of International Studies Graduate Program Welcomes its New Class of Students

On Friday, August 15^th, the Graduate Program, within the School of International Studies, welcomed its largest group of students to date. This fall’s entering class of 38 students represents 15 countries and 8 US states. The graduate program has seen phenomenal growth in its short, ten year history. Beginning with the first class of 13 students, the program now has approximately 90 students enrolled each semester. In May 2006, the 100^th student graduated from the program, and, in December 2008, the 200^th student will graduate! In celebration of School’s 10^th Anniversary, all units of the School of International Studies will have events throughout the year to reflect what the School has been able to accomplish in regard to its mission – to serve as an academic framework for integrating the resources of all eight OSU academic units and colleges to expand international opportunities in instruction, research and outreach for individuals and organizations seeking a greater understanding and involvement in world trade and international affairs.

Pictured are 20 students of the new Fall ‘08 class of the School of International Studies Graduate Program. Also pictured (front row, second from left) is Debbie Samuels, graduate program assistant.

OSU-Mexico Liaison Office Hosts 57 Students from Mexico’s ITESM University

At the end of May, the OSU-Mexico Liaison Office in the School of International Studies, welcomed 57 students from Mexico’s Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) to begin a month-long study abroad experience. ITESM, like OSU, is a university system with several (33) campuses. The students, sophomores thru seniors, from 5 of ITESM’s campuses, took classes is Finance, Entrepreneurship and Engineering taught by PhD students and adjunct faculty. In addition to their classwork, students visited area businesses and cultural sites in Oklahoma. Examples of sites visited include Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum, OKC’s National Memorial, Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show and the Iowa Tribe’s annual pow-wow. Begun last year by the Spears School of Business with 21 students, the program saw phenomenal growth this year. SIS hopes to develop this program as a prototype to offer study abroad experiences for other countries as well. In addition, it would like to encourage other countries to offer similar month-long experiences to OSU’s students.

OSU Recognizes Three Winners of Fulbright Award

Oklahoma State University has announced that three students have been awarded prestigious Fulbright Teaching Assistantships for the next academic year.

Christy Miller of Broken Arrow will be teaching in Germany and Evan Black of Stillwater has been assigned to Chile. A Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship places students in overseas schools to improve foreign students’ English language abilities and knowledge of the U.S.

Earlier, Christy Milliken of Edmond, a senior English and economics major, was selected for a Fulbright and will spend the coming year teaching English in Indonesia.

Please visit OSU's Press Releases for more information about Ms. Miller, Ms. Black, and Ms. Milliken.

Fulbright award winners Christy Milliken, Evan Black and Christy Miller.

Inaugural "Outstanding Faculty Study Abroad Leader" Award Winner Announced

Dr Steve Harrist of the College of Education was awarded the first Outstanding Faculty Study Abroad Leader Award during the Campus Life Sponsored President’s Leadership Recognition Ceremony April 16^th. Dr. Harrist has led numerous study abroad programs abroad. In 2006, he and co-sponsors took 17 students to the United Nations headquarters in New York, Paris and Geneva. In 2007, he took 24 students TO Ireland and England to study leadership and ethics with special emphasis on Winston Churchill. This May, 46 students from several colleges within the university are enrolled in International Perspectives in Ethics and Leadership and will travel to Athens and Rome. Currently, Dr Harrist is developing a proposal for a multi-dimensional partnership with the Belizean community and a Belizean Higher Education Partner, multiple academic units at OSU, and non-profit groups and corporate partners. The unifying theme for this initiative is “growing the field of sustainable eco-tourism.” In addition to his international work, Dr Harrist has also contributed significantly to OSU. Starting in 2003, in partnership with the Office of Leadership Development and the College of Education Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, he developed the OSU Undergraduate Leadership Certificate Program. In the spring of 2007, the state regents approved the program as the OSU Leadership Minor. Dr Harrist has set a great standard for future recipients of the Outstanding Faculty Study Abroad Leader Award. For more information about OSU’s Study Abroad programs: visit either studyabroad.okstate.edu or www.itravel.okstate.edu.

SIS Hosts a Global Briefing with Oklahoma’s Secretary of State

The School of International Studies held its fourth Global Briefing of the year April 3^rd. The featured speaker was Oklahoma’s Secretary of State, Susan Savage. Secretary Savage spoke to the packed room about her experiences since her office was designated as the one responsible for the state’s international relations and protocol last year. One of the big challenges she has right now is making sense of the new legislation that has been introduced in Oklahoma to designate English as its official language. Just prior to coming to speak, she had the opportunity to read through the entire legislation. One point of concern is whether or not it will be illegal for her to use state funds to translate state documents for visiting dignitaries to read. With this instance and others, Secretary Savage gave a relevant view of a government official’s role in today’s ever-changing global society.

The Honorable Susan Savage addresses the School of International Studies and its at-capacity crowd for this year’s fourth Global Briefing.