Get Ready for International Education Week

The planning committee has been busy, and you are invited to join us to observe International Education Week at Miami, November 11-18. This annual celebration includes a wide range of activities and events in order to celebrate the diverse array of cultures on our campus and provide students, faculty, and staff the opportunity for global engagement. 

For example, those who want to explore Miami study abroad and away opportunities, attend our Faculty Led Study Abroad and Away Showcase to learn about program options directly from the faculty leading them! There will be free food and swag for all attendees.

And we're excited to announce the return of the Global Friendship Thanksgiving Dinner! This event is an opportunity for international students and scholars to experience a traditional American holiday and engage in meaningful interaction and friendship with community members and Miami faculty and staff. Get ready for classic Thanksgiving food and fun activities! Tickets are available now; we hope to see you there!

#FindYourPlace in 2023 by attending a faculty-led study abroad or away program! Workshops offer course credit in the arts, business, healthcare, humanities, foreign language, and more.

Currently we are offering three programs that will run during Spring Break 2023. For Summer 2023, more than a dozen programs are already open, with others on the way. Applications can fill up quickly—so apply early! 

And in case you were wondering, it's not too late to apply to some of our Winter programs! For example, we are still accepting applications for Miami in Oman through November 1! 

We're actively planning the curriculum for our spring 2023 semester, March 27 thru April 28. 

Whether the passion for your subject matter stems from your career, hobby, or life experiences, you'll find an audience that's eager, interested, and hopeful you'll consider proposing a course for us. To get started, complete our course proposal form, which can always be found on the ILR website under the "Teach" header.

We're looking for new, refreshed, and/or perennial favorites in literature/writing, science/nature/horticulture, technology/photography, art/theater/music, current events/politics, health/nutrition/sports, geography/history, philosophy/religion, or whatever else happens to be your passion or is on your mind. 

Ideas? Suggestions? Recommendations? Propose a class at the link above or email us at ilr@MiamiOH.edu. The proposal deadline for the spring semester is November 21.

The 2022 UniDiversity Festival will be remembered not only for its beautiful weather but also for the way it made us feel. 

As Festival planning committee chair Jacqueline Rioja Velarde puts it, "It is a true expression of synergetic collaboration."

We asked several of this year's committee members and partners to share their thoughts and experiences. 

Jacqueline Rioja Velarde recently received the 2022 Miami University Diversity and Inclusion Diversity Event of the Year Award in recognition of the impact of the Latin American and Caribbean UniDiversity Festival (MiamiOH.edu/UniDiversity). This award recognizes an individual or group who hosted an event or series that engaged the Miami community in a meaningful diversity and inclusion experience.

International Peer Orientation Leaders (iPOLs) are undergraduate or graduate students who assist ISSS with welcoming new international students to Miami University. iPOLs play an integral role in shaping a positive orientation experience for new international students and preparing them to achieve success at Miami University.

As an iPOL, you will receive hourly compensation and professional leadership development. Visit our webpage to learn more!

Earth Expeditions are Miami University study abroad courses designed for people at all stages of their life and career who are looking for inspiring professional development opportunities while earning graduate credit. All courses engage with grassroots conservation and sustainability programs that are making a difference in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Courses are also open to select undergraduate and graduate students from Miami University. 

Although the Miami University John E. Dolibois European Center (MUDEC) has been in Luxembourg for nearly 55 years, it wasn't until 1997 that MUDEC moved from Luxembourg City to the 15th century castle of Differdange. To mark the anniversary, a “séance académique” was recently held in Differdange. In addition to MUDEC staff, students, and host families, participants included interim provost Elizabeth Mullenix, Associate Vice President of Global Initiatives Cheryl Young, and other Oxford campus guests. Also in attendance were the US ambassador, Thomas Barrett; the Minister for Higher Education and Research, Claude Meisch; and other Luxembourg dignitaries.

Addressing the students in the audience during the anniversary event, Ambassador Barrett declared, “I love this program!” He went on to highlight the importance of respectfully reaching out to people who are different, adding, “If we did more of this--not just in Luxembourg, not just in Europe, but throughout the world, just maybe--we’d have a safer, happier world.”