Christine Emanuelli (ITS '25) was accepted to a M.A. degree program in North Korea Studies at Ewha Womans University in South Korea. 

Mari Angelopoulos (ITS '26) is a Fulbright semifinalist for the Research Fellowship in Japan.  Congratulations!

Olivia Rush (ITS, REEES, Energy '26) is currently studying in Almaty, Kazakhstan at Al-Farabi National University, or KazNU. She is in an Advanced Russian Language Area Studies program. All classes are conducted in Russian, and so are group excursions around the city (bus and museum tours, guided activities).  Olivia's semester abroad is made possible through a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship awarded by the American Council for International Education. 

Olivia Rush and members of her cohort studying in Almaty. 

Caroline Vosmik (PSY, SJS, WGS '25) took Sande Garner's Indigenous Sacred Lands class (WGS/GEO 406) over a year ago, but the lessons stayed with her. On a recent family trip to Hawaii, she was able to visit the Waimea Valley sacred site--the subject of a presentation she had given with fellow classmates. "It was a wonderful experience," Caroline reports, "and I even earned my Ho'okipa Ambassador pin by speaking with the local guides throughout the site."

She adds, "[i]t was one of the most memorable courses of my undergraduate career, and I truly appreciated having [Dr. Garner] as a professor."

Ecuador Info Session | Thursday, February 5 4:30pm | FSB 1023

Join GIC and FSB in collaboration with the Tandana Foundation for an information session about the one-week program Miami University in Ecuador: Community, Culture, and Development in the Andean Highlands (May 18-25). This one-credit trip will bring students into the Andean highlands, where they will learn about community development, diverse market economies, and cultural preservation. Come learn more!

For more information, contact Juan Carlos Albarrán. 

Study Abroad Fair | Tuesday, February 10, 1-3pm | Armstrong Student Center Atrium

GIC will have an information table about the May trip to Ecudor at the Study Abroad Fair hosted by Global Initiatives. Come learn more about opportunities to expand your global horizons!

Wednesday, February 18, 4 - 5:45pm | MacMillan 115

Friday, February 20, 10 - 11:45am | MacMillan 212

The Global Readiness Certificate combines Miami coursework with experiential learning focused on global readiness and intercultural assessments. The courses and experiences in this certificate program will provide students with the knowledge, awareness, and skills necessary for global and intercultural communication and teamwork.

Learn about the Global Readiness Certificate at two upcoming orientation sessions organized by Global Initiatives. RSVP here.

Are you interested in providing constructive feedback, generating ideas for speakers and programing, and making interdisciplinary and career connections between students and faculty? Volunteer to be a member of the GIC Student Advisory Board! This is a great way to contribute meaningfully to the life of your department.

Interested students should send an email expressing their interest, availability, and why they'd like to be involved via email to Dr. Sande Garner by Friday, February 13 at 5pm.

The LSC Legislative Fellowship Program is a paid, full-time, 13-month professional experience that offers college graduates an unparalleled opportunity to work with the Ohio General Assembly. Applicants to the program must have at least a bachelor’s degree by September of 2026. All academic backgrounds are welcome and prior political experience is not required. Successful applicants have an interest in public service and excellent communication skills, and most have a strong academic record. Fellows receive full state of Ohio employee benefits and are paid approximately $45,760.00 per year. Applications for the legislative fellowship are due by April 1, 2026.

Application links and more information can be found on the LSC website.

Brianna Nofil | Wednesday, February 25 4:30pm | (LOCATION TBA)

Grayson Kirk Lecture: "The Migrant's Jail: An American History of Mass Incarceration"

This talk will explore how century-long economic, political, and ideological exchange between immigration bureaucracy and the criminal justice system birthed the nation's vast immigration detention system. 

Brianna Nofil is Assistant Professor of History at William and Mary University. 

Event is co-sponsored by the Department of Global and Intercultural Studies, the Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights, and Oxford Citizens for Peace and Justice. 

QT-Con: A Queer and Trans Conference | April 8-9 | Armstrong Student Center

QT-Con Call for Proposals has been extended through February 8th.  This year's event theme is "Creating and Crafting Community." It will feature numerous opportunities to connect with one another, craft, and make something meaningful. QT-Con encourages undergraduate and grad students, faculty, staff, and alum from Miami University and surrounding schools, as well as members of the community, to submit a proposal. Presenters have the option of presenting virtually or in person, and can choose the length that best fits their topic: 10, 15, or 20 minutes. Presenters can pull from academic studies, lived experience, passion areas, and/or from creative expression. All are welcome!

Thursday, February 19 6:30pm | Oxford Lane Library 

Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy will be presenting her recent book Videotape (Object Lessons) at the Oxford Lane Library at an event titled "Rewind and Play: The Videotape's Impact on Entertainment." 

Walt Vanderbush and Juan Carlos Albarrán were both quoted extensively in a Cincinnati Enquirer article published immediately after the U.S. ousting of the Maduro regime in Venezuela this month. In the article, Vanderbush weighs in on the use of "terrorism" as a justification for U.S. intervention, while Albarrán reflects the implications of this geopolitical transition on the Venezuelan, and Latino, population in the U.S. 

This January, Elena Jackson Albarrán presented at the Teaching and Teaching Materials Roundtable at the Conference of Latin American Historians (CLAH) in Chicago. The topic of the panel was “Teaching Histories of Hope and Resiliency in Latin American History.” Panelists and audience members alike shared strategies of finding opportunities for uplift and positive engagement when teaching timelines often fraught with trauma and conflict. 

Louise Davis regales the GIC newsletter with this glamour shot of her three assistant dogfessors Pop, Mac, and Marmite, with a guest appearance by a Christmas foster pup, Eno (pink coat), who now lives with her neighbor.  These sweethearts were rescued after career-ending injuries forced them to retire from the racing tracks in West Virginia. Now they contribute intellectual adrenaline. 

Submit newsletter content to Elena Jackson Albarrán at albarrej@miamioh.edu

Global and Intercultural Studies Contact Info

513-529-5333

MacMillan 120

Dr. Sande Garner, Chair

garners2@miamioh.edu

Martha Sapiro, Admin Assistant

sapiromc@miamioh.edu