2015 International Profile

The UNIVERSITY of OKLAHOMA

International Profile 2015 Presented by

The College of International Studies

SOONER ROOTS. GLOBAL REACH.

Message from the Deans On behalf of the College of International Studies (CIS), it is our great pleasure to present to you the sixth annual International Profile, a review of all international educational activities at the University of Oklahoma during the academic year 2014-2015.

Under the visionary leadership of OU President David L. Boren and First Lady Molly Shi Boren, the goal of developing compassionate, open-minded citizens and leaders through global engagement and educational opportunities continues to be a reality. During the 2014-2015 academic year, the College of International Studies welcomed students from around the world to campus, organized a number of international events with impressive speakers and once again broke records for study abroad with 30 percent of OU undergraduate students participating during their academic careers.

This year, the staff and faculty of the College of International Studies moved into the newly renovated Hester Hall, which today serves as the hub of international activity on the OU campus. Students who visit Hester Hall take classes from our esteemed faculty within the Department of International and Area Studies. We also house the offices of International Student Services and Education Abroad as well as a number of programs and centers geared toward not only encouraging global learning on campus, but also toward engaging with the Norman and Oklahoma communities.

Our academic programs have grown in the past year to include the Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR), administered in conjunction with OU Advanced Programs. We also developed, and in fall 2015 began implementing, a Master of Arts in Global Affairs (MAGA) delivered entirely online. Due to this expansion in July of 2015, Dr. Mitchell Smith assumed the role of Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. This year, we were also thrilled to open two new OU Study Centers in Puebla, Mexico (OUP), and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (OUR). Along with our program in Arezzo, Italy (OUA), these Study Centers provide amazing opportunities for students to experience the cultures, foods and languages of the host countries while they learn from talented OU faculty. The creation of these Study Centers also allows us to enhance faculty collaboration across fields and countries. We welcomed Dr. Caren Addis as Director of OUR and Armando Garcia as Director of OUP. Annaly Beck assumed the newly created position of International Centers Coordinator and Suzanne Kern joined the team as our new Director of Risk Management and Staff Attorney.

OU students received a growing number of study abroad scholarships made possible through the generosity of University of Oklahoma alumni and supporters. We cannot thank these generous friends enough for their important contributions, nor can we say enough about how life changing this support is for scholarship recipients. With the assistance of our new Development Associate, Rowdy Gilbert, we will continue to raise scholarship funds and reduce the financial costs associated with studying abroad.

A number of people are involved in the publication of the International Profile. Although there are too many to mention by name, we would like to thank the OU College Study Abroad Liaisons, Center Directors and the countless number of others who contributed photos, statistics and other international information. Thank you also to the entire CIS team, and especially Miranda Wilson, our new Communications Specialist, and Jacque Braun, our Marketing and Media Specialist, who collected information and created the beautiful design for this publication. We hope you enjoy reading this year’s International Profile and learning about the many international activities that University of Oklahoma students, faculty and staff are undertaking. Like never before, it is a great time to Get Up and Global at OU!

Suzette R. Grillot, Ph.D.

2

Dean College of International Studies Vice Provost of International Programs William J. Crowe, Jr., Chair in Geopolitics

Mitchelll P. Smith, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs College of International Studies Max and Heidi Berry Chair and Professor of International and Area Studies

Rebecca J. Cruise, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean College of International Studies Assistant Professor of International and Area Studies

Table of Contents Education Abroad.....................................................................................................................4 Around Campus and Around the World..................................................................................10 International Student Services...............................................................................................22 Department of International and Area Studies.......................................................................29 College of International Studies Research and Academic Centers and Programs...........................................................................................31

Hester Hall

College of International Studies staff: Jacque Braun, Becky Wilson, Rowdy Gilbert, Jaci Gandenberger, Megan Reeves, Merla Davis, Miranda Wilson, Kaydee Dyer, Suzanne Kern, Lauren Lee-Lewis, Mitchell Smith, Rebecca Cruise, Diana Tiffany, Genevieve Schmitt, Patsy Broadway, Jennifer Rowley, Tracy Holloway and Suzette Grillot (Not pictured: Annaly Beck, Donna Cline and Marjan Seirafi-Pour).

3

Education Abroad The 2014-2015 academic year has been a banner year for study abroad at OU with a recordsetting number of more than 1,500 students participating in international internships, study abroad programs, academic competitions and artistic performances around the world.

Since the initiative to broaden study abroad started in 2008, the number of students participating has increased by over 130 percent.

Particularly exciting this past year were several college-led programs that ventured to new locations, including the City of Gold in Dubai and the Land of the Thunder Dragons in Bhutan. OU students reached new heights as Petroleum Engineering majors earned second place at the International Petrobowl held in Amsterdam during spring 2015. In addition, 80 dance and chorale students from the College of Fine Arts performed in front of a global audience at the prestigious International Haydntage Festival in Austria.

Education Abroad

Also, this year the Education Abroad staff was able to share

4

study abroad opportunities with more students than ever before through classroom visits, information sessions and other events. The Office of Education Abroad increased collaborations with campus offices and colleges to provide better support for students.

Education Abroad has fostered partnerships with financial aid, academic advisors, admissions, enrollment and other offices across campus, all integral to providing students with essential forms of assistance. Beyond campus, study abroad staff represented OU by presenting at national and international conferences. This included a presentation at the Annual Conference and Expo for the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA).

In addition, It is a goal to ensure that students are prepared both to study abroad and to make the transition back into their daily routines after returning home.

All students studying abroad are required to attend orientations to better prepare for their adventures, learning about what to pack, how

to get their textbooks, important information about transportation and more. Also, this year the Education Abroad team developed and implemented a series for returning students called ReSoonerize.

These events focused on how to deal with reverse culture shock and how to integrate study abroad into a resumĂŠ and job interview.

Finally, although this year’s study abroad activities were full of new programs, Study Centers and events, the momentum continues with plans for bigger and better things. As the OU campus continues on the path of internationalization, the Office of Education Abroad will continue providing services to all OU students who want to expand their horizons.

See the World‌ Stay a Sooner!

Education Abroad staff: Loy Macari, Kristian Savic, Jennifer Grover, Bridgitte Castorino, Taylor Roberts, Laura Brunson, Shanna Vincent, Alex Spellis and Wyatt Schmitz.

5

Summary of Education Abroad Participation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enrollment by Region

4% Africa

6% Asia

74% Europe

7%

1%

5%

3%

South America

Oceania

Middle East

North America

Self-Identification of OU Students Abroad* *Students may choose multiple categories

No Answer: 7.6 % Other: 1.7 %

American Indian / Alaska Native: 4.7 % Asian / Pacific Islander: 5.9 % Black / African American: 3.8 %

Hispanic / Latino(a): 5.2 %

White / European American: 71.1 %

6

Summary of Education Abroad Participation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Study Abroad Participation by College Participating Students

404

College of Arts and Sciences

266

Michael F. Price College of Business

105

Gallogly College of Engineering

96

Graduate College

82

College of International Studies

75

Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy

69

Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts

65

Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication

63

University College

49

College of Architecture

39

College of Law

38

OU Health Sciences Center

20

College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences

12

Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education

5

Academic Affairs

1

College of Continuing Education/ College of Liberal Studies

7

OU In Arezzo Study Center The OU in Arezzo (OUA) Study Center experienced excellent growth during the 2014-2015 school year with over 400 students spending time in Arezzo. The Center functions with five full-time staff members, an OU graduate student assistant and an annual Facultyin-Residence, along with various language instructors and visiting faculty. Professors Charlie Kenney and Maria Marchand served as the 2014-2015 OUA Faculty-in-Residence. Dr. Kenney taught three popular courses, including one exploring the politics of Machiavelli, Mussolini and Berlusconi. Professor Marchand also offered a timely course on Italian and European immigration. The OUA internship program also continued to prosper with students enjoying a number of placements throughout the city of Arezzo.

Photo Credit: Blessing Anthony Nyong Ikpa — in Rome, Italy

8

The Big Event

A unique fall semester program created by the Gallogly College of Engineering continues to flourish.

This innovative approach to teaching core engineering classes at OUA allows engineering students to have a global experience while continuing their rigorous curricular routine with visiting faculty from OU. Students receive both an international experience and engineering credits while staying on their structured degree track.

The OU in Arezzo program has also been active in the local community through programming and community service projects. Through events like the annual Fright Fest, Thanksgiving meal and the Big Event, OUA has collaborated with the community to bring cultures together in the spirit of sharing and giving.

Giostra del Saracino

OU In Puebla Study Center

OU In Rio Study Center

The University of Oklahoma’s Mexican Study Center, OU in Puebla (OUP), is located in the heart of Mexico and offers spectacular views of the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes. Puebla, the capital of the state of Puebla, is known for its exquisite gastronomy as well as heroism in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 (Cinco de Mayo). Portions of this majestic city have also been named World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The University of Oklahoma’s Brazilian Study Center, OU in Rio de Janeiro (OUR), also opened this past year. Students studying at OUR enjoy the amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean, Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer Statue. Rio, the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro, is known for its beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema, and also hosts international athletic events like the 2014 Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

During summer 2015, OU in Puebla hosted its first group of students on the Spanish Conversation and Mexican Cuisine and Culture Program led by Dr. Julie Ward, Director of Academic Programs at the School of Gastronomy Alejandra Dia Vazquez and OU Graduate Assistant Arni Alvarez. During the 19-day program, students strengthened their Spanish conversation skills while they learned the basics of Mexican cuisine and how to cook traditional dishes. They participated in traditional dance classes, experienced a wrestling match, and explored the beautiful culture and history of Puebla and the surrounding cities.

During the summer of 2015, Dr. Erika Robb Larkins and OUR Director Dr. Caren Addis Botelho led a group of OU President’s Leadership Class students as they explored Rio and the surrounding areas in late May. Dr. Robb Larkins was then joined by Dr. Kimberly Marshall and they traveled with OU students as part of the Journey to Latin America experience.

For this exciting study abroad trip, students engaged in classes on the Peoples and Cultures of Brazil and the Anthropology of Religion in the country.

In Mexico City

OU President’s Leadership Class at Instituto Inhotim

9

College of Architecture

Around Campus and Around the World

The College of Architecture continually explores its interdisciplinary focus by providing students with diverse experiences through its study abroad opportunities and the requirement that all programs have a servicelearning experience.

10

In the spring of 2015, Associate Professor of Architecture Nick Harm led 20 Architecture and Interior Design students on a semester-long study abroad program in Rome, Italy. The program was an intense immersion in historical and contemporary art, design, architecture and urban design. The semester in Rome afforded students the opportunity for numerous day lectures and site visits with guided tours. There were two additional travel opportunities associated with the course: Northern Italy - Milan (extended to Florence and Venice), Southern Italy - Pompeii, Hurculaneum and Vesuvius (extended to Naples and Capri).

During the 2014-2015 December intersession, the college offered

OU College of Architecture in Rome

two study abroad opportunities for students. The first was a collaborative course open to all OU majors. The program included site visits to Munich and Berlin, Germany. Field studies with lectures and presentations exposed the relationship between culture and design. The group also explored the connections between culture and Germany’s socialized health care system. The visit in Berlin provided a half-day service-learning program, which was organized through the InterCultural Volunteer Agency (IKDA) in Berlin.

For the second trip, 17 Construction Science, Interior Design and Architecture students participated in a winter intersession course focused on building design and construction in the United Arab Emirates. Students visited Dubai and Abu Dhabi and were led

by Richard Ryan, Professor of Construction Science, and Dr. Khosrow Bozorgi, Professor of Architecture and Urban Design.

“The trip was unique for all of us.

We saw and experienced so many

built world records that I don’t have a complete list,” Professor Ryan said. “I think this experience stirred something in everybody that will translate into more informed and driven contractors, designers and architects,” Dr. Bozorgi added.

The dedication to international opportunities continued during summer intersession, when the college ran its first fullscale, international servicelearning program. John Harris, Assistant Professor of Regional and City Planning, and Dave Boeck, Associate Professor of Architecture, led a group of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Regional and City Planning students to Zambia’s capital city of Lusaka. The College of Architecture partnered with an organization on a project to help plan and design safe environments for the many homeless children of this area.

Michael F. Price College of Business Over the past eight years, the Price College of Business has made significant strides to increase student participation in study abroad programs. In 2007, only 2.3 percent of Price College students studied abroad. Fortythree percent of Price College seniors benefited from a study abroad experience during the past year.

As businesses in Oklahoma and around the world need employees with global leadership skills, Price College is committed to preparing future leaders with the knowledge, understanding and cultural intelligence to succeed in today’s global marketplace. Recognizing the importance of studying abroad, the college has increased its scholarship support. As a result, 78 percent of all scholarship applicants in 2015 received financial support compared to 47 percent in 2014, making the opportunity to study abroad more accessible to students.

Price College students studied in long- and short-term programs in more than 35 countries, including South Korea, China, Turkey, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Israel, Japan, Tanzania, Spain, France, Italy and elsewhere. The summer programs offered an impressive list of 16 required and elective business courses through seven faculty-led study abroad programs in five countries: Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Costa Rica. Through hands-on projects involving collaboration with global companies, international corporate visits and informative guest lectures from business executives, all business students ranging from sophomores to seniors, regardless of their business major or minor, could find a study abroad program to fit their academic needs.

College of Business students at the Eiffel Tower

College of Business students at the Alcazar of Segovia, Segovio, Spain.

11

College of Arts and Sciences The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) continued to emphasize the amazing benefits of study abroad and to expand their programs.

During summer of 2015, 166 students took part in 13 short-term study abroad programs arranged

by CAS. These programs traveled to eight countries: Belize, Bhutan, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom (Scotland).

Twenty faculty members from the following academic units acted as group leaders and instructors: Biology, Chemistry, History, Honors College, Plant Biology, Microbiology, Modern Languages (Spanish and German), Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology and English.

OU’s first program to Bhutan at Royal Thimphu College has opened the door to a fascinating location for OU students and faculty. This year the program’s courses focused on Gross National Happiness and Communication and Culture. A service component allowed the students to assist at the Bhutan Nuns Foundation, ramming earth and laying stonework for new buildings.

Another new program to Belize combined the study of Biology and Ethnobiology by including anthropological and historical aspects of the Mayan culture.

Students experienced the rainforest, reefs, caves and a wide variety of flora and fauna. Cultural activities included visiting the Lebena Drumming Center, spending time in a Mayan village, seeing the Tikal ruins on a brief stay in Guatemala, and viewing the Lamanai and Lubaantun ruins in Belize.

12

As in the past year, CAS offered a number of courses at the OU Study Center in Arezzo, Italy, including the ever-popular Organic Chemistry I, Culinary Chemistry and Culture of Italy as well as Microbiology in

June in Ireland Program

Italy. This year a course pairing titled Freedom and Fascism was offered for the first time. The two classes were Mussolini, Fascism and America and The Idea of a Liberal Society. The program explored the history of the modern, liberal democratic ideal and its 20thcentury enemies, Marxism and Fascism.

Popular programs to Germany and Spain continued during the summer of 2015. Summer in Germany is the longest running program offered by CAS. Participants stay for one or two intensive German language sessions at the University of Leipzig’s Herder Institute.

Excursions and cultural activities, such as the symphony and opera, round out the experience for students, who report significant advances in their German ability post-program. Traveling to Spain:

Third-Semester Spanish in Spain allowed students to finish up their language requirement abroad in Seville. Participants lived with host families and experienced a number of excursions that emphasized the history and culture of Spain. These included a bullfight and visits to the Roman ruins of Italica and Mérida, the Alhambra, the Alcázar, La Rábida, and the cities of Granada and Córdoba.

There is always interest in the United Kingdom and the summer of 2015 was no exception. Students had a number of options to study in Ireland, including Sport and Culture in Ireland, June in Ireland and July in Ireland. Sport and Culture in Ireland is open to all students, but is designed in content and schedule with OU athletes in mind. The course takes place every May, allowing athletes to participate

without conflicting with required team obligations.

The focus of the program is on traditional Gaelic sports, which have a strong tie to Irish identity and history. For 2015, June in Ireland and July in Ireland included courses on Irish Literature, the Sociology of Ireland, and Food and Culture Studies. Based at the National University of Ireland-Cork, coursework was enhanced by a number of exciting excursions and additional activities that included a day on the island of Inishmore, time at an Irish cooking school, the beautiful Cliffs of Moher and other culturally important locations.

Those who did not go to Ireland had options across the North Channel in Scotland. A Psychology Capstone in addition to a Psychology and Law course were offered. Additionally, The Scottish National Experience program paired courses such as Politics in Literature and Film with Nationalism, Violence and UK Politics. The program included a symposium sponsored by OU’s Center for Intelligence and National Security, which also provided financial support to qualified participants. In addition to the coursework, excursions to the Isle of Arran, St. Andrews and the fishing villages of Fife broadened student exposure to Scotland’s people, culture, geography and history.

Finally, OU’s Religious Studies Program once again sent students to participate in an archaeological dig in Israel. Students spent one week prior to the three-week dig touring northern Israel before settling into their living quarters at a kibbutz. Substantial scholarship support from the Schusterman Foundation through OU’s Judaic Studies Program allowed many students who otherwise could not afford this opportunity to participate.

Psychology in Scotland

Scottish National Experience

13

College of Continuing Education and College of Liberal Studies The College of Continuing Education (CCE) partnered with the College of Architecture to offer two study abroad opportunities. During these faculty-led experiences, 29 students built upon their global and crosscultural skills.

Professor Hepi Wachter led a group of students from diverse majors through Munich and Berlin, Germany.

They studied the relationship between cultures and design, in addition to exploring the connection with Germany’s socialized health system.

Also, Professor Richard Ryan and Professor Khosrow Bozorgi launched a new education abroad experience to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Seventeen construction and interior design students gained a global perspective on building design and construction. They observed an actual job site that had a project budget of $38 million with 48,000 laborers. Among other places, the students explored a green development in Masdar City and the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the

Dubai Museum

world, before concluding their trip at the Grand Mosque of Sheikh Zayed.

Students and faculty were affected by the enormity of the projects and the overall volume of design and construction observed.

The inspiration gained from this

education abroad opportunity should translate into more informed and driven contractors, designers and architects graduating from the University of Oklahoma.

College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences The School of Meteorology offers three semester-long exchanges with the University of Reading in England, the University of Hamburg in Germany and Monash University near Melbourne, Australia.

Meteorology students typically participate in these programs during the spring semester of their junior year. In 2015, five students attended the University of Reading. They took eight classes covering material equivalent to 12-credit hours at OU. The courses included experimentation courses and a class taught at a field site.

One student was also involved in a research project. All students

14

traveled across Europe, visiting Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary.

They also enjoyed cultural events in London and visited many cities in England.

In addition, two students spent the spring 2015 semester at Monash University. They embarked on four classes each, all of which transferred into School of Meteorology courses.

They enjoyed learning about meteorology from the perspective of

the Southern Hemisphere, as well as a long weekend instrumentation field trip.

“Witnessing a new way of life for an extended length of time overseas seemed to be the best way to discover myself and what I desire for a future.”

- Marisa Brumfield, Environmental Sustainability, Science and Natural Resources, Italy

Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy

Petroleum Engineering students visited Peru with Professor Devegowda and Professor Wu.

For the fifth year, the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy (MCEE) organized a faculty-led program for Petroleum Engineering students. As a consequence of growing demand, the summer 2015 program offered two elective courses and included a larger group of students.

In May 2015, 20 students and two professors – Dr. Deepak Devegowda and Dr. Xingru Wu – traveled to Lima, Peru. Yoana Walschap, MCEE Study Abroad Liaison, accompanied the students.

The two elective courses, Improved Recovery Techniques and Well Test Analysis, were taught not only to the OU students, but also to 34

Peruvians, comprised of students, faculty and energy industry personnel. Partial funding for the courses was made possible thanks to the generosity of OU Peruvian alumnus Igor Salazar, currently the General Manager for Peru LNG, a natural gas liquefaction company.

Salazar invited the group to tour the Melchorita LNG Plant, south of Lima. This is the largest gas liquefaction plant in Latin America.

At the end of the course, the group enjoyed an unforgettable trip to the Andes with visits to Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Lake Titicaca, and the floating Islands of Uros and Taquile. A humble and unique

homestay experience with a Quechua family at Amantaní Island provided a couple of days of no Wi-Fi, electricity or shower opportunities for the group.

During the month of July, another group of 15 geology students participated in a faculty-led course to Italy taught by Dr. Douglas Elmore and Dr. Matthew Pranter.

While there, the students learned about the geology of Italy with visits to Rome, Ostia, Sorrento, Pompeii, Arezzo, Florence, Venice and Milan.

Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education

The Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education hosted Xuehua (Jannie) Wu, a visiting scholar from the Jiangsu Institute in Jiangsu, China, where she is an Associate Professor. Professor Wu arrived at OU at the beginning of the spring 2015 semester and will be here until January 2016. She is currently working with OU faculty in the Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum (ILAC) Department of the College of Education, focused on curriculum design and second language acquisition (Chinese and English).

Dr. Sara Beach, Professor of Literacy Education, focused on national education work during the academic year 2014-2015.

She is a volunteer consultant with nongovernmental organizations that support education for democracy.

She spent time in Armenia creating literacy assessments for the country and instructing a group of teachers on how to provide remedial instruction for struggling readers. In addition, she served as a consultant for the Canadian Organization for Development Through Education on a project known as Reading Kenya.

Through this effort she worked with Kenyan academic representatives to train educational leaders on creating a culture of readers and supporting higher levels of early literacy.

Also, the College of Education was the recipient of the Cathey A. Simmons Humphreys Endowed Study Abroad Scholarship, which designated $500,000 in support for education majors to study abroad.

This will go a long way toward supporting College of Education students as they seek international experiences.

15

Gallogly College of Engineering This was the second year the Gallogly College of Engineering offered a two-week professional development course in Italy immediately following the spring semester. Eighteen engineering students and one marketing major embarked upon an engaging program that expanded their global, cultural and professional experiences. Dean Thomas Landers led students through tours of laboratories and companies, including GE Oil & Gas in Florence.

Several other engineering students departed for Paris where they spent three days experiencing enchanting neighborhoods, taking in the famous sites of the City of Light and visiting the Schlumberger factory – a supplier of technology, integrated project management and information solutions in the worldwide oil and gas industry. They then journeyed on to Clermont-Ferrand, Norman’s Sister City and the home of the Université Blaise Pascal, where they lived alongside French students for six weeks. During this time the students studied the scientific, technological, environmental and economic aspects of global energy sources as well as the French language.

A group of 20 engineering students visited Italy for the month of July, where they toured Rome for a few days before settling in at the OU Study Center in Arezzo.

This year the primary academic focus for the group was current notions of privacy and security, along with an in-depth experimental survey of structures from antiquity to the modern age. Several participants took advantage of professional development opportunities, including corporate site visits to companies such as Saima, a producer of painting systems and booths, and ABB, a company dedicated to power and automation technologies.

Engineering in Italy

Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts For 2014-2015, the School of Art and Art History sponsored their third program in Arezzo, Italy.

Karen Thumann, Professor of Visual Communications, and Jason Cytacki, Assistant Professor of Painting, led the program. Fifteen students participated, all of which attended the Venice Biennale as part of their study abroad experience.

16

The School of Drama’s production of Miss Evers’ Boys traveled to

Grahamstown, South Africa, in 2014 to take part in the South African National Arts Festival. The 10-day festival highlighted the best of South African performing artists and invited guests from around the globe. The University of Oklahoma was the only university from the United States represented at the festival this past year.

In September 2014, students and faculty from the School of Dance and the School of Music

traveled by invitation to Eisenstadt, Austria, to perform the opening for the annual International Haydn Festival. Dancers, musicians and the OU Chorale performed a fully choreographed version of Haydn’s oratorio, Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons), to two sold-out crowds in the Esterházy Palace. The original choreography for The Seasons was developed by College of Fine Arts Dean Mary Margaret Holt and School of Dance Professor Ilya Kozadayev.

College of International Studies Throughout the 2014-2015 academic year, the College of International Studies worked with colleges across campus to assist in the development and implementation of a number of study abroad opportunities.

Additionally, CIS once again offered its popular summer Journey Programs. Along with the original Journey to Italy, Journeys to China, Turkey, Latin America (Brazil) and Africa (Tanzania and Zambia) were also options. These programs allowed OU students to travel with OU faculty while taking six hours of general education credit. Participation in a Journey Program is a wonderful introduction for students to international travel or to a part of the world with which they may not be familiar. Students who participate in a Journey often embark on a longer program later in their academic careers. This past

PLC Alumni in Brazil

year, over 110 OU students studied in a Journey Program.

For the fourth year, CIS also collaborated with the President’s Leadership Class (PLC) to create exciting travel experiences. Since the summer of 2012, PLC students have had the opportunity to take the course Activism, Art and Leadership at OU in Arezzo directly after their freshman year. Not only do students visit Arezzo, but they also travel to Rome, Sienna and Florence to learn from Italian activists and to also see how Italian art is a form of activism. In May 2015, PLC students were accompanied to Italy

by Dean of Students Clarke Stroud and Dr. Robin Stroud, Dr. Douglas Gaffin and Dr. Mariëlle Hoefnagels.

Lessons were led by Dr. David Ray, Dean of the OU Honors College and OUA Director Kirk Duclaux.

A

group

of

PLC

students visited the new OU in Rio Study Center where they explored Brazilian culture with OUR Director Dr. Caren Addis and Dr. Erika Robb Larkins.

In its second year, CIS also offered a service-learning project in Arezzo with members of the President’s Community Scholars (PCS).

Building on the efforts of last year’s group, the 2015 PCS students created a mural in an underground section of Arezzo’s train station.

Members of the community, OUA staff and the Mayor of Arezzo hosted a ribbon cutting upon completion of the project. PCS students were assisted in their efforts by CIS Dean Suzette Grillot, Kirk Duclaux, PCS Director Kari Dawkins, and other PCS and CIS staff.

upperclass

17

Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication offered Communicating Culture: Travel Writing, a two-course, six credit hour experience in storytelling, media and tourism. Along with Tourism Media Concepts and Tourism Media Genres, students wrote, reported, photographed and interpreted their own travel experiences in media forms they helped create. The course emphasized diversity, deadlines and dollars as students learned about the $6.5 trillion global tourism industry.

For this class, Dr. Meta Carstarphen and Jocelyn Pedersen, ventured to Puerto Rico with a group of 10 students. Through an immersion experience, the students were exposed to some of the origins, contexts and foundations for contemporary forms of travel journalism and media. While

18

OU in Erfurt

learning about these different forms, they also explored the many tourist and travel areas of Puerto Rico.

During the academic year 20142015, Gaylord College offered three additional short-term study abroad classes. The International Advertising class had 12 students who traveled with Professor Jim Avery to Asia. Throughout the class, students visited advertising and public relations agencies to observe and understand the cultural differences between the United States and places they visited in Hong Kong and the surrounding area.

Professor Joe Foote and Professor Ralph Beliveau traveled with 17 students to Great Britain and France to explore the media cultures in both countries. The program brought students in contact with

leaders in television, news, digital, public relations, advertising and other media. Courses offered an understanding of the way these media work as industries, as well as an understanding of how they create meanings in culture and how they differ from US media.

Site visits included the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Sky News, Ogilvy and Mather, Al Jazeera English, The Cable News Network (CNN), Ketchum and many more.

Professor Katerina Tsetsura also led OU students on the Summer Program in Communication at Erfurt (SPICE) at the University of Erfurt in Germany, an international communication studies program.

During the experience, students participated in two communication studies courses and visited major agencies and media located in Berlin.

College of Law The University of Oklahoma College of Law has hosted a summer program at Oxford University for American law students for over 40 years. This is the longest running law program for any American university at Oxford. The program at Oxford typically offers between five and seven different classes, and students enroll in four to six credit hours. The course offerings include classes on the English Legal System and the European Union, along with American law classes featuring an international or comparative component. The students live and study in Oxford for five weeks.

OU Law also participated in a summer program hosted by Renmin University of China Law School in Beijing, China. This is the longest-standing American law school study abroad program in China, having been administered

by Indiana University-Indianapolis for 25 years. The program provides an overview of the Chinese legal system and focuses on Chinese law relating to the country’s emerging market economy. The courses are taught in English by faculty members of Renmin University’s School of Law. Specific topics include: Chinese Lawyering Systems and Criminal Procedure Law, Constitutional Law, Intellectual Property Law, Environmental Law, Contract Law, Labor Law, Company Law, Foreign Investment and Joint Ventures in China and Arbitrating Disputes with Chinese Entities.

In addition, the College of Law hosted a remarkable International Human Rights Clinic where OU Law students addressed violations to human rights and made recommendations to strengthen, promote and protect them. Since 2009, the clinic has submitted reports on human rights practices in 18 countries. The Human Rights Council has cited every report submitted to date and many of the

Professor Michael Scaperlanda and team meet with client in a Ugandan prison.

recommendations for reform have been adopted.

OU Law also offers a program in Uganda, which includes a threehour practicum course taught by an OU law professor and Gulu University law professor addressing a specific legal issue in Uganda. Students perform work in the United States followed by

two to three weeks in Uganda doing fieldwork, supplemented by class time with the Ugandan professor. Designed to give students experience in another common law jurisdiction, the course focuses on the legal needs of the people of northern Uganda, especially marginalized women and children.

OU Law student Kristin Newman punting on the Cherwell in Oxford.

19

Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College Students accepted to the OU Honors College had the opportunity to spend a summer studying at Oxford University. Students engaged in some coursework in Norman before traveling to England. While at Oxford, students studied and resided at Brasenose College, founded in 1509.

Unlike most American programs at Oxford, OU’s Honors students followed the traditional Cambridge and Oxford teaching formats and worked in tutorials with distinguished Oxford professors. The Honors at Oxford Program offered both six credit hour and three credit hour courses that served as elective, general education, or Honors colloquium credit for the enrolled students.

Thirty-nine students enrolled in the Honors at Oxford program in 2015.

The Oxford courses involved field trips to nearby locations such as Bath, the British Museum in London or Charles Darwin’s home in Downe.

Students were often free to travel independently on the weekends to broaden their international experience. Popular destinations

have been Paris, Edinburgh and Dublin - although students often enjoy exploring Oxford more deeply during their free time.

Dr. Melanie Wright, Director of Honors at Oxford, and Dr. Rich Hamerla, Honors College Associate Dean, led the 2015 Honors at Oxford Program.

The 2015 Honors at Oxford class

College of Allied Health

20

For the third consecutive year, the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Allied Health provided a three credit hour course, Mediterranean Diet and Culture, in Italy. Twenty students participated. The course was held May 12-26 and was led by Dr. Allen Knehans, Chair of Nutritional Sciences, and Dr. Kevin Rudeen, Dean of the College of Allied Health. The program was based in Arezzo with many activities in the surrounding area. Dr. Knehans introduced the students to the concepts of the Mediterranean diet in an initial lecture on the Arezzo campus. Included in this discussion was the concept of blue zones (geographic regions in which people on average live exceptionally long lives) and slow food (this movement began in Italy). Students visited two vineyards and wineries in the area. One was a modern operation that followed “green” production and harvesting practices, while the other was more traditional.

The group also observed the making of pecorino cheese at a local Tuscan company. This included a discussion led by Dean Rudeen on cheese production and how cheeses differ in chemical properties, and therefore also differ in taste and texture. To round out observations of

food production, students traveled into the mountains above Arezzo to visit a pig farm and observe the process of curing prosciutto ham.

“Studying abroad in Italy was one of the best experiences I have ever had, if not the best,” said Ryann Smalley, a senior in Nutritional Sciences.

Allied Health in Italy

Student Athletes Abroad “My future plans are to go to medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon/physician. This experience abroad has definitely given me insight and knowledge to understand the diversity the world has to offer. Understanding this diversity will allow me to better treat my patients and be more compassionate towards their needs. We need more student athletes to study abroad, so they can use their understanding of diversity in whatever field they choose.” - OU Football Player, Brandon Kitchens (Class of 2015), OU in Arezzo Summer 2015 Student athletes face many challenges when trying to study abroad due to the time commitments associated with their sports. The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing study abroad opportunities that will accommodate the specific needs of student athletes.

As a result of these efforts, the number of these students studying abroad has increased by 100 percent in the last two years. This year, OU student athletes studied in China, Spain, Ireland and Italy. Students took a range of courses, from Accounting to History, Political Science, Sociology, Pathogenic Microbiology, Immunology, Spanish and Chinese.

Since a January 2010 earthquake ravaged the heavily populated city of Port au Prince, Haiti, “Sooners4Haiti” have traveled there to help. Student athletes from a variety of sports participate in this service-learning trip every May. This has been a poignant experience, through which participating students have learned to overcome language barriers, have enlarged their views of the world, have built friendships across teams and have been moved by their experiences.

Brandon Kitchens in Rome

Brandon Kitchens in Rome

In 2015, 31 student athletes participated in this humanitarian effort. From 2010-2015, a total of 144 student athletes have joined the “Sooners4Haiti” team.

Global Brigades The University of Oklahoma Global Medical Brigades offers healthcare solutions to areas in Honduras and Panama where there is limited access to healthcare.

This is a student-led group that works in partnership with other university groups around the world to provide services. During the 20142015 academic year, the Global Medical Brigades sent 44 OU students to Panama and 45 OU students to Honduras.

Medical Brigade in Panama

21

International Student Services

International Student Services

Each year the University of Oklahoma welcomes international students from around the world, requiring administrative efforts to assist them before, during and after their time in the United States. The Office of International Student Services (ISS), located within the College of International Studies, provides immigration support to students on both the Norman and Tulsa campuses. ISS assists degree-seeking, third-party sponsored, short-term exchange, international student interns and English language students as well as their dependents.

22

The work of ISS is critical to internationalization efforts at the University of Oklahoma. International student visas require adherence to numerous, and often changing, federal regulations. ISS issues immigration documents for obtaining a student visa, assists students with maintaining their immigration status while they are studying and supports students during post-graduation work. All of these activities are carried out in the federal Student and Exchange Visitors Information Systems (SEVIS) database.

In addition to performing daily immigration operations, the ISS office stays on top of numerous technical upgrades in SEVIS, requiring timely communication with OU Information Technology to ensure uncompromised flow of data.

During the last academic year, ISS continued to embrace a philosophy of always striving to improve service to students. When the ISS office moved into its new home in Hester Hall, great care was taken in planning the layout of the reception suite to ensure students feel they are entering a welcoming environment. This past year, the office also underwent an advising reorganization. Degreeseeking students were assigned, based on their academic majors, to one International Student Advisor.

International students, ISS advisors and academic departments have

International Student Services staff: Katie Richardson, Brenda Chaney, Mary Beth Jackson, Whitney França, Titus Boswell, Brandi Hembree, Caroline MacLeod Serçe, Tracy Shaw, Robyn Rojas and Brianna Hair (Not pictured: Emilie Gordon).

already benefited from this more personalized approach to advising.

Another significant change occurred at the beginning of 2015 when the Exchange Student Coordinator position moved from Education Abroad to ISS. As immigration regulations are ever changing, ISS values advisor participation in National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA) conferences to learn about national trends, get best practices and hear directly from government agencies, including the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, the Department of State, and Customs and Border Protection. In fall 2014, four ISS staff members attended a regional NAFSA conference in Fort Worth, and an additional four attended the national NAFSA conference in Boston in May 2015.

Investing in training and professional development for advisors ensures that OU’s international students receive top class service.

ISS continues to collaborate closely with other units across campus.

Working closely with Admissions, ISS advisors participated in international

recruiting trips to Brazil, Turkey and Saudi Arabia during the 2014-2015 academic year. ISS also collaborated with the OU Graduate College to streamline the issuance of university immigration documents to newly admitted graduate students. More recently, ISS has worked closely on international student events with the CIS International Programing staff.

ISS looks forward to discovering new ways to engage with international students in the upcoming 2015-2016 academic year.

ISSB students at Mt. Scott

23

2015 International Students ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Undergraduate Students Enrolled International Students

Percentage of Total College Population

25

4.0%

College of Continuing Education

9

2.1%

College of International Studies

20

College of Architecture

Academic Affairs

Enrolled Percentage of International Total College Students Population

5

3.1%

Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication

16

1.5%

6.5%

Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education

4

0.7%

24

7.0%

Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy

195

17.0%

College of Arts and Sciences

183

2.9%

Michael F. Price College of Business

335

10.5%

Gallogly College of Engineering

213

8.0%

University College

41

1.0%

7

1.0%

College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences

Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts

Total International Undergraduate Students (As a percentage of total undergraduate student population)

Total International Graduate Students

4.8%

(As a percentage of total graduate student population)

17.7%

International Graduate Students Enrolled International Students

Percentage of Total College Population

22

19.8%

2

10.0%

Graduate College

18

27.3%

College of Arts and Sciences

210

Gallogly College of Engineering

College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences College of International Studies College of Architecture

College of Law

Enrolled International Students

Percentage of Total College Population

19

29.7%

9

37.5%

Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education

39

5.2%

12.7%

Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy

148

70.8%

304

60.9%

Michael F. Price College of Business

35

10.5%

7

1.4%

Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts

26

13.0%

Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication

International students statistics compiled by the International Student Services office from internal COGNOS reports retrieved on February 2, 2015.

Numbers include international students enrolled at Norman Campus excluding Advanced Programs and Liberal Studies, including F, J, and all other visa types, but excluding US citizens and Permanent Residents. Counts include all additional majors. Total student population statistics provided by the office of Institutional Research and Reporting. Counts include all additional majors, all OU, including Liberal Studies but excluding Advanced Programs.

24

International Bazaar

New International Student Orientation When international students first arrive in Oklahoma they are often worn out from their travels.

Moreover, they are nervous about getting to Norman and settling into their apartments or dorms.

As in previous years, this year OU provided new international students with transportation from the Will Rogers World Airport to the OU Norman Campus. OU students and staff greeted them at the airport and helped them travel to their new residences. To make sure parents

were aware of student arrivals, ISS provided international students with a first call home.

Each year, the College of International Studies welcomes international students to the University of Oklahoma by providing a New International Student Orientation.

During the 2014-2015 orientations, students were provided valuable information to help acclimate to the academic and social culture of the United States. This included

talks on academic and social integrity, health and wellness, health insurance, campus safety, US law and student involvement opportunities.

Later, students broke into smaller groups with peer leaders who answered questions and gave advice about life at OU. To help promote intercultural competency and social awareness, the new international students also participated in discussions about culture shock and interpersonal relationships.

January 2015 New International Student Orientation

Friends to International Students For international students coming to OU, either as exchange or degree-seeking students, the transition to life in the United States can be overwhelming. Friends to International Students (FIS) offers assistance by providing these students with a “family� away from home. Each semester, participating students are paired with host families from the OU and Norman communities. The host families and the students spend time together, engaging in a variety of activities that introduce international students to American culture and the state of Oklahoma. To facilitate this, families and their students are invited to participate in organized activities such as welcome receptions and picnics in the fall and spring. In 2014, FIS was restructured and is now led by Kaydee Dyer and Megan Reeves, CIS International Program Coordinators, who are responsible for matching families with students and arranging a variety of fun FIS activities.

FIS Western Dance

25

International Advisory Committee The 2014-2015 academic year was another successful one for the International Advisory Committee (IAC). The annual International Bazaar occurred during the fall semester with more than 20 international student organizations creating a market-like atmosphere, where they sold trinkets and homemade goods that represented their home countries. They also talked with fellow students about the rich cultures of their homelands.

In the spring semester, IAC hosted the Mr. and Miss OU International

Pageant, where students from Jordan, India, South Africa, France, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Swaziland and Austria competed for the title of Mr. and Miss OU International.

The IAC also hosted the 45th Annual Eve of Nations titled “Imagine.”

The event included a dinner, fashion review and talent show that celebrated the diverse cultures represented at OU. The showcase, held at OU’s Lloyd Noble Center, is considered the largest intercultural event in the state of Oklahoma,

typically attracting more than 2,000 spectators.

After phenomenal performances from 12 international student organizations, the Indian Student Association received the Best Performance Award.

During the year, the IAC also maintained its dedication to helping others by participating in OU’s Big Event and providing two Emergency Relief Fund Awards to international students whose financial security was disrupted by an event beyond their control.

2015 Eve of Nations

International Student Speakers Bureau The College of International Studies and the University of Oklahoma strive not only to internationalize life on the OU campus, but also to share international cultures with the entire Oklahoma community. One way this is done is through the International Student Speakers Bureau (ISSB), a program through which international students volunteer to speak and to share knowledge about their home countries with various audiences.

The goal of the program is to visit local schools and area community groups to promote global awareness, break down stereotypes and facilitate cultural exchange.

26

This year, ISSB members also participated in opportunities to share their ideas and perspectives across

campus. OU Libraries hosted a bimonthly cultural series, Beyond OUr Borders, where ISSB members made presentations to OU faculty, staff and students about local culture, holidays, sites to visit, family life in each student’s culture and perceptions of the United States.

ISSB participants also spoke on global perspective panels during International Education Week in fall 2014 and International Awareness Week in spring 2015. These events included panels on “Education Around the World” and “Global Concepts of Beauty.”

ISSB Members Sangita Kulung Rai, Tobias Kaiser, Laia Giner Sempere and Gabriel Machado

Davis United World Scholars Davis United World College (UWC) Scholars are exceptional young individuals who graduated from a UWC school and then enrolled at selected US colleges or universities. OU proudly serves as a participating institution and this year enrolled 165 UWC Scholars. These students represented a total of 60 countries. The 2015 number is expected to be the largest total enrollment of UWC students at any university in the United States.

The University of Oklahoma is the first and only public university to claim the Davis Cup, which is awarded annually for the largest entering class of Davis UWC Scholars. OU won the Davis Cup for both the Fall 2013 and Fall 2014 freshman classes.

International Interns The J-1 Student Intern program facilitates on-campus internships for graduate and undergraduate students from universities outside the US. Internships can be completed on any of OU’s three campuses (Norman, OU Health Sciences Center and OU-Tulsa). The internships provide three to 12 months of work-based experience and reinforce the ongoing academic programs of student interns. To date, student interns have been placed in various departments, including Engineering (Petroleum, Chemical, Biological, Electrical and Civil), Physics, Microbiology, Chemistry, Journalism, International Studies and Law. Student interns have come from around the globe, including India, China, France, Germany, Colombia and Peru.

International night at the Thunder

International students hike at the Witchita Mountains

American Football 101

27

International Recruitment

OU’s international undergraduate student recruitment initiative began in 2012. Staff from International Admissions, the Center for English as a Second Language, Sooner Jump Start, Housing and Food Services and CIS have traveled around the world to participate in recruitment fairs, visit high schools, network with OU alumni abroad and recruit future OU students.

Currently OU’s primary target markets include: China, India, Latin America, Turkey, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Recruitment publications have been targeted to key markets, including printing in the region’s native language when possible. Future recruitment efforts will include additional visits to foreign high schools. Communication with international student prospects is also being enhanced and increased. All initiatives are aligned with the university’s goal to increase international undergraduate student enrollment.

Dakota Horn at an international recruitment fair in China

2014-2015 International Recruitment Visits Argentina Brazil Brunei Burma Cambodia Chile China Colombia Cyprus

Ecuador India Indonesia Japan Kazakhstan Malaysia Mexico Peru Philippines

Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand Turkey Uruguay Venezuela Vietnam

Center for English as a Second Language The OU Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) is dedicated to providing international students with 20 hours of intensive academic English language training. For the academic year 2014-2015, CESL representatives worked with various departments across campus to strengthen the University Track Program, a preparation for CESL students about to begin their degrees at OU. In addition, CESL representatives embarked on recruiting trips to Turkey and South America. Also, a group of 25 students from Mexico’s Proyecta 100 Mil Program visited OU in the fall of 2014, while a group of 25 students from Ritsumeikan University in Japan visited in Spring 2015 to help OU CESL develop special programs for Japan and Mexico.

28

There are 37 countries represented by OU CESL. These are: Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Eritrea, France,

Gabon, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Norway, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, the United States, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.

Department of International and Area Studies

While scholarship is central to the activities of the Department of International and Area Studies, IAS is comprised of teacher-scholars who emphasize

analytical thinking and strive to imbue OU students with “global fluency” – an ability to operate with awareness, sensitivity, adaptability and knowledge in a complex and continually evolving global environment. This approach helps prepare students for careers in foreign service, international non-governmental organizations, federal agencies, international business and economic development organizations.

IAS faculty offer courses and serve students across campus in an effort to internationalize the OU curriculum. The department offers academic majors in Asian Studies, European Studies, International Studies, International Security Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, and Russian and East European Studies, with minors in all of these areas as well as African Studies. The department is home to more than 400 majors and minors. IAS offers an MA program in International Studies (MAIS) and a five-year accelerated BA/MA program, as well as a joint MAIS/JD program with the College of Law. There are approximately 40 students enrolled in these graduate programs.

The Department of International and Area Studies creates countless opportunities for students to continue learning outside the classroom, with an array of extracurricular activities ranging from presentations by prominent speakers in the Global Forum lecture series to brown bag lunches sponsored by a wide variety of Institutes and Centers. IAS also hosts an annual Symposium. Topics for recent events have been “Security Challenges in a Turbulent World,” “Lessons from Europe,” “Activism in Latin America,” “Global Ethics” and “Women in the Middle East.”

Department of International and Area Studies staff: Mitchell Smith, Rhonda Hill, Malin Collins, Katie Watkins and Ronda Martin.

Department of International and Area Studies

A multidisciplinary academic department with 19 faculty members, International and Area Studies offers classes and conducts research across global themes and regions. Regional expertise of faculty ranges from the Middle East, East Asia and South Asia to Africa, Europe and Latin America. Faculty disciplines include Anthropology, Economics, History, Modern Languages, Political Science and Sociology. IAS faculty study humanitarian intervention, diplomacy, foreign policy, economic development, regional integration, environmental activism, public health, violence and post-conflict resolution, international organizations, nationalism, political participation and social inequality.

Members of the IAS faculty have in recent years secured prestigious awards such as Fulbright Fellowships, Social Science Research Council grants and Institute for International Education Language Flagship grants (for the teaching of Arabic). Additionally, faculty have published numerous books with major academic presses and scholarly articles in leading journals. IAS faculty also act as public intellectuals, and are regularly quoted in major media outlets such as the New York Times, National Public Radio, the BBC and other venues.

29

30

The African Studies Institute is led by executive committee members Daniel Mains, Assistant Professor of the OU Honors College; Jessica Pearson-Patel, Assistant Professor of International and Area Studies; and Bala Saho, Assistant Professor of History. The African Institute organized a number of activities during the 2014-2015 academic year that were aimed at educating students, faculty and the broader OU community about Africa. Professor Sasha Newell, from North Carolina State University, visited the campus in the fall and gave a talk titled, “Alter(n)ations: ‘Other’ Fashions and Locality in Congo and Côte d’Ivoire.”

Two separate multidisciplinary faculty roundtables also addressed the Ebola crisis in West Africa. In the first roundtable discussion, faculty offered short presentations on the history and epidemiology of Ebola as well as its relationship with gender, international politics and economics.

The second roundtable occurred in the spring of 2015 and provided a critical evaluation of the successes and failures of efforts to combat Ebola. The African Studies Institute was also pleased to host Nigerian filmmaker, Kenneth Gyang, who screened his award winning film, Confusion Na Wa. The screening was followed by a roundtable discussion

of the film and its significance for our understanding of African cinema.

During the summer of 2015, Dr. Jeanette Davidson and Dr. Ann Riley led the Journey to Africa, traveling throughout Tanzania and to Zambia with 25 students. Participants on this year’s Journey program had the opportunity to engage in servicelearning projects in the area around Arusha, Tanzania. Prior to departing for Tanzania, an Introduction to Kiswahili course was offered, which provided a unique opportunity for students to learn an important African language.

Journey to Tanzania

Center for the Americas In the fall of 2014, the Center for the Americas (CFA) and the Center for Social Justice co-hosted a visit to campus by the Agrupación de Familiares de Ejecutados y Detenidos Desaparecidos de Calama (roughly translated as the Association of Relatives of the Executed and Detained Missing of Calama). The association attempts to identify the remains of family members who were victims of the Chilean dictatorship and to obtain justice for them. Members of the association were in Oklahoma to receive the Clyde Snow Social Justice Award and were accompanied by renowned photographer Paula Allen.

Art historian Maya Stanfield-Mazzi also stopped by to speak to students and faculty about religious icons in the Colonial Andes. Additionally, David

Deisley, a gold mining executive, and geographer Thomas Perreault held a widely attended discussion on resource extraction in the Americas.

Finally, the CFA held a contest for the best research paper written on Latin America.

In spring 2015, the CFA, directed by Professor Alan McPherson, began the semester by inviting OU faculty from International and Area Studies, History and Anthropology to discuss the announcement by President Barack Obama of changes to USCuban relations. The center also hosted three lunches to highlight OU’s new Study Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Anthropologist Jan French discussed race and police violence in Brazil. Fellow

anthropologist Maxine Margolis talked about immigration from “the Land of Soccer and Samba.” Also historian James Green discussed his work on human rights and the Brazilian dictatorship. In addition, Argentine Theatre Director Vivi Tellas spoke about biodramas in Buenos Aires and OU History Professor Terry Rugeley discussed his new book, The River People in Flood Time: The Civil Wars in Tabasco, Spoiler of Empires.

With the Center for Social Justice, the CFA hosted a lunch with OU’s activists-in-residence, filmmakers Pamela Yates and Paco de Onís.

Finally, the center bid adios to longtime Geography Professor Karl Offen with a reception co-hosted by the OU History Department.

College of International Studies Research and Academic Centers and Programs

African Studies Institute

31

Center for Middle East Studies For OU’s Center for Middle East Studies (CMES), 2014-2015 was one of the most active years by far.

CMES Director, Dr. Joshua Landis, continued to lead and direct the growth of the center. In fall 2014, the center hosted internationally renowned journalist Rami Khouri as the inaugural T.A. Hamra Practitionerin-Residence. Khouri visited a number of classes and gave many public lectures. He also participated in a panel discussion with New American Research Fellow Barak Barfi and Professor Landis, discussing the “Remaking of the Arab World.” CMES also continued its brown-bag lunch series, with the aim of creating a place for discussing issues of politics, culture and

humanities throughout the Middle East. Additionally, there were many other lectures and discussions such as “Slave Women of ISIS,” “Confronting Militarism,” “The Arab Spring and Identity in a Changing Middle East,” “ISIS, Is it Jihad or Terrorism?,” “Measuring Freedom” and “Security Society in Gaza.”

In recognition of his efforts, Dr. Landis was the 2014 recipient of the Superior Professional Service and Public Outreach Award from the OU Regents.

Joshua Landis receives the 2014 Superior Professional Service and Public Outreach Award.

Center for the Study of Nationalism The Center for the Study of Nationalism (CSN) engages OU faculty and students in empirical and theoretical aspects of the study of nationalism. Issues emerging from this focus include cultural authenticity and reinvention, self-determination and secession, ethnic conflict and civil war, immigration and citizenship and minority rights.

Recognizing that the study of nationalism transcends academic disciplines and crosses the boundaries of traditional area studies, CSN bridges departments and centers on campus to provide a forum for advancing knowledge about nationalism as related cultural and political phenomena. Events organized by the CSN during the past year included a forum on the 100-year anniversary of the beginning of World War I, The Unmaking of Empires, and a presentation on Gender and Nationalism in China. Founding CSN Director Dr. Paul Goode organized a special issue of the journal Social Science Quarterly focused on nationalism.

32

Institute for US-China Issues The OU Institute for USChina Issues hosted the seventh annual US-China Diplomatic Dialogue in Norman October 2-4, 2014. Thirteen mid-career Chinese and American diplomats participated, and exchanged views on climate change, bilateral security, intellectual property and human rights. American participants came from the US State, Treasury and Commerce Departments in Washington, DC. The Chinese diplomats in attendance came from the People’s Republic of China Embassy in Washington, DC, plus the PRC consulates in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.

Taiwanese novelist and screenwriter Chu Tien-wen receives the fourth Newman Prize for Chinese Literature from Harold J. & Ruth Newman at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on March 6, 2015.

In fall 2014, the US-China Institute also welcomed Diao Daming, a visiting professor from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of American Studies in Beijing. He conducted research on the domestic politics of US China policy.

The year’s highlight was the 2015 Newman Prize for Chinese Literature, awarded to Taiwanese writer Chu T’ien-Wen. The Newman Prize is awarded biannually to an outstanding writer for their prose or poetry in Chinese that best exemplifies the human condition. In addition, four Oklahoma K-16 students were awarded the 2015 Newman Young Poet’s Award. They were selected

for the best seven-character juejustyle poems written in English. Along with these awards, three high school seniors from Oklahoma received Newman Scholarships to attend OU. Eight current OU students were also awarded Study in China Student Scholarships and five Oklahoma K-16 educators were honored with summer 2015 faculty development grants.

World Views Radio Program Every Friday at 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 6:00 a.m., Central Oklahoma’s National Public Radio (NPR) listeners tune in to hear the internationally themed show, World Views. The show, a collaboration between OU’s NPR affiliate, KGOU, and the College of International Studies, is hosted by CIS Dean Suzette Grillot. Capitalizing on the significant number of international policy makers, experts, scholars and diplomats who visit the University of Oklahoma, World Views has aired interviews with an impressive slate of guests. Highlights this past year included war photographer Ashley Gilbertson, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson and peace activist Arun Gandhi, Washington Post journalist Jackie Spinner and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon Wood among many others.

The award-winning show also features a weekly roundtable discussion of current international news

featuring Dr. Joshua Landis, Director of the Center for Middle Studies at OU, and Dr. Rebecca Cruise, CIS Assistant Dean and Security Studies expert. World Views presents excellent student learning opportunities as interns work directly with World Views Producer Brian Hardzinski to create Web content and conduct research.

33

Iranian Studies Program The 2014-2015 academic year was great for the Iranian Studies Program. Under the leadership of Dr. Afshin Marashi, the Iranian Studies Program enjoyed hosting a diverse group of lecturers at OU from across the United States and the world. They provided students with their distinct points of view on an array of issues and topics about Iran and the Middle East. These visitors included Professor Sussan Siavoshi who spoke about “Human Rights and Islamic Law in Iran;” Professor

Mohammad Tabaar, who focused on “The International Sources of Iran’s Domestic Politics;” Professor Pouya Jahanshahi, who presented “Contemporary Graphic Language of Iran;” and Stephen Kinzer, who lectured about “Iran and the United States: Permanent Enemies or Natural Partners?”

The tradition of the Nowruz Persian Classical Music Festival also continued for the fifth year with the Tale of Friendship concert with Sepideh Raissadat (from Canada),

Mohammad Farzaneh, Ambassador Perkins, Jalal Farzaneh. Hester Hall Grand opening and dedication Spring 2015.

Iman Vaziri (from Iran) and Bahareh Moghtadaei (from California).

In addition, the Persian Language Program experienced tremendous growth in the number of students learning Persian (Farsi). Eight Persian language students participated in OU’s first annual Poetry Night, hosted by the honorary society Kappa Gamma Epsilon, where they recited poetry in Persian with translation in English. All the students were recognized for their excellent achievement in pronunciation and translation skills.

The enthusiasm of these students enabled the offering of two major scholarships to those interested in pursuing Persian language studies. One student received the Summer Language Scholarship from PARSA, the Persian Community Foundation, and another was awarded the Mehdi Firoozabadi Iranian Studies Language Scholarship. The Best Paper Prize in Iranian Studies was awarded to Patrick Weigant for his outstanding research paper, “Unlikely Compromise: A History of the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal.”

European Union Center

34

The European Union (EU) Center, led by Dr. Mitchell Smith, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the College of International Studies, has been operating at OU for 15 years. The center has continued a robust program of activities with partners from across campus.

Recent events included a luncheon honoring the Italian Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Claudio Bisogniero, and Italian Consul General to Houston, Elena Sgarbi. The EU Center also held a major symposium marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin

Wall. This was made possible with the assistance of a grant from the German Information Center of the German Embassy. During the past year, the EU Center also organized a presentation and discussion of French literature and culture in collaboration with the literary journal World Literature Today and the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics. In addition, the Center co-hosted a panel discussion on Ukraine with faculty participants from Political Science, History, and Italian Ambassador to the United States, Claudio Bisogniero visits OU. Women’s and Gender Studies.

Diplomat-in-Residence Program The US Department of State Diplomats in Residence (DIRs) are career Foreign Service Officers, located throughout the US, who provide guidance and advice on Foreign and Civil Service careers, internships and fellowships.

The DIR for the Central Region, Robert Andrew, is based at the University of Oklahoma and is responsible for Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Under Andrew’s leadership, 20142015 was an excellent year with a number of OU students accepted to various internships and fellowships.

Kiersten Strachan, a triple major in International Security Studies, Chinese and History, was selected to participate in the two-year paid

Diplomat-in Residence Robert Andrew

US Foreign Service Internship Program (USFSIP).

Lester Asamoah, another outstanding OU student who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies, was awarded

the Pickering Fellowship in spring 2015. The Pickering Fellowship provides academic and professional preparation for outstanding candidates to enter the US Department of State Foreign Service, representing US interests abroad.

T.A. Phillip Hamra Practitioner-in-Residence In 2014, the T.A. Phillip Hamra Practitioner-in-Residence Program was established in the College of International Studies.

The program is housed in the Center for Middle East Studies.

It features campus scholars and experts knowledgeable about the role and influence of Lebanese and Middle Eastern immigrants on the growth and development of Oklahoma and the frontier.

Rami Khouri was the inaugural T.A. Phillip Hamra Practitioner-inResidence for three weeks during the fall of 2014. During his time at OU, he offered a number of talks on campus, including class lectures on topics related to the changing landscape in the Middle East. He also provided students with career advice and told them to follow their passion and find their place in the world.

Rami Khouri at the OU-Texas game

Khouri is the Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut. In addition, he has been a Fellow and Visiting Scholar at Harvard University and a Research Associate at Syracuse University.

Khouri is a Palestinian-Jordanian and US Citizen. He served for seven years as the Editor-inChief for the Jordan Times. He has a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science in Political Science and Mass Communications from Syracuse University.

35

Arabic Flagship Program The Language Flagship program is federally funded with support from the National Security Education Program, a branch of the Department of Defense and the Defense Language and National Security Education Office. The Language Flagships began as a project focused on building advanced language education programs at the college level. Today there are 27 flagship centers across the globe representing Arabic, Chinese, Hindi Urdu, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili and Turkish. The OU Arabic Flagship Program is one of five such university programs around the country aimed specifically at developing Arabic linguistic and cultural fluency.

During the 2014-2015 academic year, four Flagship students completed their capstone year in Meknes, Morocco. Six Flagship students studied abroad in Jordan, Oman and Israel during summer 2015, in addition to 12 students who studied at the intensive summer Arabic Program at the University of Texas at Austin. The OU Arabic Flagship Program was also proud to have two Boren Scholarships and a Gilman Scholarship awarded to Flagship students this year.

In addition to its tutoring services and language partner

programs, the Arabic Flagship Program offered several new extracurricular activities for students. Arabic Cinema and the Dabke (Arabic dance) Club aim to improve student linguistic skills while introducing aspects of Arab culture. During the weekly roundtable meetings, the Flagship Program hosted several distinguished guest speakers. OU Arabic Flagship also offered the Arabic House residence option to Flagship students and international students from the Arab world.

This past year, OU’s Arabic Flagship Program was given the honor of hosting the Language Flagship Annual Meeting, which was held in Norman in May 2015. A total of 11 different languages were represented with over 140 national and international attendees from across the globe. At the meeting, Dr. Mohammad Al-Masri, OU Arabic Flagship Program Director, was selected to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors for the entire national Flagship Program.

This is a prestigious and deserved appointment that is further evidence of the success of OU’s Arabic Flagship.

2014-15 Flagship Capstone students join faculty members for an outside dinner in Meknes, Morocco.

36

OU students try on traditional Saudi garments during the Saudi Culture Club.

Mohammad Al-Masri at a calligraphy workshop with Faraz Khan.

Fellowship for Global Engagement The Global Engagement Fellowship Program is a new initiative designed to encourage rising freshman to pursue international engagement throughout their academic careers.

Each of the students selected is required to study abroad at least twice during their time at OU, take the course Understanding the Global Community and become actively involved in international groups and events on campus.

They are also required to blog about their experiences.

In the fall of 2014, the College of

International Studies welcomed the inaugural class of 50 participants, a group that represented 28 different majors from seven colleges. During the summer of 2015, many of these students traveled outside the United States for the first time. They participated in programs in China, Italy, Tanzania, Turkey and Spain.

All of the travelers documented their experiences and a few students made videos as well.

One student’s video was featured in the NAFSA Oklahoma State Conference, and another student was named a University College

Cork Student Ambassador. As a Student Ambassador, she will make regular video blogs (vlogs) about her perspective as an international student studying in Cork, Ireland. These educational vlogs will be featured on the university’s website for all future international students to enjoy.

The Global Engagement Fellows have been deeply involved in campus activities.

All participated in OU Cousins, an organization that matches domestic and international students to encourage friendships and exchange between the two groups.

Also, many accepted leadership roles in other campus organizations, which included the International Advisory Committee, OU’s Big Event and Enactus, an organization that invests in students who take entrepreneurial action for others to make the world a better place.

2015 Fellowship for Global Engagement Students

CIS Leadership Fellows In its fourth year, the CIS LEAdership Fellows (LEAF) program accepted 13 outstanding students to be part of this year’s LEAF class. Guided by CIS Assistant Dean Rebecca Cruise, the group attended etiquette training, engaged in discussions about various aspects of leadership, met with guest speakers from diverse fields and assisted with the CIS Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth (CCEW) Social Entrepreneurialism Symposium. LEAF students also represented the College of International Studies at a number of events, including a visit in February from the Italian Ambassador.

In an effort to put lessons into practice, LEAF students who complete the program are given a grant toward their participation in an internationally oriented internship. As in past years, LEAF students put their talents to work and found internships

in a variety of places. During the summer of 2015, students engaged in internships for Cornerstone International, a mid-range international lending organization in Tulsa, the Confucius Institute and the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue in the metro area.

LEAF students also interned for the Mayor of Arezzo, Italy, a marketing firm in Beijing, China, and a school in Israel.

Leadership Fellows attend the 2015 Social Entrepreneurship Symposium.

37

College of International Studies Sponsored and Co-Sponsored Events The College of International Studies, and its academic unit, the Department of International and Area Studies, hosted nearly 200 events across campus during the 2014-2015 academic year. These events came in all forms, from guest lectures to informal conversation forums to film screenings to more formal symposiums.

A total of more than 4,000 individuals participated in the events.

Prominent events included a fall 2014 African Studies Institute roundtable discussion on “The Ebola Crisis in Africa and Beyond.” Faculty from CIS and other colleges discussed cultural dimensions of the Ebola epidemic, the short- and long-term economic impacts of the Ebola crisis, and the role of international health organizations and nongovernmental organizations in combatting the disease.

The annual symposium organized by the Department of International and Area Studies focused on “Security Challenges in a Turbulent World.” Events associated with the symposium included a screening of the Academy Award winning documentary Citizen Four, which details the episode in which privacy activist Edward Snowden released classified information from the US National Security Agency. Additionally, Dr. Thomas Fingar, a distinguished Fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, delivered the keynote address and Howell lecture.

The Language Flagship Annual Meeting

The Diversity Forum was attended by OU students, faculty and staff.

38

The IAS Annual Symposium

The College of International Studies would like to thank all members of its Board of Visitors for their continued assistance, generosity and counsel in support of the internationalization of the University.

The Honorable M. Susan Savage Chair Mr. Max Berry Mr. Stephen Chazen Ms. Nadia Comăneci Mr. Bart Conner Ms. Rebecca Cooper Ms. Lee Cullum Mr. Steve Dolman Ms. Tricia Everest Mr. Jalal Farzaneh Mr. Mohammad Farzaneh Mr. D. Cole Frates Dr. Sam Hamra Mr. Rashid Iqbal Mr. Stephen Janger Ambassador James Jones Mrs. Lou Kerr Mr. Harold Newman Mr. R. Marc Nuttle Mr. Roger Parkinson Ms. Susan Peterson Mr. W. DeVier Pierson Mr. H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Professor Rodger Randle Ms. Erielle Reshef Mr. John Richels Ms. Kathleen Rooney Ambassador Francis Rooney Mr. Robert Ross Ms. Mary Angus Sherman Ms. Kathy Taylor Mr. Reggie Whitten

39

The University of Oklahoma, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to: admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services.

Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to: Bobby J. Mason, University Equal Opportunity Officer and Title IX Coordinator, (405) 325-3546, bjm@ou.edu, or visit www.ou.edu/eoo