Smith College Global Studies Center Annual Report 2011 2012 by Smith College Lewis Global Studies Center

SMITH COLLEGE

GLOBAL STUDIES CENTER Annual Report 2011 — 2012

Photo: Candy Lee ‘11

July 2012

Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................... 2 Going Forward ............................................................................................................................ 4 Academic Initiatives .............................................................................................. 6 Global Engagement Seminars..................................................................................................... 6 Funding for International Experiences ...................................................................................... 6 International Experience Grants (IEGs) ............................................................................... 6 Blumberg Traveling Fellowships ............................................................................................7 Anita Volz Wien '62 Global Scholars Fund .............................................................................7 Global Outreach Grants ...............................................................................................................7 Global STRIDE Fellows .............................................................................................................. 8 Visiting Scholars in Residence ............................................................................... 9 Events ................................................................................................................... 10 Featured Events .........................................................................................................................10 Special Events ............................................................................................................................ 11 Signature Events ........................................................................................................................12 Global Salon ..........................................................................................................................12 What’s Happening Around the World (WHAW) .................................................................. 13 Report Back ........................................................................................................................... 13 Workshop and Information Sessions ........................................................................................ 13 Events of the Office for International Study .............................................................................. 14 Events of the Office for International Students and Scholars and the International Students Organization ............................................................................................................... 15 Events of the American Studies Diploma Program ................................................................... 15 Supported Events.......................................................................................................................16 Offices and Programs............................................................................................ 17 Office for International Study .................................................................................................... 17 Office for International Students and Scholars ......................................................................... 19 American Studies Diploma Program ........................................................................................ 20 Organizational Structure ...................................................................................... 21 Staff Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................... 22 Global Studies Center Offices and Programs............................................................................ 23 Appendix A: Event Typology—For Distribution .................................................... 24 Appendix B: Global Studies Center Advisory Committees ..................................... 25 Appendix C: International Partnerships .............................................................. 26 Appendix D: Funding for International Experiences.............................................32 Appendix E: Global STRIDES’ Archive Projects and Interviews of AMS Students................................................................................................................33

Introduction In its second year of operation, and first full year in Wright Hall, the Global Studies Center (GSC) continued its efforts to dynamize and enhance Smith College’s extensive array of international and global resources. The GSC’s “sophomore year” was successful, as the center endeavored to bring the world to Smith and bring Smith to the world. The GSC is founded on a vision, one that is a key component of the college’s Design for Learning: the vital importance of educating women for a lifetime of global leadership and engagement. In a few short years, the GSC has already become the “go to” place for students, alumnae, faculty, and staff interested in taking advantage of Smith’s abundant scholarly, curricular, and programmatic resources in international and global issues. In addition to its physical space, the center’s virtual presence also provides an essential online resource—on and off campus. The collocation of the Office for International Study, the Office for International Students and Scholars, and the American Studies Diploma Program continues to pay dividends as the staff teams up to share expertise, ideas, and resources. The GSC is deeply committed to genuine multi- and interdisciplinary inquiry, as well as crosscultural exchange and American Studies. At many colleges and universities, the center for international or global studies is typically dominated by the social sciences. There tends to be a presentist orientation, a focus on foreign affairs understood narrowly as US foreign policy, and perhaps an abstention from language and cultural studies. The result is often a very current event bias and a focus on how “we”—namely the U.S. government—should respond to “challenges” and “crises” “out there.” By contrast, the Global Studies Center is keen on incorporating all three liberal arts divisions—the humanities and the social and natural sciences—and supporting the innumerable ways in which the college engages curricular and co-curricular aspects of the world. Moreover, as often as possible, the center seeks voices from around the world. The GSC is especially proud of the central presence of the American Studies Diploma Program, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012. This is a clear recognition that global issues occur within and beyond the United States, and that one cannot study American Studies without a global optic. Indeed, this program was initiated as an exchange component of Smith’s own international programs abroad. On campus, the GSC works to simultaneously fulfill a twin mission: coordinating and initiating global activities. As a coordinating body, on the one hand, the task is to integrate and promote already existing activities on campus. As this report details, the GSC has a significant role in supporting a wide array of events on campus organized by departments, programs and offices. In many ways, this was the initial argument for establishing a GSC: given the college’s abundant offerings and events, so went the reasoning, it would be ideal to have a center that could coordinate and promote such resources. On the other hand, as an initiating body, the GSC is also a place for energy and dynamism in its own right. This is the “Field of Dream” model—if you build it, they will come. In this capacity, campus resources become still richer as ideas for global engagement are crafted and nurtured from within the center. In one sense, this dual mission presents challenges. In trying to be an initiating force, an academic center can potentially cause redundancy and exhaustion; an already fertile landscape can be “over tilled” with too many initiatives and too many events. Additionally, attempts to centralize global studies into a single unit can undermine “local” initiatives in departments and programs. The GSC seeks to be mindful of these challenges. In August 2011, it developed a new “event support” typology that indicates the range of center events. This rubric provides guidance for college stakeholders that approach the center for support, as well as GSC staff. (See Appendix A.) The center also manages such tensions through the assistance of an energetic Advisory Committee, with representatives from across the campus. In the spring 2012, a newly-constituted Student Advisory Committee was founded to also provide insight into student life. (See Appendix B for member lists of the respective committees). Finally, the staff—namely Lisa Morde, Hrayr

Tamzarian, Lane Hall-Witt, Lisa Johnson, Sherry Wingfield, Sue Pouliot, and Ashavan Doyon— work closely to integrate the center’s offices and to balance the coordinating-initiating dynamic. The Elizabeth Mugar Eveillard ’69 Faculty Director Gregory White and the Dean for International Study and co-Director Rebecca Hovey work closely with the staff and the advisory committees. As this report details, in 2011-2012 the directors sought to build on the success of the inaugural year and to broaden and deepen the center’s presence on campus. Most notably, the GSC gradually took on the responsibility of administering the highly-successful Global Engagement Seminars (GES). In its second year, the GES initiative fielded seminars to Jerusalem, Costa Rica and Greece. Signal events organized by the GSC included: • “9/11 Reflections: Ten Years Later,” a panel discussion on September 12, with Professors John Connolly, Payal Banerjee, Brent Durbin, and Dean Jennifer Walters; • The 6th Annual “Five College Africa Day,” a day of presentations, panels, and festivities in the Campus Center on November 5 – this annual event first took place at Smith in 2006 and rotates each year throughout the Five Colleges (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst); • “World Hunger: Causes and Interventions,” a daylong Oxfam Advocacy Institute on January 22, co-organized with Oxfam America, CEEDS (Center for the Environment, Ecological Design, and Sustainability), and the Office of the Dean of the College; • “Smith Remembers Fukushima” on March 9 and 10, including a lecture by the Honorable Takeshi Hikihara, the Consul General of Japan in Boston; and • The initiation of a multi-semester theme on sex trafficking, in close collaboration with Paula Giddings, the editor of Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism, including events such as: o A lecture on human rights and the private sector delivered by Marilyn Carlson Nelson ’61, the chairman and former CEO of Carlson; o A Kahn Institute short-term project on sex trafficking in May; as well as o Additional events related to sex trafficking, and human trafficking more broadly, which are being planned for 2012-13. Moreover, as this report details, the GSC hosted numerous visiting scholars, dignitaries, and guests. Such guests often offered informal conversations in the center’s “Global Salons.” Visitors included: • US State Department official Farah Pandith ’90 on public diplomacy toward Muslim communities around the world; • Senior Advisor at the UN Foundation Gillian Sorensen ’63 on empowering women and girls in the Millennium Development Goals; • EU Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros on the EU’s structural asymmetry; • Moroccan Fulbright scholar Bouchra Bouziane on the linguistic politics of subtitling Moroccan films; and • Brazilian poet Claudia Roquette-Pinto on the art of translating poetry. Equally popular WHAW (What’s Happening Around the World) sessions focused on the deployment of US troops in Central Africa; the uprising in Syria; the Kony 2012 video; Russia’s elections in early March; and the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” Additional dimensions of the GSC’s core emphasis on academic, scholarly, and curricular aspects of global issues include funding for international experiences, Global Outreach Grants, and the Global STRIDE Fellows Program. The GSC administers several funding opportunities for students, including International Experience Grants (IEGs), Anita Volz Wien ’62 Global Scholars Fund, and Blumberg Traveling Fellowships. Such grants offer a host of opportunities for students to fund travel, research, and work around the world. For its part, the Global Outreach Grants enabled two faculty members to implement collaborative course modules with overseas colleagues. And the Global STRIDE Fellows Program, now in its fourth year, brought seven firstyear students to campus to participate in an intensive program of international study, language work, and a second-year internship on campus.

Finally, the center’s international study offices continued their vibrant role. The American Studies Diploma Program 50th anniversary was celebrated at the All Reunion Weekend in late May. Dozens of alumnae from around the world convened to mark the anniversary of what is a true jewel in the college’s global landscape. Former students spoke eloquently and passionately about how a single year at Smith College, for some many years ago, indelibly transformed their lives. Planning is underway to continue to mark the golden anniversary with an event in October 2012—during the semester so students and the wider college community can participate. For its part, the Office for International Students and Scholars oversaw the arrival of 115 students in 2011. In 2012, the college boasts 291 international students from 66 countries, or 12 percent of the student population. And last, but hardly least, the Office for International Study (OIS) continued to support students in their efforts to study abroad. Rebecca Hovey and Associate Vice-President for Financial Planning David deSwert authored a “White Paper” memo on “Meeting the Challenges of Junior Year Abroad in the 21st Century: Options for Administrative Models.” This was released to the wider campus in May and will be at the forefront of planning in the coming year. In addition to supporting the college’s preeminent study abroad programs in Geneva, Hamburg, Florence, and Paris, OIS continues to encourage international study around the world and expand opportunities for students majoring in the natural sciences. In 2011-2012, 274 students studied overseas in 43 countries during all or part of their junior year. Finally, in February the office contributed to a full inventory and a set of criteria for Smith College’s international partnerships as part of the International Campuses and Partnerships Working Group of the Board of Trustees. (See Appendix C.) Taken together, the GSC enjoyed a prosperous year. It endeavored to sustain close ties with the other Centers for Engagement, Learning & Leadership, as well as the Kahn Institute and the Poetry Center. It worked closely with offices such as Admissions, Alumnae Relations, Development, and Student Affairs. It hosted visiting delegations of international visitors, as well as a working group from Williams College seeking to launch a similar center. The GSC participated robustly in crucial college initiatives such as the Women in Public Service Project, launched in Washington in December, and it stands at the ready to facilitate Smith’s contribution to designing the Asian Women’s Leadership University. Finally, the GSC has begun to play a key role in planning efforts for the widely-anticipated Global Leadership Celebration in October 2012. The GSC’s mission reads: The Global Studies Center integrates, enriches and promotes opportunities for the critical study of global issues internationally and within the United States in order to advance the college's mission to prepare women for global leadership. The center engages Smith students, faculty and staff in international and intercultural studies and cultivates an understanding of the global context of a Smith education. The GSC’s second year continued to build the foundation for the pursuit of this vital mission.

Going Forward As noted above, the GSC’s central challenge is the tension between co-organizing existing activities and initiating new ones. This is not only a test for the GSC’s offices, but also for the college space. In this context, it is important to note that the GSC does not presume to be the exclusive place on campus for global initiatives. There are inevitably students and faculty who engage in global learning and activities and, for one reason or another, are not inclined to participate in GSC activities or seek out GSC support. Similarly, not all of the college’s global

initiatives are ipso facto generated within or supported by the GSC. Frankly, that is perfectly appropriate and understandable. Nonetheless, the GSC should be and is available to support the Smith community as it engages the world, and we look forward to the future with great anticipation. As we move into 2012-13, we already anticipate a busy year with a robust schedule of events. To give a sense of the range of programming, event planning is already underway for three fall Global Salons: • “Bridging the US/World as a First Generation American,” with Alexis Salsedo-Surovov, September 19. • “Voices of Afghanistan,” a music performance and conversation with Farida Mahwash, Homayoun Sakhi & Sakhi Ensemble musicians, October 3. • “Women and the 2012 Election,” with Kim Gandy, former president of NOW (National Organization for Women) and current Vice President and General Counsel of the Feminist Majority Foundation, October 26. The fall is also going to see a weekly Global Film Series with a special theme on human trafficking; faculty and staff from across the campus will host a film of their choosing. Beyond this kind of programming, the center also organizes a variety of programs for student orientation in August, Sophomore Reboot in September, and a range of informational sessions for students interested in study abroad. In short, judging from the GSC’s first two years, 2012-13 will be full of exciting events and activities. In addition to such events, several additional steps are envisioned: • Working closely with the Deans of the Faculty and of the College to improve the planning and administration of future Global Engagement Seminars. • Playing a central role in the consideration of the findings from the Junior Year Abroad White Paper. • Establishing, in concert with the new Student Advisory Committee, a campus-wide system of Global House Representatives (analogous to Health, Earth, or Diversity Representatives). We expect this to become fully operational in 2013-14. • Exploring the possibility of a Concentration, perhaps oriented around a specific, multi-year theme – much like CEEDS’ Sustainable Food or CCC’s Community Engagement & Social Change. Potential themes include “Global Migrations” or “Becoming the Other.” • Deepening, in consultation with the Committee on Faculty Compensation and Development, the availability of support for faculty wishing to develop new courses or substantially revise existing courses to incorporate more explicit treatment of international or global issues. A “Money Book-let” for such initiatives will be developed. In many ways, the GSC has begun to move beyond the questions posed often in the first and second year of operation. As mentioned in last year’s annual report, upon moving into Wright Hall in January 2011, staff initially posed questions like “Why are we here?” “Are you Global Studies, or International Study, or American Study?” and so on. Yet the GSC has increasingly become at ease with the multiplicity of roles and the plurality of identities. This a positive trend, one largely facilitated by periodic and enjoyable “neighborhood meetings,” where the staff keeps each other abreast of what is happening on “Planet Smith.” In short, the GSC’s identity is coming into focus and we look forward to a busy new year. The center is confident it will remain a vibrant hive of activity—replete with new signs, a busy café in the Wright Hall foyer, and a wide array of international publications for consultation. It is especially excited about playing a central role in the Global Leadership Celebration in October, and looks forward to the challenges of being Smith’s busy doorway to the world.

Academic Initiatives Global Engagement Seminars These intensive, credit-bearing seminars are taught off-campus, followed by a required internship or service learning experience. Costa Rica at a Crossroads: Examination of Globalization and Sustainability Costa Rica is held as a model of sustainability and eco-friendly development, with legislation and regulation integral to its success. Yet, globalization is stressing the delicate balance between development and environmental sustainability. This course examines how Costa Ricaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biodiversity, climate, history and politics relate to its changing economies, resource use, conservation practices, and environmental protection. Professors: Gary Lehring (Government) and Amy Rhodes (Geosciences) From Labyrinth to Parthenon: Greek Myth and History in their Geological Context This seminar explores the relationship between the historical and cultural development of Ancient Greece and the underlying geology of the Greek islands (Crete, Santorini, Syros, Delos) and mainland (Athens/Attica, Delphi). The seminar includes visits to key sites and museums to examine the art and archaeology of prehistoric and classical Greece as well as field study of the prominent geological features of each region. Students study first-hand the celebrated monuments and masterpieces of the Minoan, Mycenaean and Classical Greek civilizations, and explore the regions spectacular geological features, which had a dramatic, occasionally catastrophic, impact on the course of these civilizations. Professors: John Brady (Geosciences) and Scott Bradbury (Classics) Jerusalem This seminar explores Jerusalem as a contested sacred and political space. Topics include centrality of the city in the holy texts of three monotheistic religions; representations of Jerusalem in Hebrew, Arabic and Western literature and film; archeology and the built landscape as a prism through which to understand the complicated layering of urban history; and the importance of the city in contemporary Israeli and Palestinian national identity. Professors: Justin Cammy (Jewish Studies) and Donna Divine (Government)

Funding for International Experiences The GSC provides myriad funding opportunities for students seeking international experiences. International Experience Grants (IEGs) The Office for International Study oversees the award of IEGs. These grants provide partial funding ranging from $500 to $3,500 toward study, research, internships, or volunteer projects abroad during J-Term or the summer. In January, OIS awarded 17 grants for independent programs/projects; 9 for Coral Reef Ed-Ventures; and 9 for Tibetan Studies in India. For the summer, 38 grants were awarded for independent programs/projects; 6 for Global Engagement Seminars; 3 for EWHA Womans University Exchange; and 1 for the Japan-America Student Conference (JASC). Total funds awarded amounted to $123,805. (See Appendix D for a description of these special programs.)

Blumberg Traveling Fellowships The Janet Mitchell Blumberg Traveling Awards were established by Professor Phillip I. Blumberg and his children in 1976 in honor of his late wife. Janet Mitchell Blumberg '39 spent her junior year with the Smith program in Florence, Italy. For many years, this fund has supported enhanced cultural learning opportunities associated with Smith's Junior Year Abroad programs in Europe. The Blumberg Award allows students to augment their study abroad experiences by undertaking faculty-mentored research projects that encourage intellectual growth and cultural appreciation. In 2011-2012, nine students received Blumberg Fellowships: Kaitlin Brand ’13, Louisa Loring ‘13, Claire Ma ’13, Lisa Saladin ’13, Joanna Trott ’13, Valeria Vega ’13, Emma Wade ’13, Keturah Williams ’13, and Althea Wilson-Berkowitz ’13. Anita Volz Wien '62 Global Scholars Fund The Anita Volz Wien '62 Global Scholars Fund (Wien Global Scholars) is a merit-based award to encourage Smith students who are U.S. citizens to study abroad in non-English speaking countries in combination with an internship or similar experience either before or after the study abroad period. Preference is given to students planning to study abroad for a full year; exceptions are made for science or engineering majors intending to study abroad for one semester in combination with an accompanying internship experience. The grant includes: $5,000 toward Smith College tuition (tuition credit or financial aid offset); $3,500 stipend for an international internship during the summer; and travel reimbursement of up to $1,500. Two inaugural awards were made for the Spring ’12 term and following summer: one to Amelia Murphy ’13 studying abroad in Florence, for an internship at a psychology clinic in Florence, Italy; and one to Elizabeth Williams ‘13 studying abroad in Spain, for an internship with a women’s rights group in Cordoba, Spain.

Global Outreach Grants The Global Studies Center provides faculty development grants intended to enrich the curricular offerings of the college with global perspectives. The initial Call for Proposals, issued in the spring of 2011, invited proposals from faculty to revise existing courses in ways that would create links between courses taught at Smith and similar courses taught on campuses in other cultures in other locations. For example, a Smith faculty working with a colleague at a university outside the US might teach a similar or related course or module over the same semester at their respective institutions, and hold joint class meetings via direct video-conferencing three to four times throughout the semester. The awards provided a $1,000 stipend for the Smith faculty (in the case of a course taught by two faculty, the stipend is $750 for each). A modest travel fund to cover expenses for collaborating faculty to arrange one institutional visit (either in the US or host country) was also made available. Awards for curricular development for 2012-13 were made to Mary Harrington for NSC 312: Seminar in Neuroscience: Biological Rhythms and Sujane Wu for CHI 351 Advanced Readings in Chinese: Modern and Contemporary Texts.

Global STRIDE Fellows Each year, the Smith College Office of Admission selects some of its finest incoming first-year students and offers them the opportunity to become STRIDE (Student Research in Departments) Fellows. The STRIDE program offers students with outstanding academic and personal qualifications a close working relationship with a faculty member during their first two years at Smith College. In 2008-09, Smith College launched the Global STRIDE program. The Global STRIDE program allows students to combine two years of their STRIDE research stipend and apply it to study abroad or to an intensive language program during the summer between their first and second year at Smith. For 2011-2012, seven Global STRIDES met weekly throughout the year with their faculty mentor, Janie Vanpée. During these weekly meetings, students discussed essays on second language acquisition, on adapting to a new and different culture, and on the steps for achieving intercultural sensitivity and competence. The Global STRIDES undertook two projects: interviewing the AMS diploma students, posting the interviews on Grecourt Gate throughout the year; and a research inquiry in the Archives, the results of which will be submitted on Smithipedia. (See Appendix E for the interview articles and the Archive projects.) They also each presented an essay or two focusing on an aspect of the culture/language they were studying— Argentina, China, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain and the Canary Islands. At the end of the year, Kaitlin Burns collaborated with Pauline Pelsy-Johan, an American Studies Diploma (AMS) exchange student from Paris IV-Sorbonne, on a short film featuring the history of Dawes house and its future. Two Global STRIDES, Marjorie Amon and Gloria Lee, joined the Global Studies Center Student Advisory Committee and reported that they found their participation valuable and meaningful. The Global STRIDES attended a number of events and lectures, most notably Smith Elects the World in the fall, and Alice Kaplan’s ruminations on her recently published book, Dreaming in French. During the fall semester, the Fellows began to explore where they might like to study during the summer. By January they had selected the programs most suited to their academic needs and begun the application process. After working out budgets, most applied for a number of grants to supplement the two years of STRIDE stipends they bundled to pay for their summer abroad program. In the spring 2012, potential internships for students’ second year as Global STRIDES were identified, matching them with mentors who would best help them advance their research goals or internship interests. The Global STRIDES intend to keep a journal or blog while studying or working abroad this summer and to share their experiences with next year’s incoming group of Global STRIDES at the first get together tea in early September.

Visiting Scholars in Residence The Global Studies Center works with faculty in departments and programs across the College to bring international faculty as Visiting Scholars for short residencies on campus. The associate dean for international students and scholars Hrayr Tamzarian assists the Visiting Scholars with visa invitation letters and logistical support. Along with the many international Visiting Scholars invited by Smith departments, the Global Studies Center is occasionally asked to co-sponsor and host featured events for a particular visiting scholar’s stay in order to maximize opportunities for the Smith community to engage and interact with the scholar across disciplinary boundaries and co-curricular activities. Visiting Scholars in Residence hosted by the Global Studies Center Alfred Babo January to August 2012 Université de Bouaké Hosted by Gregory White and the Global Studies Center, the French Studies Department and the Provost’s Office; supported by the International Scholar Rescue Fund Soner Cagaptay September 18-24, 2011 The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Hosted by Gregory White and the Global Studies Center Arvind Krishna Mehrotra October 17–25, 2011 Hosted by Thalia Pandiri and the Department of Classics and the Global Studies Center Offering a guest lecture and meeting with groups on campus and in the Five College community regarding his translations. Other International Visiting Scholars in Residence Sean Allan German Film Foundation September 26 to October 26, 2011 Hosted by Joseph McVeigh and the Department of German Studies Saadet Alpdagtas Turkish Higher Education Council August 1 to October 31, 2011 Hosted by Laura Katz and the Department of Biological Sciences Working to learn the molecular and analytical skills necessary to study the evolution of ciliates. Mohammed Alshagawi Fulbright Fellowship 2010-12 Hosted by Charles Staelin and the Department of Economics Challenges and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: A Comparative Study of Saudi and American Entrepreneurs. Lobzang Angmo January 2012 to January 2015

Tenzin Gyatso Institute Tibetan Program Hosted by Jay Garfield and the Department of Philosophy Conducting research on higher education methodology in the United States and on the role of the liberal arts in shaping Western culture. Tsering Angmo January 2012 to January 2015 Tenzin Gyatso Institute Tibetan Program Hosted by Jay Garfield and the Department of Philosophy Conducting research on higher education methodology in the United States and on the role of the liberal arts in shaping Western culture. Corra Ceppi October 23 to December 4, 2011 Hosted by Maria Estela Harretche and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Yangchen Drolma January 2012 to January 2015 Tenzin Gyatso Institute Tibetan Program Hosted by Jay Garfield and the Department of Philosophy Conducting research on higher education methodology in the United States and on the role of the liberal arts in shaping Western culture. Marita Flisback The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education Fall 2011 Hosted by Leslie King and the Department of Sociology Teaching SOC 335, "Difference, Social Inequality and Identityâ&#x20AC;? and experiencing being part of a liberal arts institution. Feng Gao September 2011 to September 2013 Ocean University of China Hosted by Laura Katz and the Department of Biological Sciences Conducting a research project aiming at characterizing the diversity of ciliates using molecular tools and phylogenetic analyses. Diego Medina March 31- April 21, 2012 Universidad de Cordoba Programa de Estudios Hispanicos en Cordoba, Spain (PRESHCO) Hosted by Spanish and Portuguese Faculty exchange

Events Featured Events The Global Studies Center (GSC) works with faculty in departments and programs across the College to host large scale and multi-day featured events, including events associated with the Visiting Scholars in Residence. During a visiting scholarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stay, the GSC hosts several events to maximize opportunities for the Smith community to engage and interact with the scholar across disciplinary boundaries and co-curricular activities. Visiting Scholar Soner Cagaptay Senior Fellow and Director of Turkish Research Program, Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Lecture: Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s European Union Membership: Why it Matters and Will it Happen? Global Salon: The Turkish Example: A Discussion on Political Islam, Democracy and Foreign Policy September 19-23, 2011 Global Poetry Week: A Celebration of Poetry and the Arts A collaboration with the Poetry Center October, 17-24, 2011 Translating the Past: The Indian Experience Visiting Scholar Arvind Mehrotra, University of Allahabad, India Poetry Reading Global Salon October 18-24, 2011 Five College Africa Day Keynote address: Healing After Hardship: Survival and Forgiveness in Postâ&#x20AC;?Genocide Rwanda Joseph Sebarenzi, former speaker of the Rwandan Parliament November 5, 2012 World Hunger: Causes and Interventions An Advocacy Institute hosted in collaboration with the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability; and Oxfam America January 22, 2012 Smith Remembers Fukushima Lecture: Japan Faces the Future: Overcoming the Devastation of 3/11. The Honorable Takeshi Hikihara, Consul General of Japan in Boston. Panel Discussions: 3/11: The View From Kyoto; The View From Smith March 9-10, 2012 How We Lead Matters Marilyn Carlson Nelson '61, chairman and former CEO of Carlson, a global travel and hospitality company Lecture: How We Lead Matters: Where Business and Human Rights Intersect Global Salon: Businesses Combating Human Trafficking April 17-18, 2012

Special Events Throughout the year, the GSC works with departments and programs across the college to host international conferences, panels, lectures, film screenings, cultural awareness days, and other special events. 9/11 Reflections: Ten Years Later Panel discussion with Professors John Connolly, Payal Banerjee, Brent Durbin, and Dean Jennifer Walters September 12, 2011 Global Studies Center After Hours Launch October 4, 2011

Women in Public Service Project: Kickoff event at the State Department Live screening December 15, 2011 Reception Visiting Scholar Alfred Babo, University of Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire February 2, 2012 Film Screening: “Flow: For Love of Water” A collaboration with ENV 312 Environmental Integration IV February 15, 2012

Signature Events Global Salon Global Salons are special events that offer a venue for students to informally converse with special guests from around the world. Global Salons often follow major lectures or events, providing a space for further discussion. The European Union at a Crossroads: Reflections on a Structural Asymmetry Nikiforos Diamandouros, European Ombudsman Friday, October 7, 2011 Stray Bullets and Lasting Flowers Brazilian Poet Claudia Roquette-Pinto October 18, 2011 The Environment as a Bridge to Peace in the Middle East Rabbi Michael Cohen, The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies October 27, 2011 Comedy as a Political Tool: A Conversation with Filmmaker Ines Paris Ines Paris, film director and screenwriter November 3, 2011 21st Century Statecraft: Engaging with Muslim Communities around the World Farah Pandith '90, Special Representative to Muslim Communities for the U.S. State Department March 27, 2012 The Cultural Contexts of Comedic Performance: Engaging Humor in Use from South India to Southern Indiana Susan Seizer, Associate Professor in Communication and Culture at Indiana University March 29, 2012 From Exception to Equality: Empowering Women & Girls in the New Millennium Gillian Sorensen '63, Senior Advisor and National Advocate at the United Nations Foundation March 30, 2012 Subtitling Women: The Case of the Transfer of Women's Dialogue in Moroccan Films Bouchra Bouziane, visiting Fulbright Scholar from Morocco April 3, 2012

What’s Happening Around the World (WHAW) WHAWs address an event or topic of major international significance, led by Smith faculty members or special guests and usually moderated by a Smith student. The Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell Gary Lehring (Government) & Martha Ackelsberg (Government), moderated by Sarah Fitzgibbons ’13 September 28, 2011 U.S. Troops in Central Africa: Rationale and Implications Brent Durbin (Government) & Joanne Corbin (School for Social Work), moderated by Kaitlin Hodge ‘14 November 2, 2011 Crackdown in Syria: Events on the Ground and Implications Omar Dahi (Department of Economics, Hampshire College) December 5, 2011 New Elections, New Challenges, New Problems: Democratic Spring in Russia in 2012 Alexander Buzgalin (Department of Economics, Moscow State University) March 12, 2012 Warlords and White Guys: #Kony 2012 in Context Susan Thomson (Postdoctoral Fellow in Contemporary Politics, Hampshire College), moderated by Gaetan Davis ’14 April 9, 2012 Report Back A Report Back allows Smith students to present their experiences of global engagement to fellow students and the Smith community. 2011 Global Engagement Seminar Reflections With Trustee Elizabeth Mugar Eveillard '69 October 12, 2011 Reflections on the 2011 Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association February 27, 2012 Women’s Health in India A collaboration with Phil 253J, Indo-Tibetan Philosophy and Hermeneutics March 1, 2012 Insight Dubai Conference A collaboration with the Center for Work and Life April 19, 2012

Workshop and Information Sessions Global Engagement Here and Abroad Sophomore Reboot Workshop September 11, 2011 Global Engagement Seminar Information Session November 3, 2011

JYâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Stay: Global engagement opportunities beyond junior year aboard December 6, 2011 Summer Opportunities Abroad Fair February 21, 2012 Pre-departure Orientation for Summer Abroad April 28, 2012

Events of the Office for International Study Events International Photo Contest October 20, 2011 Welcome Back from Abroad Reception January 31, 2012 Bridge-ing Abroad Dinner April 25, 2012 Information Sessions Study Abroad Fair September 20, 2011 Drop-In Conversations: Peru October 6, 2011 JYA Hamburg Presentation October 17, 2012 JYA Paris Presentation October 24, 2011 Associated Kyoto Program Presentation October 27, 2011 JYA Florence Presentation November 2, 2011 Brown in Brazil Presentation November 11, 2011 JYA Geneva Presentation November 15, 2011 CET-Middlebury Programs in China Presentation December 6, 2011 JYA Paris Presentation January 30, 2012 Puebla Presentation (Mexican Culture and Society in Puebla, Mexico) February 6, 2012

The Amherst China Initiative Summer Program Presentation February 8, 2012 Smith Summer Exchange at Ewha Womens University Presentation February 22, 2012 Orientations Study Abroad on Approved Programs (spring semester) Pre-departure Orientation December 7, 2011 JYA Paris, Hamburg, Geneva and Florence Pre-departure Orientation April 17, 2012 Study Abroad on Approved Programs Pre-departure Orientation April 18, 2012

Events of the Office for International Students and Scholars and the International Students Organization International Students Pre-Orientation (ISP) August 24-August 31, 2011 International Students Day Food Festival November 7, 2012 Rhythm Nations: Cultural Celebration March 7, 2012

Events of the American Studies Diploma Program Film Screening: A New Chinese Woman French film director and AMS scholar Pauline Pelsy-Johann, featuring fellow AMS scholar and Ph.D. student Yuangyuan Liu from China. April 18, 2012 Diploma Program Reunion and 50th anniversary Panel: Life After Smith Panel: American Studies: Then, Now, Tomorrow Reception May 24-27, 2012

Supported Events The GSC co-sponsored many campus events by departments and programs. “Find the Right Frame: Research Update on 16 City Parks in China” Landscape Studies September 27, 2011 “El Muro (The Wall)” Museum of Art September 28, 2011 “Nurturing Tomorrow's ‘Glocal’ Women Leaders” Health Services September 28, 2011 “Beyond the Shadow Zone: A Bilingual Reading and Conversation with Brazilian Poet Claudia Roquette-Pinto” Portuguese-Brazilian Studies October 17, 2011 “al-Sahwah al-Arabiyyah (Arab-Uprising): History, Politics and Implications for the Future of Africa” Global South Development Studies October 17, 2011 “Living Together: The Travails of Today’s Multicultural Europe” Sociology October 25, 2011 “La Voix des Femmes (The Women's Voice)” Haitian Women’s Rights Sociology October 25, 2011 “A mi madre les gustan las mujeres (My mother likes women) & How to Create Original Female Characters” Comparative Literature October 31 and November 2, 2011

“Arabs in Pre-World War II Los Angeles: Bringing Arab American Studies into Conversation with other Ethnic Studies Fields” History November 4, 2011 “Nuestra Señora de las Nubes (Our Lady of the Clouds)” Latin American & Latino/a Studies November 30, 2011 “A Fulbright as a Stepping Stone to Graduate Study with Anna White-Nockleby '09” Spanish & Portuguese Studies March 27, 2012 “Comedy in Two Contexts: Surprising Continuities between Special Drama in South India and Road Comedy in Southern Indiana” Anthropology March 29, 2012 “Women in Moroccan Cinema” Film Studies April 2, 2012 “Classical Spies: American Archaeologist with the OSS in World War II” Archaeology April 12, 2012 “Dreaming in French” French Studies April 16, 2012 “Chicana Power” Sociology April 18, 2012 “From Hawai’i to Palestine: Indigeneity, Settler Colonialism, and the Politics of Occupation” History April 24, 2012

Offices and Programs Office for International Study Study abroad at Smith continues to be an important feature of the Smith curriculum, with over 40% of all students studying abroad for a semester or year, and more than 50% when including summer programs and J-term programs. During 2011-2012, the Committee on Study Abroad (CSA), the faculty sub-committee of the Committee on Academic Priorities responsible for the academic oversight of study abroad, undertook a number of important new initiatives and proposals. With several requests for new program approval, the committee initiated a process toward improved program review and clarified the key criteria to be used in both approving a program and, at least every five years, reviewing existing programs on the approved list. A new Approved Program Guidelines policy was adopted and will be circulated to faculty study abroad advisors in the fall 2012. New programs approved for study abroad include: • Aquincum Institute of Technology (AIT) – Budapest: Creativity in Computer Science and Software Engineering in Budapest, Hungary • Middlebury Schools Abroad/CET Academic Programs in Beijing and Kunming, China • University of Exeter in Exeter, UK, (spring semester only) CSA also reviewed several items relevant to the Smith Programs Abroad (JYA) in Florence, Geneva, Hamburg, and Paris. The report of the JYA Orientation Task Force (formed in 20102011) was shared with CSA early in 2011-2012. This report recommended a greater emphasis on practical language skills during orientation, more opportunities to meet local residents, and a shift from a classroom-based delivery structure to more time navigating the city and having time for reflection. CSA also reviewed two important new initiatives for the Smith programs. Rob Dorit (Biology) proposed Les Sciences a París, a program designed to offer an intensive science-oriented curriculum in Paris as part of the Smith program in that location. A committee has been formed to develop the curriculum for this program, with plans to launch it in 2014-2015. CSA also reviewed a “White Paper,” co-authored by Rebecca Hovey and David DeSwert at the request of the Dean of the College, that examines long-term sustainability and accountability needs for Smith Programs Abroad. A recommendation of “Meeting the Challenges of Junior Year Abroad in the 21st Century: Options for Administrative Models” is to create a new position at one of the JYA sites with responsibilities for risk assessment and administrative management for all four European programs. This paper will also be under committee review during the upcoming 20122013 year. Another area of critical focus is on the large number of “Direct Enroll” university options available to students. Smith transitioned to Direct Enroll in the UK and Ireland, and a few universities in Australia and New Zealand over the past three years. The students who enroll directly at international universities approved by Smith do not benefit from a local program director and are largely independent while abroad. This past year Tom Riddell, former Associate Dean of the College, undertook a sabbatical project of visiting students in the UK during the fall and spring semesters to assess their experiences of independent study and determine how Smith can best support them while abroad. This project dovetailed nicely with Smith Friends Abroad, a new initiative of the Smith College Alumnae Association designed to match volunteer alumnae living abroad with Smith students studying or traveling abroad who would benefit by having a local resource or mentor. Riddell’s project included focus groups with some returned study abroad students from the UK and ongoing participation with Smith Friends Abroad. This initiative was launched this summer with the matching of alumnae in Greece and Jerusalem with students enrolled in the new Global

Engagement Seminars. During the upcoming year, the UK will be the next site for formally launching the project of matching alumnae with students. A final project of the Office with relevance across the campus has been involvement in the International Travel Advisory Group. This committee, co-chaired by Rebecca Hovey and Dean of Students Julianne Ohotnicky is tasked with implementing Smithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Travel Policy designed to ensure that all faculty, students, and staff follow adequate precautions for risk management and safety while travelling abroad. An audit was conducted of all Smith offices responsible for overseeing student or faculty travel. The result of this audit, with recommendations for a centralized office that retains information for groups or individuals traveling, will be presented during the summer of 2012. During the 2011-2012 academic year, 274 Smith students studied abroad in 43 countries; 7 in Africa, 23 in the Americas, 20 in Asia, 208 in Europe, 5 in the Middle East and North Africa, and 14 in Oceania (five students studied in two different countries.) Argentina (2) Australia (7) Austria (2) Bolivia (1) Brazil (5) Chile (4) China (3) Costa Rica (2) Czech Republic (3) Denmark (22) Ecuador (2) France (21) Germany (5) Greece (2)

Hungary (1) India (8) Indonesia (1) Ireland (8) Israel (2) Italy (18) Japan (5) Jordan (3) Mali (1) Mexico (5) Mongolia (1) Netherlands (3) New Zealand (6) Portugal (3)

Russia (2) Rwanda (1) Samoa (1) Senegal (1) Serbia (1) South Africa (4) South Korea (1) Spain (27) Switzerland (22) Thailand (1) Turks & Caicos, British United Kingdom (68) West Indies (2)

Study Abroad by Region 2% 27%

48%

AFRICA

AMERICAS ASIA

EUROPE (Continental) UK & IRELAND

MIDDLE EAST OCEANIA

Office for International Students and Scholars For 2011-2012, Smith matriculated 291 international students (or 12 percent of the student population) from 66 countries. Of these students, 28 students studied abroad during the school year. Many international students also took summer language classes and participated in internships in a third country. Many international students engaged in summer research with faculty on campus, with 13 engaged in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) in their major elsewhere in the U.S. In May 2012, 48 international students graduated; 12 have decided to attend graduate school, with 26 working in the US under the Optional Practical Training Program (OPT). The Office also supports visiting scholars to the college, especially in securing visas and ensuring appropriate work status. Afghanistan (5) Albania (1) Austria (1) Bangladesh (6) Belgium (1) Bolivia (1) Botswana (2) Bulgaria (3) Canada (17) China (100) Costa Rica (1) Croatia (1) El Salvador (1) Ethiopia (2) France (3) Georgia (2) Germany (4) Ghana (2) Greece (1) Honduras (2) Hong Kong (1) India (13)

Indonesia (1) Iraq (1) Italy (1) Ivory Coast (1) Japan (2) Jordan (1) Kenya (6) Kuwait (1) Kyrgyzstan (1) Macedonia (1) Malawi (1) Malaysia (3) Mauritius (2) Mexico (1) Moldova (2) Mongolia (2) Morocco (1) Myanmar (2) Nepal (5) Nigeria (2) Pakistan (6) Panama (1)

Paraguay (1) Romania (2) Russia (2) Rwanda (1) Serbia (1) Sierra Leone (1) Singapore (8) South Africa (1) South Korea (41) Spain (1) Sri Lanka (1) St. Vincent/Grenadines (1) Sweden (2) Thailand (4) Trinidad and Tobago (1) Turkey (1) United Arab Emirates (1) United Kingdom (5) Venezuela (1) Vietnam (7) Zambia (1) Zimbabwe (5)

International Students by Region AFRICA

2% 4% 0%

67%

AMERICAS ASIA

EUROPE (Continental) UK & IRELAND MIDDLE EAST OCEANIA

American Studies Diploma Program The Diploma Program in American Studies is a competitive one-year, certificate program for international students who wish to explore the field of American Studies. Students take a full course load throughout the entire academic year and, in addition, conceive of and complete a significant research project in an appropriate field of study. In keeping with the tradition of wideranging, interdisciplinary research in American Studies, students arrive at Smith with a diverse array of scholarly interests—in history, literature, music, the visual arts, and the social sciences— and work together to fashion an extraordinarily vibrant and creative intellectual community. Nine students graduated from the Diploma Program in 2011-2012: two from France, two from Germany, and one each from China, Italy, Japan, Nepal, and Spain. Highlights for the year included a visit to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut; a three-day field trip to Philadelphia; a four-day field trip to Washington, D.C.; presentations by each of the Diploma scholars at Smith’s annual Celebrating Collaborations event; and a GSC-sponsored film and lecture, titled “A New Chinese Woman,” presented by Diploma scholars Pauline Pelsy-Johann and Yuanyuan Liu. The Diploma Program also celebrated its 50th anniversary by welcoming back some 50 graduates of the Program during Reunion Weekend, 24-27 May 2012. The weekend featured two panels given by Program alumni and faculty (“Life after Smith” and “American Studies: Past, Present, Future”); a “class” business meeting; a reception for the Program, hosted by the GSC; a dinnertime visit from Smith College President Carol Christ; and, above all, the good cheer and camaraderie of a weekend among friends. ACADEMIC YEAR: 2011-2012 • Filippo Cervelli - University of Florence in Italy • Miguel Fernandez Porras - University of Cordoba in Spain • Kyoko Kitada- Doshisha University in Japan • Lisa Kuzel - Hamburg University in Germany • Yuanyuan Liu - Yantai University in China • Sichu Mali - Mount Holyoke College in the USA • Pauline Pelsy-Johann - Paris IV – Sorbonne in France • Chloe Pulice - Paris VII – Diderot in France • Liesa Ruhlmann - Hamburg University in Germany

Organizational Structure

Staff Roles and Responsibilities Shared roles and responsibilities of the co-Directors include: • Collaborating in identifying GSC themes, key events, and strategic plan • Representing the GSC at key events of Smith College Development, Alumnae Association, Admissions and other College departments • Developing and preparing regular GSC reports and fundraising proposals • Working with GSC advisory committee in building campus-wide support and resources for center activities • Maintaining liaisons with the Office for International Students & Scholars and American Studies Diploma program Faculty co-Director is responsible for:

Dean and co-Director is responsible for:

• Organizing key events of the GSC in collaboration with academic departments on campus • Developing academic programs and coursework related to global studies • Serving as lead liaison with visiting scholars • Coordinating co-sponsorship of campus activities with academic departments

• Organizing key GSC events with international education partners and faculty • Overseeing budgets; • Administering key office functions, including supervision of office staff • Overseeing international risk assessment and short-term travel • Supervising the Office for International Study

Administrative Coordinator is responsible for: • • • • •

Assisting with event management, including publicity, staging and budget management; as well as working with other departments, programs and offices to identify events with an international or global focus Supporting the Faculty Director and Dean with academic and other initiatives, including the creation and management of informational materials and the implementation of information sessions and workshops Providing administrative support through the management of calendars, generation of reports, and other clerical duties Overseeing the Global Studies Center physical and virtual spaces, including scheduling use of the lounge and conference room, managing the Global Café espresso bar, updating and creating content for the website and media monitors Managing the inquires, requests, and general traffic of the Global Studies Center and managing the GSC student workers

Global Studies Center Offices and Programs Office for International Study • Rebecca Hovey, Dean for International Study • Lisa Johnson, Assistant Dean for International Study • Sherry Wingfield, Administrative Coordinator • Sue Pouliot, Budget Coordinator Office for International Students and Scholars • Hrayr Tamzarian, Associate Dean for International Students • Ashavan Doyon, Administrative Assistant American Studies Diploma Program • Lane Hall-Witt, Director GSC Staff • Rebecca Hovey, Dean for International Study and Director • Gregory White, Professor of Government and Elizabeth Mugar Eveillard ’69 Faculty Director • Lisa Morde, Administrative Coordinator

Appendix A: Event Typology窶認or Distribution In addition to hosting events within the Global Studies Center (GSC), the GSC provides support to a diverse range of events throughout the college. 1) GSC Featured events The GSC works with departments and programs across the College to host guests such as Neilson professors, short-term residencies, or scholars visiting campus in order to participate in GSCsponsored theme events, such as the planned conference in 2012-13 on Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery. The GSC staff organizes such events in cooperation with other sponsoring departments or offices. GSC Featured events requests should be made at least 6 months in advance, preferably prior to the fiscal budget year in which they will occur, as these events require substantial financial commitment, logistical support, and integration with other academic activities. 2) Global Salon The GSC provides a venue for student to sit down and informally converse with special guests of the college following major lectures, screenings, or other events. Global Salons must be organized, promoted and facilitated by the department or program hosting the guest. The GSC will provide the following: a) Reservation of the GSC space b) Light refreshments as appropriate c) General event promotion: the creation and distribution of fliers and announcements Global Salon requests should be made not less than 4 weeks in advance and we recommend at least 8 weeks in advance due to the high volume of activity at the Center. 3) Co-sponsorship The GSC publicizes and promotes events that are planned and organized by departments, programs, or offices if such events support the mission statement of the Center. In some instances, GSC may provide a financial contribution to defray costs. Co-sponsorship requests should be made not less than 4 weeks in advance of the planned event. 4) Event endorsement and promotion The GSC publicizes events that are planned and organized by departments, programs, or offices if such events support the mission statement of the Center. GSC publicizing includes: a) Hanging flyers within the GSC b) Displaying a slide on the lounge screen (PowerPoint slide) c) Posting to the GSC online calendar of event Event promotion requests should be made not less than 1 week in advance of the planned event. Please send any or all of the following to global@smith.edu, Global Studies Center (Wright Hall 125): 窶｢ Flyer 窶｢ Jpeg image (horizontally oriented for Axis TV) 窶｢ Brief description

Appendix B: Global Studies Center Advisory Committees Advisory Committee 2011-2012 Rebecca Hovey, Dean for International Study, Director Gregory White, Professor of Government, Faculty Director (2014) Mlada Bukovansky, Associate Professor of Government (2012) Justin Cammy, Associate Professor of Jewish Studies and Comparative Literature (2014) Elliot Fratkin, Professor of Anthropology (2013) on leave 2011-2012 Chris Golé, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics (2013) on leave 2011-2012 Susannah Howe, Senior Lecturer in Engineering (2014) Michelle Joffroy, Associate Professor of Spanish and Portuguese (2012) Roger Kaufman, Professor of Economics (2014) Gary Lehring, Associate Professor of Government (2012) Maureen Mahoney, Dean of the College (ex officio) Hrayr Tamzarian, Associate Dean for International Students and Scholars (ex officio) Janie Vanpée, Professor of French Studies (2012)

Student Advisory Committee 2011-2012 Marjorie Amon ‘15 Gaetan Davis ‘14 Munan Du ‘14 Elysia Hung ‘15 Gloria Lee ‘15 Adrienne Saludades ‘15

Appendix C: International Partnerships

Program/Partnership

Scope

avg # students /year

avg # faculty /year

2011-12: # exchange students @Smith

Frequency of use

University of Florence & AMS exchange; Smith College is member of Association of American Colleges and University Programs in Italy (AACUPI)

every year

University of Geneva (UNIGE) & AMS exchange; The Graduate Institute (IHEID)

0.5

University of Hamburg & AMS exchange

AMS exchanges with: University of Paris IV (Sorbonne); University of Paris VII (Diderot); Sciences Po (Institut dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Etudes Politiques de Paris)

Corresponding exchanges and partnerships

Cost per year (approx based on 2011-12)

Year started

Supporting office(s)

$22,600 per student/semester

1931

OIS

every year

$23,200 per student/semester

1946

OIS

every year

$22,800 per student/semester

1961

OIS

every year

$20,500 per student/semester

1925

OIS

Smith Programs Abroad

Smith JYA Florence

Smith JYA Geneva

Smith JYA Hamburg

Smith JYA Paris

Smith's year-long program for students with 2+ yrs of Italian; courses include Smith's own courses at the Smith C enter and 1-2 courses at the University of Florence. Smith's semester and year-long programs for students with varying levels of French; courses include Smith's own courses at the Smith C enter and 1-2 courses per semester at the University of Geneva or The Graduate Institute. Smith's year-long program for students with 2+ yrs of German or spring semester for 1+ yrs German; courses include Smith's own courses at the Smith C enter and 2-3 courses per semester at the University of Hamburg.

Smith's year-long program for students with advanced coursework in French language; courses include Smith's own courses and Hamilton/Middlebury consortium courses, plus 1-2 courses per semester at Parisian universities.

Program/Partnership

Scope

Corresponding exchanges and partnerships

avg # students /year

avg # faculty /year

2011-12: # exchange students @Smith

Frequency of use

most years

Cost per year (approx based on 2011-12)

Year started

Supporting office(s)

2000; formally joined in 2011

OIS

1972

OIS

$17,000 per student/semester

new as of 2011

OIS

1965/1990

OIS; C lassics

Smith Consortium Study Abroad Programs The AC C Intensive Language & C ulture Associated C olleges in C hina - Program in Beijing is a C hinese language AC C (Beijing, C hina) program offered for summer, fall, spring or full academic year terms.

Hosted by Minzu University of C hina (MUC ) in Beijing; administered by Hamilton C ollege in the US

$13,000 per student/semester

Associated Kyoto Program AKP (Kyoto, Japan)

AKP provides year-long undergraduate study in Kyoto, Japan; consortium includes Amherst, Bates, Bucknell, C arleton, C olby, Doshisha University C onnecticut, Middlebury, Mount Holyoke, Oberlin, Pomona, Smith, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Whitman, and Williams C olleges; AKP faculty fellowships available

1-2

through Doshisha

every year for students, occasional for faculty directors and visiting lecturers

C entre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies - C MRS (Oxford, UK)

C MRS offers fall and spring semesters on topics of medieval and renaissance studies; potential development of faculty exchange in future years.

Affiliated with Keble C ollege in the UK and Middlebury C ollege in the US

new 2012

Intercollegiate C enter for C lassical Studies - ISSC (Rome, Italy)

The Intercollegiate C enter for C lassical Studies in Rome (IC C S), with over 100 member institutions, provides undergraduate semester-long program in ancient history, archaeology, Greek and Latin literature, Italian language, and ancient arts.

Administered by Duke University

most years

$26,500 per student/semester; plus annual fee of $750/year

every year

$19,100 per student/semester

2003

OIS; Spanish Studies

PMSC P is a C onsortium consisting of Oberlin, Smith, Wellesley and Wheaton Program of Mexican C ulture C olleges in order to offer qualified students Benemérita Universidad and Society in Puebla - PMSC P direct enrollment in one of Mexico's leading Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) (Puebla, Mexico) public and research universities, the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP).

Programa de Estudios Hispanicos en C ordoba PRESHC O (C ordoba, Spain)

PRESHC O is a consortium of Oberlin, Smith, Wooster, Trinity, Wellesley, and Wheaton (MA) colleges in C órdoba, Spain, providing opportunities for students to develop their knowledge of Spanish language, literature, and culture in one of the most picturesque and historically rich cities of Spain.

South India Term Abroad SITA (Madurai, India)

SITA is a consortium of Bates, Bowdoin, George Washington, Grinnell, Sarah Lawrence, Scripps, Smith, and Whittier C olleges, providing semester-long programs in South India culture, Tamil language study, independent projects and home-stay experiences.

University of C órdoba

$26,600 per student/semester; AKP provides Smith $25,000 toward faculty fellows plus provides housing subsidy.

every year

$20,250 per student/semester

1981

OIS; Spanish Studies

most years

$20,250 per student/semester

1989

OIS

avg # students /year

avg # faculty /year

Member of academic consortium; invoiced according to student enrollment; Smith C ouncil International approves programs in Argentina, Brazil, Educational Exchange (multiple C hile, C osta Rica, Dominican Republic, locations) Japan, Jordan, Korea, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Thailand.

Danish Institute for Study Abroad (C openhagen, Denmark)

Study abroad MOU includes some financial aid to cover airfare to C openhagen.

London School of Economics LSE (London, UK)

2011-12: # exchange students @Smith

Frequency of use

Cost per year (approx based on 2011-12)

n/a

every year

avg $18,000 per student/semester; plus $400 annual membership fee

n/a

every year

$21,200 per student/semester

LSE offers year-long study in economics, political science, and social policy, among other fields; Smith students enroll directly and Smith is invoiced for tuition and housing.

n/a

every year

$17,150 per student/semester

School for Field Studies (multiple locations)

Basic billing agreement for home school fees and enrollments; Smith approves programs in Australia, C osta Rica, Kenya, Turks & C aicos.

n/a

every year

avg $18,500 per student/semester

1997

OIS

School for International Training (multiple locations)

Basic billing agreement for home school fees and enrollments; Smith approves programs in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, C ameroon, C hile, C hina, C zech Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Samoa, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam.

n/a

every year

avg $18,500 per student/semester

2003

OIS

School for Oriental and African Invoiced for enrollment, housing, student Studies - SOAS (London, UK) support and billing.

n/a

most years

$16,550 per student/semester

OIS

University of Oxford (Oxford, UK)

n/a

every year

$28,500 per student/semester

OIS

Program/Partnership

Scope

Corresponding exchanges and partnerships

Year started

Supporting office(s)

Frequently-used approved study abroad programs

Invoiced for enrollment, housing, student support and billing.

OIS

agreement signed 2002

OIS

Program/Partnership

Scope

Corresponding exchanges and partnerships

avg # students /year

avg # faculty /year

2011-12: # exchange students

Frequency of use

Cost per year (approx based on 2011-12)

n/a

2011 and 2012

n/a

rarely, but Tuition, room & board, may have in fees to be paid by 2012-13 DWC or student.

full tuition and stipend for room & board in exchange for student work; AKP contributes $5,000

Year started

Supporting office(s)

2003

Spanish Studies; ISSO

1994

ISSO

Student and faculty exchange programs

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP)

Smith, as one member of the PMC SP consortium, agrees to support the shortterm visit of 1-2 BUAP visiting students to use Smith libraries and research resources.

Doshisha Women's C ollege (DWC )

Smith will accept one or more students selected by DWC as a visiting undergraduate student for one year.

Doshisha University and AKP (Kyoto, Japan)

Smith C ollege will provide a full tuition scholarship and stipend to one Doshisha visiting AMS student at Smith; AKP will contribute $5,000 toward the scholarship.

Ecole Normal Superieure

Smith C ollege provides a salary & benefits to an ENS graduate student to teach in associate with the French Studies Department; a possible exchange placement for a Smith student is possible for highly qualified applicants

EWHA Women's University

Smith will accept one year-long visiting undergraduate student in exchange for up to 6 Smith students to enroll in the EWHA 4week summer program.

Killam University

The Killam Fellowships Program provides exceptional undergraduate students from universities in C anada and the United States of America with the opportunity to attend a college or university in the other country and participate in the life of the host country and community.

PMCSP consortium study abroad program

AKP consortium study abroad program

n/a

PRESHC O/University of C ordoba

Smith C ollege will provide a full tuition scholarship and stipend to one Univ of C ordoba visiting AMS student at Smith; PRESHC O will contribute $10,000 toward the scholarship.

PRESHCO consortium study abroad program

1 faculty member for a short-term visit, usually in the spring semester

Sciences Po (Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris)

Smith will accept one Sciences-Po visiting student at full tuition in exchange for either JYA Paris and AMS Diploma one full-time Smith student or 8 courses by Program Smith students

n/a

every year

salary and benefits

every year

Exchange covers tuition only; students responsible for room and board; Smith provides at least $2,000 in international experience grant money.

every year

Smith agrees to enroll and provide R&B to a C anadian exchange student; Smith students receive at least $5,000 per semester to attend as an exchange student at a C anadian university Student - full tuition and stipend for room & board in exchange for student work; PRESHC O contributes $10,000. Faculty -- for incoming visitors, housing and food costs; for outgoing Smith faculty, travel costs and research stipend

every year

most years

full tuition only

Provost

"for as long as anyone French Studies; Provost can remember " 2005 memo

1995?

OIS; ISSO

ISSO

2005 for student exchange; 2011 for faculty

Provost

1996 (students welcomed since 1950)

Provost; OIS

Program/Partnership

University of Florence

Scope

Corresponding exchanges and partnerships

C ultural cooperation agreement with the JYA Florence and AMS Diploma University of Florence for enrollment of US Program students in university courses

avg # students /year

avg # faculty /year

2011-12: # exchange students @Smith

Frequency of use

n/a

every year

full tuition and room and board

every year

Student -- tuition and room & board. Exchange of one UNIGE student offsets costs of Smith enrollment in Geneva. Faculty -- for incoming visitors, housing and food costs; for outgoing Smith faculty, travel costs and research stipend.

Cost per year (approx based on 2011-12)

Year started

Supporting office(s)

note: unsigned

Provost; OIS

2004?

Provost; OIS

note: unsigned

Provost; OIS

1 faculty member for a short-term exchange, usually in the spring semester

University of Hamburg

Agreement to support the exchange of two Hamburg visiting AMS students at Smith for JYA Hamburg and AMS Diploma Smith JYA enrollments at the University of Program Hamburg; faculty exchange agreement for short-term and long-term exchanges

2 faculty members: 1 for shortterm exchange in October; 1 for the fall semester with teaching required

every year

Student -- for each, tuition and room & board. Exchange of one Hamburg student offsets costs of Smith enrollment in Hamburg. Faculty -for incoming visitors, housing and food costs; for outgoing Smith faculty, travel costs and research stipend.

University of Paris IV Sorbonne

Agreement provides for Smith to enroll up to 10 JYA Paris students at Paris IV; and for Smith to accept one Paris IV visiting AMS student at Smith.

JYA Paris and AMS Diploma Program

n/a

every year

full tuition and room & board

Provost; OIS

University of Paris VII Diderot

Agreement provides for Smith to enroll up to 10 JYA Paris students at Paris VII; and for Smith to accept one Paris VII visiting AMS student at Smith; possible faculty exchanges and collaborative research are encouraged.

JYA Paris and AMS Diploma Program

n/a

every year

full tuition and room & board

Provost; OIS

University of Geneva

Agreement provides for Smith to send 2040 students to UNIGE in exchange for one JYA Geneva and AMS Diploma full-time AMS student at Smith (or 2 if Program Smith students exceed 25); in addition short-term faculty exchanges of 2-6 weeks will be supported by each institution.

Program/Partnership

Scope

Corresponding exchanges and partnerships

avg # students /year

avg # faculty /year

2011-12: # exchange students @Smith

Frequency of use

n/a

9.5

every year

n/a

1 for the fall semester, teaching required

n/a

every year

Cost per year (approx based on 2011-12)

Year started

Supporting office(s)

1962

Provost; Global Studies C enter

Smith-based program for incoming exchange students

American Studies Diploma program (AMS); Smith C ollege, Northampton MA

The Diploma Program in American Studies is a competitive, one-year certificate program for international students. This unique interdisciplinary program is open to students, both male and female, of advanced undergraduate or graduate standing. Students take a full course load throughout the entire academic year and complete a significant research project.

Doshisha Univ; Univ of Cordoba; Univ of Geneva; Univ of Florence; Sciences Po; Univ of Paris IVSorbonne; Univ of Paris VIIDiderot; Univ of Hamburg

Smith-based program for incoming exchange faculty

STINT -- the Swedish Foundation for International C ooperation in Research and Higher Education

Smith was one of about eight liberal arts colleges to host a visiting scholar from a Swedish university through the STINT Programme for Excellence in Teaching run by the STINT foundation. STINT received faculty nominations from Swedish institutions and sent the nominations to participating US liberal arts colleges for review. Smith's Visiting Scholars C ommittee reviewed all the nominationis to determine a potential match. Notified in December 2011 that SSTINT will no longer run this program.

None -- STINT paid all expenses

August 2002 Provost; Global Studies December C enter 2011

Appendix D: Funding for International Experiences Special programs that received funding include the following: Coral Reef Ed-Ventures Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is an innovative, cooperative educational venture between Smith College and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. The program is an interdisciplinary effort involving faculty from three departments and the Environmental Science and Policy Program at Smith College. (Environmental Science and Policy Program) Tibetan Studies in India As part of an ongoing academic exchange program with the Tibetan universities in exile in India, each year the Five Colleges send 15 students to spend January term studying Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan history and culture, and Tibetan textual analysis in an intensive program taught by the faculty of the Central University of Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, India. (Philosophy Department) EWHA Womans University Exchange EWHA Womans University in Seoul, Korea holds an International Summer College program for study of Korean language and culture. Selected Smith students are eligible to attend the program tuition free under the Smith/Ewha exchange agreement. Students attending EWHA in 2011-2012 were Sonia Brown, Nahee Kwak, Misty Ngo, Maria Orlic, and Celeste Pritchard. Japan-America Student Conference (JASC) Many Smith students have chosen to be a part of the Japan-America Student Conference (JASC.) This intense, month-long academic and cultural exchange program allows students to travel together and discuss contemporary social, economic and political issues facing the two countries.

Appendix E: Global STRIDES’ Archive Projects and Interviews of AMS Students The Global STRIDES’ archives projects included: Marjorie Amon Annecca Smith Gloria Lee Jenny Wang Sara Ottomano Kaitlin Burns Hannah Becker

Language learning abroad—Kathleen Hanley’s correspondence from Madrid, 1957-58 Perspective on Junior Year Program in Munich, 1931, from Katheen Hadwan Shedd’s correspondence American women’s activism in the Young Women’s Christian Association in the early 20th century in Argentina Gingling College’s role as safe haven during the Nanking Massacre Profile of Smith Professor Massimo Salvadori History of Dawes House as French haven Women’s liberation movement in the Arab world through Ms. Magazine

Exploring All that Smith Has to Offer An Interview with AMS student Filippo Cervelli, of the University of Florence, Italy (available at http://www.smith.edu/news/2011-12/amsprofile-saraottomano.php) By Sara Ottomano '15, Global Stride Fellow Through the American Studies Diploma Program at Smith, which awards a one-year scholarship to selective students from around the world, many international students during the past 50 years have worked on various academic projects to further their education. This year, 10 individuals were awarded the scholarship, representing eight countries. Filippo Cervelli, an American Studies Scholar who earned master’s degrees in both English and Italian at the University of Florence (Italy), is focusing his Smith project on the relationship between multicultural issues and ecological challenges.

Filippo Cervelli GR, American Studies Diploma program

Cervelli, who is from Florence, has traveled to many countries, including the United States. This year will be his third visit to the U.S. and will be his longest stay here. Fluent in Italian and English, Cervelli is not experiencing any difficulties adjusting to the language in and outside the classroom. In fact, he tutors students in Italian and helps conduct lessons outside the classroom for beginner students. Meanwhile, Cervelli is exploring all that Smith has to offer. He has enjoyed his class on Chinese culture and a seminar on American literature.

Having grown up in Florence and experienced the Italian education system, Cervelli brings a unique perspective to Smith’s academic curriculum and campus life. At the University of Florence, there is no campus life because, like most European universities, there are no student dormitories or even a campus, per se. University buildings are for academic purposes only, Cervelli explains. While students at Smith enjoy amenities such as dining halls, a post office, a gym, a student center and performance spaces, students at the University of Florence have no access to such services. Typically, they rent apartments independently or commute from home to the university.

In comparison, however, the cost of an education is much cheaper in Florence, and while financial aid is offered, most students do not need it. The curricular program of studies is also very different. Students at the University of Florence declare their major before beginning their course of studies and therefore, unlike students at Smith, they have little freedom to choose courses outside of the major. Yet another difference between the Italian university and an American liberal arts college is the amount of time students spend in class. Italian students spend their time in lecture classes with little to no opportunity to discuss or debate in small settings. Despite these differences, Cervelli feels that Smith is meeting his academic expectations thus far. As for campus life, Cervelli points out that Smith offers a multitude of co-curricular activities that encourage students to apply what they learn in the classroom to the real world. For example, a student studying gender relations at Smith can join a number of organizations that advocate for issues relating to gender. In Florence, such co-curricular activities—or indeed any kind of club— do not exist. After graduating from Smith in May, Cervelli hopes to study at least one more year in America to extend his academic learning experience. For the moment, he will continue exploring the advantages of a liberal arts college and he would like to experience all that Smith has to offer.

Feeling Right at Home, Half way Around the World An Interview with AMS student Sichu Mali, of Kathmandu, http://www.smith.edu/news/2011-12/amsprofile-glorialee.php)

Nepal

(available

By Gloria Lee '15, Global Stride Fellow Sichu Mali is not a typical AMS student. Just after turning 17, she left her home, family and friends in Nepal with the determination and courage to pursue higher studies as well as personal and professional growth. In the process, she skipped 11th and 12th grades to begin college early, at Mount Holyoke College. Her solo journey halfway around the world to the United States was not daunting to her, she says. Rather, she enjoyed it, and felt right at home from her first moment in the Valley. She became familiar with Smith at Mount Holyoke, taking courses here, and at Hampshire and Amherst Sichu Mali GR, American Studies colleges. The welcoming and intellectually stimulating Diploma program community of the Pioneer Valley always appealed to her. Now enrolled in the Diploma in American Studies program, Sichu is committed to disseminating knowledge about economics, finance, and global affairs, including travel and women’s empowerment. To that end, she regularly advises students from all around the United States and other countries on managing personal finances, interpreting domestic and foreign news, learning foreign languages, studying abroad, resolving cultural differences, and women’s issues.

Aside from academics, she is actively involved in the Smith College Investment Club, collaborating to assess the financial markets and investment options for the club’s endowment fund. During the semester, you can also find her working out in the gym. When I asked Sichu what she liked most about Smith, she replied, “The whole Smith family—the students, the faculty, and other staff members. Everyone here is so friendly and helpful. The faculty members are really dedicated to their students’ education. Besides, the college works really hard to make the students’ experiences meaningful. The students are seen as assets.” She appreciates the commitment Smith has made to serve local and healthy foods in its dining halls. “Not all colleges and universities are mindful of their students’ diets,” she remarks. “Students at Smith have the option of kosher, halal, international, vegan, and vegetarian dining with plenty of healthy salad bar choices. I am glad that Smith recognizes the fact that the development of a good student requires not only a rigorous education but also a healthy diet.” Looking forward, Sichu is optimistic. She aspires toward success, but has broadened her definition of what that means. “I once thought success is the moment when one reaches a certain level of achievement in academia, professional, or personal life, but now I know that success cannot be defined by only one moment in life. It is not about working hard for a particular period of time, and getting what you want soon afterwards, rather, it is a constant progression, a struggle or a battle that one has to wage throughout one’s life. Therefore, it cannot be obtained without tremendous patience and perseverance in the face of adversities. I believe that once these tenacious qualities are acquired, then only success can be achieved.” As for students planning to study abroad, Sichu gives this advice: “Learn about the country’s culture and its people as much as you can and try to immerse yourself in them. Be open to new ideas and different ways of thinking and living. Be empathetic even if you don’t agree with it. Think of the whole process as a thrilling adventure.”

Different, But Not Like the West Coast or Anything! An Interview with AMS students Lisa Kuzel and Liesa Ruehlmann, both from Hamburg University (available at http://www.smith.edu/news/2011-12/amsprofile-anneccasmith.php) By Annecca Smith '15, Global Stride Fellow Studying abroad requires a lot of work, but the benefits are immeasurable—probably why so many Smithies love it. Sometimes, though, it’s easy to forget that foreign exchange students also visit the United States. Lisa and Liesa both attend Hamburg University in Germany but are visiting Smith this year as exchange students in the American Studies Diploma Program. We caught up recently about differences in schools and culture and they offered some tips for anyone going abroad. A bachelor’s degree in Germany requires three years of Liesa Ruelhmann GR (left), and Lisa study, but you must pre-declare a major and minor Kuzel GR, American Studies Diploma before entering the university. In the German university program system, “your studies are a lot more your own concern and you have to figure out how you’re organizing [them],” explained Liesa Ruelhmann, who is here studying to become a social sciences and English teacher.

And in Germany, more students work multiple jobs because the school workload allows more time, added Lisa Kuzel, who is studying American studies and German language and literature. Smith’s campus and sense of college community were also quite a change for Liesa and Lisa. In Hamburg, only about 1 percent of students live in university housing, while most others are accustomed to a 30- or 45-minute commute. On-campus life isn’t filled with organizations and clubs as at Smith, so students there have to seek out activities and groups. Exchange students are almost always asked about “culture shock,” but Lisa and Liesa said neither of them has found it extreme. “Americans talk more to strangers,” according to Lisa, “but you could argue it’s not being friendlier, it’s just entrenched polite behavior.” Liesa said she’d heard that “the difference between the East and West coasts of the United States is bigger than between the East Coast and Germany.” In German university-track schools, students begin studying English in elementary school (sometimes as early as first grade) so the language barrier for many exchange students is not an issue. For Smithies planning to study abroad, Lisa and Liesa offer advice that can be summed up as “Don’t be afraid to try new things.” “You have to look for [activities you like],” said Liesa, and be proactive. She added that it’s important to understand that when people laugh about something you do or say (which will happen) it isn’t in a mean way. A big university like Hamburg University has its advantages, said Lisa, but it can also be frustrating when problems occur. “The faculty and administration never know who you are,” so you have to explain everything from the beginning every single time. If you’re interested in studying abroad, in Hamburg or elsewhere, visit the Global Studies Center, where the Office for International Studies is located, and stop by the International Student Organization (ISO) to talk to some of the many international students on campus. And those wanting to study in Germany might heed Liesa’s claim: “Hamburg is the best city in Germany!”

From Geneva With Love An Interview with AMS student Anne-Catherine Berrut-Marechaud http://www.smith.edu/news/2010-11/amsprofile-zoefalk.php)

(available

By Zoë Falk '14, Global Stride Fellow Anne-Catherine Berrut-Marechaud, a graduate student in the American Studies Diploma Program, comes from a place vastly different from Smith. She studied at the University of Geneva (in the French-speaking part of Switzerland) before coming to Smith, her first trip to the United States. However, despite going to a very different school and living in a different environment, she is getting along well at Smith. Coming to Smith seemed like the natural thing to do for Anne-Catherine. She knew she wanted to study in a foreign country, and although she had traveled in Europe before, she had not had the chance to visit other continents very often. America was the farthest away from the “old traditions” that she was used to in Switzerland. She had studied English literature in Geneva, so America seemed like the ideal place to go. Also, she Anne-Catherine says, “a teacher encouraged me to go to Smith because GR she had done so about 15 years ago.”

Berrut-Marechaud

Going to a women’s college is “very different,” she says. There aren’t any all-women’s colleges where she is from, “but it was actually something that I wanted to try, and I quite like it.” Being at Smith helps her focus on her studies, she adds. At the University of Geneva she fell in love with French and English literature, which she plans to continue investigating at Smith. But, she says, “there was an ancient tradition of ex-cathedra, which means that the teacher speaks from the chair… you had absolutely no possibility to interact with the teacher and that results in a relationship with the teachers that is very distant.” At Smith teachers are more approachable and students are encouraged to interact in class, which was something Anne-Catherine was looking for in a school. Another aspect of the Smith experience that is different from the University of Geneva is the campus life. The University of Geneva lacks a campus aspect, and Anne-Catherine lived by herself. “Geneva University is in the city,” she describes, “and that means that you can be really alone, whereas on campus [at Smith] it is nice because you are always encircled by people and you are never alone. That is one of the biggest changes and something that I really wanted to experience.” In addition to being an enthusiastic scholar and dedicated student, Anne-Catherine is also an accomplished violinist. She continues to study the violin at Smith and is even considering a career in music. At Smith, Anne-Catherine has embarked on a bright future. She is at a school where she is encouraged to learn by professors who take an interest in her, and she is able to practice her violin. She is being prepared for her later music and literature studies either in Switzerland or abroad, and getting ready for the journey that she has just begun.

A Fortunate Accident An Interview with AMS student Andrea Clausen, of Husum, Germany (available at http://www.smith.edu/news/2010-11/amsprofile-andreaclausen.php) By Katie Paulson-Smith '14, Global Stride Fellow “I ended up here by accident,” said Andrea Clausen when asked why she chose Smith. Until one of her professors at the University of Hamburg recommended that she apply to Smith, Andrea initially did not plan to study abroad, let alone want to. Andrea had spent some time in Canada after high school, and planned to stay in Germany afterward. "This is enough [study abroad] for now,” she thought at the time. When she was accepted for Smith’s American Studies Diploma (AMS) program, Andrea did not realize that Smith was an all-women’s college until she researched it online from her home in Husum, Germany. From the start, she says, Smith has been “a bucketful of surprises.” Nevertheless, she has felt welcomed here and is happy that she landed at Smith. “Everyone makes a great effort to make the transition as easy as possible,” Andrea says, smiling. Whenever she gets out of “the Smith bubble” and takes a bus to Amherst or to the mall, however, Andrea Andrea Clausen GR, gets a different taste of “the real United States,” she says, Studies Diploma program in which she feels like a stranger.

American

Smith feels like home to Andrea. But when she considers the U.S. as a whole, Andrea does not feel that people are recognized as individuals, because the country is so big compared to Germany, where she feels part of the community. Furthermore, in Germany it is “easier for her to judge whether someone is being friendly or unfriendly,” she notes. Most of the time she does not think of the U.S. and Germany as having many differences, both being modern, industrialized nations. However, every time she gets on the bus and leaves Smith to experience general American society, she notices the differences. Andrea’s friends in Germany were worried before she left for the U.S. that she might become a “prude” here. “Prude” is a stereotype among some Germans, describing Americans’ behaviors of going to church on Sundays, sexual conservatism and public modesty about their bodies. But for Andrea, “a lot of these things were disproved during convocation.” Andrea also welcomes the atmosphere in the U.S. of “being in a community where it is all of the sudden okay to be religious.” In Germany, she says, religion is not something people talk about openly, whereas here religion and going to church is more popular and accepted among young people. One American stereotype that holds true, though, is how sweet all of the food and drinks are here: “a lot of things are very, very sweet here…and they’re sweet in Germany, but even sweeter here.” (The thing Andrea misses most about Germany is the bread.) Andrea’s main interest of study at Smith is graphic literature—not the superhero kind. As the saying goes, a picture can be worth a thousand words, and for Andrea, the world of graphic literature contains many messages. But like her coming to Smith, Andrea came across graphic

literature by accident when a friend recommended a cool class on the subject. While Andrea likes writing short stories, she does not feel like she understands the art of graphic literature enough to attempt writing or illustrating her own graphic novel. After graduating from Smith’s American Diploma Studies program, Andrea plans to work for a comic publisher in Berlin next summer. Then she will return to the University of Hamburg to finish her final semester and thesis of her undergraduate studies. For now, Andrea will remain ready for more surprises at Smith.

Living in America and the Land of Women An Interview with AMS student Miguel Fernández Porras, University of Córdoba, Spain (available at http://www.smith.edu/news/2011-12/amsprofile-burns.php)

By Kaitlin Burns '15, Global Stride Fellow Though Miguel Fernández Porras, a native of Córdoba, Spain, and an avid fan of table tennis, has traveled the world and gained proficiency in three languages, he is currently encountering entirely new territory: a women’s college. Those who might wonder how a male student could be admitted to Smith should know that though the college educates mostly undergraduate students, it also offers graduate programs, in American studies, teaching, exercise and sport studies, as well as the School for Social Miguel Fernández Porras GR, Work—all open to male students. American Studies Diploma program Miguel is enrolled in Smith’s American Studies Diploma program, which invites students here from other countries for a year. Miguel is no stranger to studying abroad. He spent a year away from the University of Córdoba to study in Anger, France, in 2007, and recently spent time in Asia. He went from majoring in translation studies to teaching Spanish to Chinese students in Rizhao, Shadong, China. Miguel describes France as “quite different” from Spain, but didn’t have as much of a “culturally shocking experience” as he did in China. In Rizhao, a small, remote city visited by few foreigners, “people on the streets would ask for our signatures,” says Miguel, or “invite us to have drinks.” This is also not the first time Miguel has been in the United States. After graduating from University of Córdoba, Miguel and some of his classmates took a celebratory trip to America, visiting cities like Washington D.C., Boston, and New York City. Miguel finds the United States similar to Europe in its diversity. “The states are like a lot of distinct nations and you can’t really compare Massachusetts to Texas or California or even Northampton to Boston because they are so different.”

However, he says, there is a major difference between the university systems of the United States and Europe. For one thing, “school is so expensive here,” says Miguel. “The cost of a private university in Spain, generally, isn’t even as much as public school here.” Miguel was also surprised by the differences in the format of classes. Most classes are lectures in Spain, but here “you are more involved and have to work on a daily basis.” There isn’t as much pride associated with universities in Spain either, he says. “Here you have this community and you feel so attached to your university. You feel so proud (and) you buy the sweatshirt that says ‘Smith College.’ In Spain, people would laugh at you. Only Americans buy the t-shirts,” he laughs, even while wearing a Smith College t-shirt of his own. Miguel learned about Smith his university, where he was a Spanish conversational partner with several Smith exchange students in the PRESHCO program. At Smith, he is studying Chinese, Chinese-American relations, and his required American society and culture class, in addition to tutoring Spanish in his spare time. The only downside to being a gender minority at Smith is the housing situation, he says. “I live in an apartment (because) I am a guy and we are not allowed to stay in houses,” Miguel says, envious of his fellow (female) American Studies grad students who live in picturesque on-campus houses. Next year, Miguel plans to apply to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, graduate program, possibly focusing on film studies. First, he must decide on his thesis research focus—either relations between the United States and China, or the depiction of Hispanics in film. Miguel offers this advice to Smith students considering studying abroad: “Studying abroad is not all about studying. The best part about it is discovering new people, new culture, different tastes, and different ways of seeing things. Try to immerse yourself in the culture and learn something new… And fall in love, the best tip is to fall in love!"