Global Kentucky Summer 2015

Global Kentucky

Summer 2015 - Volume 6 - Issue 4

An International Center newsletter that celebrates the University of Kentucky’s international leadership.

UK Hosts 100 Int’l. Fulbright Students For Global Health Seminar

By Yan Wang

The University of Kentucky International Center hosted 100 Fulbright students from 55 different countries for the 2015 Fulbright Global Health Innovations Seminar from February 25 to March 1, 2015.

As one of the Fulbright Program’s enrichment activities, the seminar supported the Fulbright Program’s overall mission, which is “to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries,” said Lana Muck, deputy director of the U.S. Department of State.

Fulbright students, who study public health and related areas in the U.S., attended a variety of events during the seminar. Muck said this seminar helped Fulbright students get a better understanding of American culture.

Continued on pg. 5

100 Fulbright students from 55 different countries at the 2015 Fulbright Global Health Innovations Seminar.

UK iCAT System Provides Convenience for Int’l. Students, Staff and Scholars

By Yan Wang

UKIC Facilitates Communities of Global Specialists

By Derrick Meads

The University of Kentucky International Center is creating Communities of Global Specialists (CGS) for seven geographic regions to establish complex interdisciplinary teams that will increase UK’s global presence at home and abroad.

Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) web page. Students and scholars can use their myUK credentials to log in to the iCAT system.

According to Susan Carvalho, associate provost for internationalization, UK has many campus experts who lead thriving international projects, but those projects may walk away if the faculty member moves to another institution.

According to Elizabeth Leibach, director of International Student and Scholar International students and scholars can Services, students and scholars never had access iCAT from their myUK account in- access to e-forms before iCAT. “In the past formation page or from the International students and scholars were required to

“We hope that some of those projects have the potential for turning into institutionally embedded programs rather than being owned by a single faculty member,” Carvalho said. “This will establish a shared

International students and scholars at the University of Kentucky will soon be able to submit requests and access various services by submitting e-forms online through the UK International Center’s new iCAT system.

Continued on pg. 11

Continued on pg. 5

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UK Team Places Second in International Emory Global Health Case Competition

By Yan Wang

The award winning team (from left to right): Nneka Udechukwu, Joshua Gwinn, April Young (assistant professor in the College of Public Health and faculty mentor), Kevin Chen, Ryan McElhose, and Sindhu Nimma.

A multidisciplinary team of five UK students took second place during the 5th annual Emory Global Health Case Competition held March 27-28 at Emory University.

national Commerce; Ryan McElhose, College of Arts & Sciences; Kevin Chen, College of Pharmacy; Nneka Udechukwu, College of Medicine; and Sindhu Nimma, College of Medicine.

The international competition brought together teams from 24 universities across the U.S., as well as Australia and Denmark, to develop strategies for the World Health Organization (WHO) to help meet the emerging health challenges of the 21st century.

The UK team’s performance is particularly impressive given that this was the first year UK participated in the competition. The UK team was chosen through an earlier competition on campus. In that competition, nine teams developed plans to reduce the health and socioeconomic burdens of tobacco in Gujarat, India.

Teams were given one week to develop strategies for reducing gun violence in Honduras and presented their proposals to a panel of judges.

In addition to placing second in the competition, UK students won $3,600 and were also selected by their peers for the Participant’s Choice Award for the best executed presentation and solution.

The UK team included Joshua Gwinn, Patterson School of Diplomacy & Inter-

Each team received a 20-plus-page scenario about gun violence in Honduras, one of the most violent countries in the world, and presented a solution to a panel of judges.

“We were overwhelmed with amount of obstacles we had to consider in the hope of presenting a pragmatic case that would reduce gun violence,” McEl-

hose said. “We had to look at the drug trade, anti-corruption, gang violence and social structures to name a few. Once we realized that we will be taking a multi-faceted approach, we were able to bring our strengths to the case.”

April Young, assistant professor in the College of Public Health and faculty mentor, said the team did a great job in representing UK. “It was incredible,” Young said. “They were up against top-ranked schools, such as Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Emory and University of California, Berkeley. I was really proud of them, and I think they represented UK really well.”

“We have that relaxed environment because we spent time getting to know each other,” McElhose said. “So we understood who would be effective delivering certain parts of the case. I think that team cohesiveness was important in this competition.”

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Interprofessional Teamwork Prepares Students to Serve in Ecuador

By Yan Wang

UK students are learning to work effectively as interprofessional teams to provide health services to individuals and communities in an international setting.

The Interprofessional Teamwork in Global Health course is part of Shoulder to Shoulder Global’s (STSG) Ecuador brigade program. STSG is a UK unit that engages multiple academic and community partners to improve the health and well-being of impoverished communities overseas.

Students who are enrolled in this course will work directly with patients and community members in Ecuador to provide care in areas such as medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, communication disorders and public health.

Students from the College of Arts and Sciences can also take this course to utilize and improve their Spanish interpretation skills.

The course is divided into two portions: a classroom portion and a one-week brigade portion.

The classroom portion is conducted in a traditional classroom setting where students will attend five regular-class meetings at UK, where they will learn about Ecuador through reading materials and discussions with peers.

Students will receive one credit hour after completing the classroom portion of the course. Lynn English, associate professor and director of clinical education, said the classroom portion is necessary and beneficial for students.

“I think students feel much more relaxed about traveling to Ecuador once they have this information,” English said. “Specifically they will learn background information about the community in which they will be working, some exposure to the other people with whom they will be traveling, information about Ecuador as a country and the health care systems there.”

The brigade portion this year includes three trips: March 14-22, May 15-24 and

Alternative Service Break student learns from community leader during STSG service-learning project.

August 7-16. Students will be traveling to Santo Domingo, Ecuador to provide health services to local communities.

English said STSG has established a permanent health clinic in Santo Domingo, Ecuador, where people have access to a variety of health care services. Students will not only work at the clinic, but will also visit local families and indigenous villages in Ecuador.

From a physical therapist perspective, English said the practice of physical therapy in Ecuador is very different than it is in the U.S. because of the lack of resources.

Despite the limitations, English said the experience is valuable and unforgettable.

“It’s a very rewarding experience. The families we meet are genuinely grateful and are eager to receive care,” English said. “We teach them how to manage their health conditions, like spinal pain or knee pain, or the results of a stroke or other neurological problems. We are helping them learn how to improve their health conditions.”

English said this course provides a good opportunity for students to learn the fundamental aspect of health service while embracing a different culture.

“If they have any interest at all in global health conditions, experiencing another culture and learning how to work in a team and in an environment that is not very high-tech, this will be a very rich learning experience,” English said. “It takes you to the very basics of the profession … and to the basics of what you can provide to people who are in need. “ Paige Bordy, a third year doctor of physical therapy student, said the brigade experience was educational and valuable. ”I learned how to be more creative and how to take advantage of the resources available to me,” Bordy said. “I also learned how important it is for all of the medical professions to work together.”

For more information about Shoulder to Shoulder Global visit: www.uky.edu/ international/shoulder_to_shoulder.

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Education Abroad Grant Supports UK Faculty-Directed Programs

By Yan Wang

Education Abroad at the University of Kentucky awarded Program Development Grants to five UK faculty members to support their international travels for the purpose of establishing faculty-directed education abroad programs.

“This grant provides program directors with the opportunity to gain on-site familiarity with their program details,” said Miko McFarland, assistant director of Education Abroad.

Program Development Grants are reviewed by the Education Abroad Committee (EAC) of the International Advisory Council, who makes the recommendation to the associate provost of internationalization for final approval.

“The committee looks to see how the intended program will promote global competency and further internationalization initiatives at UK,” McFarland said.

“The committee also considers the overall viability, academic interest and sustainability of the intended faculty-directed program.”

The EAC also seeks proposals that will bring diversity to UK’s current education abroad program portfolio.

“We look to see if the faculty-directed program includes a nontraditional destination, such as locations beyond Western Europe, and/or meaningful community engagement opportunities,” said McFarland. “Inclusion of traditionally underrepresented populations in education abroad (minority students, first generation, nontraditional students, STEM disciplines, etc.) is also taken into consideration.”

The Education Abroad Program Development Grant recipients are: Joseph Dvorak, assistant professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, will be traveling to Germany to build a program in which students can take a required course for the biosystems and agricultural engineering major.

Brent Rowell, professor in the Department of Horticulture, training a farmer in Burma to use low-cost, drip-irrigation systems.

Brent Rowell, professor in the Department of Horticulture, will develop a program that focuses on sustainable systems in horticultural and agronomic crop production along with examining potential improvements in production and marketing in Cuba.

Eric Grulke, professor in chemical engineering, is developing a course in which students will learn about the development of renewable energy from biomass in Brazil.

Jayoung Koo, assistant professor in landscape architecture, will travel to South Korea to develop a course that will study the dynamic evolution of the South Korean landscape over time.

Eun Young Kim, lecturer in the School of Interiors, is building a six-week program that will consist of a five-week studio and lecture series in South Korea followed by a one-week seminar in Tokyo, Japan. Students on the program will learn about architectural history from a non-Western perspective, and gain an understanding of the relationships between socio-cul-

tural conditions, geographical locations and the built environment in Asia.

As a South Korea immigrant, Kim wants to develop a program to share South Korean culture and history with students at UK. “What I found at UK is that many students are only familiar with Western cultures,” Kim said. “I did a cultural project for my studio, and students who participated were kind of shocked that Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and China, have different design principles and philosophies.”

Kim said that in the design industry, potential employers often prefer designers who have a global perspective. She said this program would help students be more creative and competitive in the job market.

Kim said the grant helped her develop her program.

“Having this grant is very helpful,” Kim said. “It really motivated me and made me committed to do the program better.”

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UK Hosts 100 Intl. Fulbright Students For Global Health Seminar (continued from pg. 1) “Through this enrichment seminar, Fulbright students developed a better understanding of contemporary U.S. life and culture, as well as policy formulation and important global public health issues,” Muck said.

Thomas Mohren, a student from the Netherlands, who is pursuing a Master of Science degree on insect flight at the University of Washington in Seattle, said the seminar was about networking and learning about different cultures.

“The most interesting thing for me was meeting with people from all over the world,” Mohren said. “Not just talking about global health related issues, but also how life is in other countries.”

Rama Dhenni, a student from Indonesia, who studies immunology at the University of Cincinnati, said participating in this seminar was a beneficial experience.

Fulbright students volunteering for the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Lexington, Ky.

“I learned a lot about the problems of global health, and how we can be involved to solve those problems,” Dhenni said.

Muck said UK was selected among a wide range of colleges and universities across the nation. She said UK did a good job hosting the event.

mit proposals to host the Global Health Innovations seminar. In selecting our seminar host sites, we look for the most comprehensive and innovative proposals,” Muck said. “The University of Kentucky did a good job reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of global health and drawing on faculty and students across the university’s many colleges.”

“The Fulbright Program invited a diverse group of colleges and universities to sub-

The seminar was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

UKIC Launches Communities of Global Specialists (continued from pg. 1) foundation that will help us be more competitive when grant proposals and RFPs (requests for proposals) cross our desks and where external opportunities converge with our existing expertise.”

Carvalho identified three examples of outcomes that could mark the success of a strategic approach to partnerships: •

•

“Grand Challenge” grants, such as the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Grand Challenges for Development (GCD) grants, which tackle critical and complex development challenges.

A successful and vibrant complex international partnership, such as, for example, Indiana University’s partnership with Moi University in Kenya.

That partnership started in 1989, and now involves almost all colleges at IU and IUPUI. Together they have landed millions of dollars in grants that have helped build the infrastructure of what is now a very successful Kenyan

•

university, and have provided opportunities for hundreds of students on both sides of the partnership.

lia/New Zealand, Latin America, Middle East/North Africa, Russia/Caucasus/Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

A Title VI (National Resource Center) interdisciplinary center. These centers are heavily funded by the Department of Education to create regional centers of expertise in the language and culture of particular countries or parts of the world. Many of UK’s peer universities house one or more of these centers, but there are none in the state of Kentucky.

UKIC has developed a web page for each region that includes a list of current and past projects, partnerships and a listserv.

Visit: www.uky.edu/international/regions.

“These are goals that no single college can accomplish and that require interdisciplinary teams and expertise,” said Carvalho. “Of course, individual successes and college-based successes form the foundation for any of these types of programs — but these are three examples of what we mean about moving from projects to programs.”

The geographic regions comprising the CGSs include: Asia, China, Europe/Austra-

Carvalho said the CGSs will showcase opportunities that already exist for students and create new opportunities to help them address global challenges.

“The Clinton Global Initiative is an example of the harnessing of young people’s vision and innovation in addressing the problems of their generation,” Carvalho said. “So as we build these communities, we can connect students with engaged and meaningful problem-solving opportunities.”

In addition to serving current UK students, the CGSs can also help recruit prospective, high-quality international students to UK’s campus.

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UK College of Dentistry Partners with Chilean University for Exchange

By Ann Blackford

Two dental students from Universidad de los Andes in Santiago, Chile, recently discovered that dental education in the United States and Chile is very similar though techniques may vary somewhat.

Daniela Arrano Scharager, 23, and Alberto Del Real Valdes, 24, were in their final semester when they arrived on the University of Kentucky campus last fall as part of the newly formed student exchange program at the UK College of Dentistry.

Scharager and Valdes gained valuable clinical experience working with patients alongside UK dental faculty and students, but their cultural experience outside the clinic was also significant.

“We don’t have football in Chile. While we were here we went to several football games and tailgate parties with faculty and students,” Scharager said. “We also visited Keeneland. Everyone has been so nice and hospitable.”

Scharager and Valdes began their sixyear dental education immediately following high school as is customary in Chile. Faculty members at their university arranged for them to participate in the student exchange program before graduating in December from the Universidad de los Andes.

Scharager plans to pursue a career in periodontics while Valdes plans to go into orthodontics.

The Chilean students said they found the courses at UK to be practical and very useful in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. They also appreciated the amount of clinical contact they experienced with hard-to-treat patients that they feel will help them in their careers.

The idea for a student exchange program came to fruition through a series of faculty visits between the two institutions.

Several years ago, Dr. Jeff Okeson, professor of Orofacial Pain, and Don Falace, professor emeritus at the UK College of Dentistry, were initially invited as guest

Chilean students Daniela Arrano Scharager and Alberto Del Real Valdes at a tailgate party.

lecturers when they and Dr. Christian Bravo Palma, vice dean of the School of Dentistry at Universidad de los Andes, forged a relationship and the beginnings of an exchange program.

The Dean of the Dental School in Chile invited UK’s College of Dentistry Dean Sharon Turner to visit in May 2013, and a delegation from Chile visited UK the following October.

A memorandum of agreement for exchanges of faculty and students, as well as participation in collaborative research, was established.

The Universidad de los Andes (UDLA) is a 26-year-old private research university located on the northeast side of Santiago, the capital of Chile, and nestled in the Andes Mountains. UDLA is comprised of 22 undergraduate and 82 graduate programs which emphasize research, innovation, and development. The dental program is 13 years old.

“Culturally, we have a common vision and share the same values as you do here at UK,” Bravo Palma said. “The people here are very hospitable and there is a strong

sense of community and family. This is a place where our students can be protected and nurtured.”

The agreement was signed at UK in October 2013 after satisfying all of the requirements of UK and the International Center.

“Setting up an agreement of this nature takes a lot of time, onsite visits and meetings with key administrators and faculty,” Turner said. “We are very careful to make certain that agreements provide an enriching experience for our students. In this case, it was clear to me from my initial meetings with Dean Jose Antonio Giménez that his philosophy and desires for his students was in complete harmony with ours at UK. This is truly a ‘win-win’ situation for both institutions.”

Scharager and Valdes say they enjoyed their time at UK and highly recommend interested students to study in Santiago for an externship experience.

“It’s going to be an awesome experience,” Scharager said. “You are going to travel and learn new ways to do the same treatments.”

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UK Engineering Senior Helps Design a Future for Ugandan Students

By Whitney Harder and Jenny Wells

Jonathan Kellogg (fourth from left), civil engineering senior, journeyed to the Ugandan cities of Kampala and Jinja to help lay the groundwork for the Amazima Academy.

“Despite how challenging a major or career is, it’s worth it to me because I know it’s going to make other people’s lives better,” said Jonathan Kellogg, a senior studying civil engineering at the University of Kentucky.

gaining hands-on experience as a soonto-be engineer, but also devoting himself to a greater mission: laying the groundwork for the Amazima Academy, eventually educating hundreds of Ugandan students.

Civil engineers are responsible for shaping the society around them and have made modern lifestyles possible, and are still working to improve conditions for others around the world. Kellogg, not yet graduated, has already begun to channel his skills and education into advancing the lives of others.

“To know that all the hours I was spending creating designs in AutoCAD, our software for drafting the design work, would one day be built and that 800 to 900 children — who would not otherwise have had an education — would be able to have that is a tremendous privilege,” Kellogg said.

He journeyed to the Ugandan cities of Kampala and Jinja in the fall of 2014, where he spent the semester not only

The Amazima Christian boarding school will provide education to secondary students, focused on problem solving, cre-

ative thinking and the entrepreneurial skills necessary for students to better themselves and their families after graduation. Still in its early stages of development, the organization has utilized volunteers from abroad to design plans for the campus.

Kellogg, who views civil engineering as a public service, completed his trip through Engineering Ministries International, a nonprofit Christian development organization comprising architects, engineers and design professionals who donate their skills to help children and families around the world. Still enrolled as a full-time student and earning credit for his work in Uganda, Kellogg also received scholarships from the UK College of Engineering that helped fund his trip.

Continued on pg. 8

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UK Engineering Senior Helps Ugandan Students (continued from pg. 7) Although it was an opportunity that no doubt offered unique professional experiences to Kellogg, he personally viewed it more as a mission trip, following in his grandparents’ footsteps who served as missionaries in Kenya. “My faith was the main motivator,” he said.

But his education and experience also helped him succeed in a variety of tasks — some that may seem to have little impact in the U.S., but are significant improvements in the East African country, such as drafting the site utility plan and electrical and plumbing plans, creating a water distribution model, and designing the wastewater treatment system, among other responsibilities.

“The wastewater was a unique situation because there was no municipal city wastewater line to tap into. So all of the wastewater has to be treated on site, which was a big responsibility,” Kellogg said. “It was probably the most intense part of the project…figuring out how to treat all of this wastewater for 800 students, plus however many faculty.”

Not only was the scope of the project intense, but so too was the impact. Without the system, contaminated water and soil could cause illnesses ranging from viral gastroenteritis to cholera. According to World Health Organization data, two million annual deaths are attributable to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene. As organizations around the world continue their efforts to reduce that number, the plans Kellogg worked on are especially important for the success of the school.

Jonathan Kellogg, civil engineering senior, in Uganda.

“As a school and as a country, they need to develop structures and roads that support clean water and to develop an effective wastewater system,” Kellogg said.

But Kellogg realizes the change has to be a realistic improvement for it to be lasting. Take, for example, his plans for pit latrines, instead of western plumbing systems.

“For these children this is a huge step up.

We have the capabilities, the funds, engineering expertise to create very Western accommodations for them, but that isn’t the mission of the school.”

Instead, the goal of the project is to work alongside the local community, joining them in the process of development. And that’s just what Kellogg did, contributing more than just his engineering expertise.

Jonathan Kellogg, civil engineering senior, testing water in Uganda.

He also personally served those in need

around the community. On Saturdays, he ventured into neighborhoods where he and others would reach out to orphans — feeding them and playing games with them.

After returning to the U.S., Kellogg realized how beneficial it is to study engineering in Uganda, which provided more expertise to bring to the table when working in developing nations. Every country has a different climate, soil types and engineering problems, but that fundamental base of engineering education is essential, he said.

The civil engineering senior is also pursuing a master’s in business administration at UK after he graduates, but his goal isn’t necessarily to become a CEO or to revamp an entire third-world nation; he says it is to simply “serve wherever I am, however I can.”

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Muslim Students, Faculty Reassured of Inclusion

By Gail Hairston

Members of the Muslim Student Association were honored at a reception hosted by President Eli Capilouto at Maxwell House,

The University of Kentucky Muslim Student Association, an organization with a sustained 43-year history on campus, was honored last February at a reception hosted by President Eli Capilouto at Maxwell House, the university president’s official campus home.

to hear a general statement in favor of diversity, but it is another when the president addresses you personally and says that you are welcome here.”

“The idea behind the reception was to make a statement to the Muslim students and faculty at UK that they are welcome here and also to make a statement to the UK community that UK’s commitment to diversity includes Muslims,” said the student organization’s faculty adviser Ihsan Bagby, associate professor of Arabic and Islamic studies in the UK College of Arts and Sciences.

“Honestly, I did not know what to expect going into the event when I initially was told about it in early January,” said Emaan Qureshi, president of the UK Muslim Student Association.

In December, UK President Eli Capilouto contacted Bagby, an expert on the American Muslim community, to begin planning for the event, months before the tragic events in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that took the lives of three young Muslims.

“The students were ecstatic at meeting the president and hearing his message of inclusiveness,” said Bagby. “It is one thing

Students agreed with Bagby’s assessment of the event.

“One thing that stood out was Dr. Capilouto’s words about the three young Muslim students in Chapel Hill who were murdered the day before the reception took place,” she said. “After that, I could feel a sense of relief had taken over the room.

Many MSA members, including myself, felt personally connected to what happened in North Carolina. The similarities between us and the three young lives lost made this tragedy hit too close to home.”

“As a student on any college campus,” said Qureshi, “feeling safe should never be in question, and I know that after hearing Dr. Capilouto acknowledge and condemn

this act of hate helped many students feel much more comfortable.”

Bagby said Capilouto talked with “almost every participant,” asking about his or her background. Students, in turn, asked the president about his background. Bagby said Capilouto talked about growing up in Alabama and knowing what it is like to be a member of a religious minority in America.

“The University of Kentucky is fortunate to have a diverse campus population – in terms of culture, background, ethnicity, identity, religion and perspective,” said President Capilouto. “But exploring the richness of our unique identity and celebrating the array of understandings at UK requires that our campus be inclusive, safe and supportive of all people. That goal is one without end – it is a constant journey and one we are deeply devoted to in all of our endeavors and priorities.”

In a brief message to the gathering, Bagby said, “It is important for people of good will to speak out against discrimination and negative stereotypes against Continued on pg. 10

10 Global Kentucky

UK Awarded Freeman Foundation Grant for Study of Arts, Culture of Inner Mongolia

By Hannah Simoff

The University of Kentucky’s Office of China Initiatives and College of Fine Arts were recently awarded a Freeman Foundation grant, which will provide three faculty and ten UK students with an opportunity to study the arts and culture of Inner Mongolia at Inner Mongolia University (IMU) during the fall semester of 2015.

Dean Michael Tick at UK College of Fine Arts said he is excited to help offer this opportunity to UK students and faculty.

“As our world’s cultures are brought together even faster and more forcefully, a global experience has proven to be an indispensable part of a student’s full college experience. This is the motivation behind our global learning partnership with Inner Mongolia University. We are thrilled to have the support of the Freeman Foundation for our visit to the campus of IMU this fall, where our students and faculty will work collaboratively on a number of projects with IMU’s renowned faculty and highly trained student body.”

A performance at the 2012 “Living Landscapes” festival.

portant to sustain Inner Mongolia’s artistic expression.

IMU is one of only three colleges that specialize in preserving the arts of minorities in China.

Program directors will encourage students to gain appreciation and awareness of the ethnic group. Exact program dates have yet to be scheduled.

According to Huajing Maske, executive director of UK’s Office of China Initiatives and director of the Confucius Institute, Inner Mongolia is one of 56 minority groups in China, which is why it is so im-

This program stems from the success of the “Living Landscapes” partnership among UK’s Confucius Institute and College of Fine Arts and the Art College of

IMU. The partnership began with a visit by a College of Fine Arts delegation to Inner Mongolia led by the Confucius Institute in 2012. “Living Landscapes” included 51 different fine art programs over a one week period in September 2013, which engaged thousands of participants from UK’s campus and the community.

The Freeman Foundation helps make international connections in a world where China is playing an increasing economic and geopolitical role.

Muslim Students, Faculty Reassured of Inclusion (continued from pg. 9) Muslims, because a sizeable percentage of the American public does hold negative views of Islam and Muslims. Muslim students also have a responsibility to counteract negative stereotypes by being involved at UK and the American society as good citizens who promote the common good.”

While Qureshi said she learned that such events are “meaningful in confirming in our hearts and heads the mutual commitment to diversity,” she hoped “the president learned how large of a pres-

ence Muslim students have on campus and that we really do appreciate and can all benefit through student and administrative communication.”

“I think the students were genuinely impressed by the president’s warm gesture of having the reception,” she added, “as evidenced by the numerous selfies that they took with him.”

Founded in 1971, the Muslim Student Association endeavors to make Islamic teachings known to interested non-

Muslims, to promote friendly relations between Muslims and non-Muslims as well as to promote unity and joint action among the UK Muslim community.

The group also strives to educate, mobilize and coordinate students to struggle against injustice and oppression. They conduct social, cultural, religious and other activities in the best traditions of Islam, including community service events at the UK Children’s Hospital and local homeless shelters. With more than 60 active members, MSA includes undergraduate and graduate level students.

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UK Woman’s Club Sponsors Education Abroad Scholarship

By Sarah Geegan, Caroline Pitts

The UK Woman’s Club (UKWC) collaborated with University of Kentucky Education Abroad to create an education abroad scholarship for full-time undergraduate and graduate students at UK. Students must be Kentucky residents with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and demonstrate financial need in order to qualify for the scholarship. Preference is given to nontraditional or underrepresented minority students.

“Finding money for academic study abroad is for many students problematic, and all too frequently for nontraditional students or underrepresented minorities, it is especially so,” Diana Rast, the president-elect of UKWC, said. “UKWC hopes that this year the scholarships will go at least part-way toward solving this problem for some.”

UKWC will work with Education Abroad at UK to form a committee that will select the awardees. A grand total of $2,500 in awards will be made for summer 2015 and fall 2015. The maximum summer award per student is $500, and the maximum fall award per student is $1,000.

“The committee will be looking at merit and need as well as that ‘spark’ that distinguishes the able and motivated student,” Rast said.

Additionally, the UKWC encourages the students to keep a journal of their experience to share with UKWC members upon their return from education abroad. Students’ experiences will be shared in the UKWC newsletter.

Since 1909, the UKWC has provided a welcoming and enriching environment for all women to be part of a group committed to supporting the UK campus and students. Beginning in 1973, UKWC has awarded undergraduate tuition scholarships and graduate fellowships to UK women classified as nontraditional students.

arships is raised through UKWC philanthropy, by means of craft sales, bake sales, plant and yard sales and a holiday appeal among other events. Over the years, UKWC has provided over half a million dollars in aid to UK students.

UK Education Abroad is a unit of the International Center with the primary responsibility to facilitate high-quality, academically-sound and experientially rich study abroad, research abroad, intern abroad, teach abroad and service abroad programs for UK students. Education Abroad at UK also oversees international student exchange programming with our partner universities around the world.

For more information, contact Education Abroad at UK, or visit: www.uky.edu/educationabroad.

The money for the undergraduate schol-

UK iCAT System Provides Convenience (continued from pg. 1) enter information through a fillable form which they printed from the International Center’s website and hand delivered or by attaching to an email,” Leibach said.

• •

With iCAT, students and scholars can type their information directly into the system.

ISSS staff then either accept or request additional information.

“This new system will simplify the process of requesting services and maintaining immigration status for our students and scholars,” said Leibach.

International students and scholars will interface with the iCAT system for a variety of services including the ability to:

• • • •

Enter, view and update information submitted to International Student and Scholar Services Submit electronic form requests for program extensions, travel signatures, driver’s license requests, reduced course load authorization, H-1B employee requests, J-1 exchange scholar requests, etc.

Complete the new student check-in process online Register for programs, events, or workshops offered by UKIC Receive alerts and emails on file that require action Access tax preparation software without the use of an access code

The iCAT system can help incoming international students with the pre-arrival process. It provides a checklist of steps to complete prior to their departure.

The system also supports the hiring process for UK international faculty and staff members.

“International faculty and staff members who are hired by UK require assistance with obtaining work authorization so they can be employed by UK,” Leibach said. “iCAT will help to streamline the international hiring process of UK’s campus.”

Access iCAT at: icat.uky.edu.

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African Students Association Photo Project Debunks Stereotypes About Africa

By Whitney Hale

Students from African Students Association (ASA) holding signs in the Student Center to raise awareness of stereotypes about Africa.

Students from African Students Association (ASA) at the University of Kentucky gathered in the Student Center to participate in a photography project to raise awareness of stereotypes about Africa.

“We organized this event to help the UK community become aware that Africa is not a continent of just poverty,” said Bill Kofi Aboagye, president of UK African Students Association.

About 20 to 30 students participated in the event. Students were holding signs with quotes like “Africa is not a country”, “I do not speak African” and “Africa is not filled with diseases.”

Aboagye said a lot of students at UK have little knowledge about Africa.

“Many times when you run into people

who do not have a lot of information about Africa, most of the things they say are basically stereotypes about the continent,” Aboagye said. “We’re just trying to help people understand what Africa really is.”

Aboagye said that often people are only exposed to the negative side of Africa portrayed by the media. He said it is important to inform people about the positive aspects of Africa.

“Africa is a blessed continent,” Aboagye said. “Africa is not just about war, not just about poverty. It is a land blessed with a lot of natural resources and a very strong labor force. It is supporting the whole world with its resources.”

verse cultural backgrounds to come together and learn about Africa.

“I’m from Nigeria, and I’ve been asked questions like ‘do you run around naked’ or ‘do you ride on zebras’, and that’s just not true,” Olatoyan said, “Having students of other races and cultural background come to this event helps them understand what Africa really is and who we are.”

Yao Yu, a second year graduate student, who participated in the event, said she wanted to showcase African culture to people in China.

“I’m very interested in African culture,” Yu said. “I want to make some videos and introduce the lives of African students at Journalism sophomore Tabitha Olatoyan UK and African culture to Chinese citizens said it is important for students with di- through different Chinese social media platforms.”

Global Kentucky is a quarterly publication highlighting the University of Kentucky’s international initiatives.

Associate Provost for Internationalization: Susan Carvalho

Editor: Derrick Meads

Have a story idea? Contact Derrick Meads at derrick.meads@uky.edu www.uky.edu/International

Contributing Writers: Elizabeth Adams Ann Blackford Sarah Geegan Whitney Hale Gail Hairston

Whitney Harder Caroline Pitts Hannah Simoff Yan Wang Jenny Wells