International Education Week hits UA
Maiko Michishita
Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: News
The annual International Education Week begins today and will go through Friday Nov. 21, and it will connect international members of the UA community with other students, faculty and staff.
International Education Week, organized by International Students and Scholars, focuses on international students, faculty and staff, as well as students who have studied abroad or do research internationally. Throughout this week, students can interact with those people and recognize the opportunities UA students have to get involved with international education.
Though the celebration only lasts a week, the goal is to make people recognize the purpose of IEW and be aware of their opportunities to get involved with international people at the UA, said Matthew Sokoloski, an ISS program coordinator.
International Education Week is a nationwide celebration started in 2000 by a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of this week is "to promote international understanding and build support for international educational exchange by encouraging the development of programs that prepare Americans to live and work in a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study in the United States," according to the IEW Web site.
"Every year, [IEW] is always something different," said Cynthia Smith, another ISS program coordinator who has worked for eight and a half year at the ISS office.
What IEW will be like depends on the idea and creativity of students, faculty and staff this year, she said. Devoting a week to just international education is one way to bring out international students' strength at the UA, she said.
This year's IEW has "two bookends," the International Bazaar on Monday and the Study Abroad Fair on Friday, Sokoloski said. People can get to know international students at the UA and know about their countries through a variety of international students' organizations on Monday and Friday. People also may meet the students who have studied abroad and hear their experiences, he said.
International Education Week, organized by International Students and Scholars, focuses on international students, faculty and staff, as well as students who have studied abroad or do research internationally. Throughout this week, students can interact with those people and recognize the opportunities UA students have to get involved with international education.
Though the celebration only lasts a week, the goal is to make people recognize the purpose of IEW and be aware of their opportunities to get involved with international people at the UA, said Matthew Sokoloski, an ISS program coordinator.
International Education Week is a nationwide celebration started in 2000 by a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of this week is "to promote international understanding and build support for international educational exchange by encouraging the development of programs that prepare Americans to live and work in a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study in the United States," according to the IEW Web site.
"Every year, [IEW] is always something different," said Cynthia Smith, another ISS program coordinator who has worked for eight and a half year at the ISS office.
What IEW will be like depends on the idea and creativity of students, faculty and staff this year, she said. Devoting a week to just international education is one way to bring out international students' strength at the UA, she said.
This year's IEW has "two bookends," the International Bazaar on Monday and the Study Abroad Fair on Friday, Sokoloski said. People can get to know international students at the UA and know about their countries through a variety of international students' organizations on Monday and Friday. People also may meet the students who have studied abroad and hear their experiences, he said.
Be the first to comment on this story