In Brief: November 16

Symposium addresses ‘Immigrant Ohio: Past, Present, Future’

In October 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 and established a new immigration policy focused on reuniting immigrant families and attracting skilled labor to the U.S. The act abolished the national-origins policy that was in place at that time since it was considered discriminatory and backward.

A one-day symposium commemorating the 50th anniversary of this act will be held on Thursday (Nov. 19) at BGSU to discuss the act and how it changed the demographic makeup of the American population, especially in Ohio. The symposium is hosted by the Department of Ethnic Studies and the School of Cultural and Critical Studies.

“Immigrant Ohio: Past, Present, Future” will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in 228 Bowen-Thompson Student Union. Five panel discussions are planned throughout the symposium. The first session, at 9:30 a.m., is “Immigrant Ohio: Past and Present.” Panelists include Jacqui Guevara, community relations officer; and Karyn Zarlenga, Cleveland Field Office director, both from Citizenship and Immigration Services; Denise Case, from the International Institute in Toledo; and William Meyer, a Toledo attorney.

At 10:50 a.m., “Refugees in Ohio” will be the focus of the second panel, which will feature representatives Nadia Kasvin and Corine Dehabey, both of U.S. Together; Tariq Tarey, a visual ethnographer from Columbus, and Peter Ujvagi of Toledo.

The afternoon panels will include “Migrants in the Shadows,” “Immigrant Ohio: Future Trends” and “Migrant Perspectives.” Panelists for “Migrants in the Shadows,” which starts at 1 p.m., include Euginio Mollo of ABLE; Dr. Jose Salinas, Ohio Migrant Education Center, Fremont; Beatriz Maya, La Conexion of Wood County; and a representative from FLOC, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee.

Brittany Ford and Sarah Allen of Welcome Toledo-Lucas County will speak on “Welcome Toledo-Lucas County: Immigration and Local Economies.” This panel will highlight future trends toward immigration. The panel begins at 2:20 p.m. and will be moderated by Bowling Green Mayor Richard Edwards.

The final panel, “Migrant Perspectives,” begins at 3:30 p.m. Dr. Aruna Matani, a retired physician from Toledo, and J.J. Kawashima of Bowling Green will provide the immigrant’s perspectives on life in Ohio since the 1970s. Cherrefe Kadri, president of the Islamic Center in Perrysburg, will speak about the experiences of the Muslim population in northwest Ohio.

Read more information.

STEM Teaching Symposium to feature 50 speakers

The Northwest Ohio Center for Excellence in STEM Education (NWO) at the University will hold its annual STEM Teaching Symposium on Saturday (Nov. 21) from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Olscamp Hall. The conference features over 50 speakers providing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education workshops and presentations. The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Dr. Daniel Brahier, a BGSU Professor of Teaching Excellence in the College of Education and Human Development.

Brahier’s presentation – “Science and Mathematics for a New Generation” – will focus on the use of research-based teaching practices in classrooms of today and the future. He will explore the role that critical thinking plays in the STEM classroom and how educators can work toward the same goals.

A passionate and dedicated educator for 35 years, Brahier continues to have a tremendous impact on mathematics education nationwide. He has written several books, including the top-selling textbook for middle and high school mathematics teacher preparation. He is also the co-author of “Principles to Actions,” an NCTM-published guidebook centered on mastering teaching practices with core principles for today’s educators. Brahier has spent much of the last year traveling around the country speaking about “Principles to Actions” and where mathematics education is headed.

The presentations for the symposium are organized in seven categories:

1. Research-based Instructional Practices in the College Classroom: Enhancing the Undergraduate Experience

2. STEM in the Community: Thinking Outside the Classroom

3.Putting Creativity to Work: Teaching STEM with Innovation

4. Integrating Technology in the Classroom

5. Teaching and Learning in Science

6. Teaching and Learning in Mathematics

7. Teaching and Learning in Engineering

Pre-registration for attendance is available online and offers a multiple party discount. A registration fee of $35 includes light breakfast, full lunch, and a conference bag. Seven hours of CEUs are available. See the conference website.

Commencement volunteers needed

Faculty, staff and retirees are encouraged to participate in fall commencement ceremonies. Volunteers are needed both for the 7 p.m. Dec. 18 and the 10 a.m. Dec. 19 events.

Visit the online sign-up form to review position descriptions and time commitments, and to register as a volunteer.

For more information, email commencement@bgsu.edu or call 419-372-2774.