International Education Week

Bowling Green State University will celebrate International Education Week 2017 Nov. 13-18.

Presented by International Programs and Partnerships, the week is a community celebration of global culture and diversity, with free activities open to all, and opportunities to learn about everything from international careers to international travel.

Highlighting the week on Thursday (Nov. 16) will be a visit by the globetrotting Vagabrothers, award-winning travel videographers photographers and writers. The brothers, Marko and Alex Ayling, are globally engaged storytellers on a mission to explore the planet by connecting with other young people and inspiring viewers to do the same. Students will gain knowledge, advice and general travel tips through the brothers’ experience of visiting more than 30 countries.

Their entertaining talk begins at 7 p.m. in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union.

Students can get important information on working abroad at the International Career Panel Discussion, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 15) in 208 Union. A panel of five professionals with experience working in international education, business, nonprofits and government will share their stories and offer advice to students considering similar careers. Jeffery Jackson, Career Center director, will facilitate the discussion.

The week’s events begin Monday (Nov. 13) when BGSU hosts a naturalization ceremony for 36 new citizens at 11 a.m. in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union. Among those being naturalized are a current student, Ping Liu from China, in the professional MBA program, and former student Matias Razo Alvizo from Mexico, who attended BGSU Firelands from 2009-11.

Two BGSU alumni will officiate: U.S. District Court Magistrate James Knepp, a 1987 BGSU graduate in mass communication, and U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi, a 1983 graduate in political science.

Danijela Tomic, BGSU head women’s volleyball coach, will be the guest speaker. A native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tomic became a U.S. citizen in September.

In honor of the occasion, international student organizations will have displays and information at the tables outside Falcon Outfitters.

That evening, a Diversity and Education Abroad discussion will take place from 6-7 p.m. in 314 Union. A diverse student panel of students who successfully participated in an education abroad experience will share how they overcame barriers both real and perceived.  

On Tuesday, the third generation of Hoskins Global Scholars who have returned from their education abroad stays will give presentations about their experiences from 1-5 p.m. in 201 University Hall.

The second Immigrant Ohio conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom at the Union. Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities grant “Understanding Migration: Local and Global Perspectives,” the day includes panel discussions, keynote speaker Anne Marie McGranaghan, United Nations High Commission for Refugees representative and a BGSU alumna, and a special photo exhibit in the Jerome Library of portraits of refugees from three continents.

Also Tuesday, International Open Mic Night is slated from 7:30-9 p.m. in 101 Olscamp Hall. Led by BGSU’s international student ambassadors, international and domestic students will show off their talents, from standup comedy to music and drama.

On Wednesday, international students and students who have studied abroad will be honored during the BGSU football game at 7 p.m. at Doyt Perry Stadium. The team will take the field running through a tunnel of flags carried by students. Participants will receive a T-shirt if they register by Nov. 10.

On Friday, ELS Language Services will present its third annual “Passport to Diversity” from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the second-floor student lounge at the Union. More than 50 international students currently attending ELS will display information about and goods and food from their countries. Visitors can get a stamp from each of the 12 tables and turn in their completed passports to be eligible for a prize drawing. The event is also an opportunity to learn more about ELS and volunteer opportunities to become conversation partners and/or host families for international students.

The holiday season kicks off  Friday evening, when BGSU’s international students will play a role in the annual Bowling Green Community Tree Lighting at the Wood County District Public Library, 251 N. Main St. They and students who have studied abroad have worked in the International Programs and Partnerships office making ornaments representing their countries to help decorate the tree. Demonstrating the community’s appreciation of diversity, an international student will flip the switch at 7 p.m. to bring the lights to life.

Appropriately, the week winds up with a global feast. The International Dinner, from 6-9 p.m. Saturday in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom at the Union, will feature a buffet including Brazilian entrées and French desserts. Hosted by the World Student Association, the evening is a celebration of global food, music, fashion and dance. Individual tickets are $15, and tables for 10 may be reserved for the discounted price of $140. Visit the information desk at the Union or contact Kobe Huynh at hhuynh@bgsu.edu.