Recognizing the need to expandGeorgia College’s reach into East Asia,Dr. Dwight Call, assistant vice presidentfor international education, invited thedozen Chinese faculty teaching atGeorgia College to a meeting in theInternational Education Center lastAugust to discuss ways to increaseChinese student recruitment from boththe People’s Republic of China andTaiwan, as well as to develop partner-ships for exchange of faculty and stu-dents. Many of GC’s best overseas part-nerships have been built on relationshipsalready established by faculty.Following the meeting, Dr. Jiaqin

Yang, professor of management, invited agroup of administrators from XihuaUniversity (XHU) in Chengdu, capital ofSichuan Province in Southwest China, tovisit Georgia College and discuss possi-bilities. In early December Dr. Tsu-MingChiang, professor of psychology, corre-sponded with psychology colleagues andvisited the Taipei Municipal University of

Education (TMUE), where a memoran-dum of understanding was signed estab-lishing an exchange relationshipbetween GC and TMUE. Both XHU andTMUE offer many of the same programsas GC in the arts, humanities, sciences,business and education. TMUE has a his-tory similar to Georgia College’s and inAugust will change its name to theUniversity of Taipei. While in Taipei, Dr.Chiang also made contact with Shih HsinUniversity, which expressed an interestin expanding its international relation-ships.In April Interim Provost Dr. Matthew

Liao-Troth and Dr. Call visited the threeuniversities, Xihua University inChengdu, China, and Taipei MunicipalUniversity of Education and Shih HsinUniversity in Taipei, Taiwan. In prepara-tion, they solicited the assistance of fac-ulty in translating a recruitmentbrochure into both traditional and sim-plified Chinese, the former for Taiwanand the latter for mainland China.The morning after Drs. Liao-Troth and

Call made the long flight from Atlanta toTokyo and onward to Taipei, they were

welcomed at SHU and given a tour of the-beautiful campus by Jennifer Lin fromthe Office of Public Affairs. VicePresident James Hsiung welcomed theGeorgia College administrators, and Dr.Liao-Troth responded with appreciation.The administrators discussed additionalpossibilities beyond the exchange of fac-ulty and students, and Drs. Liao-Troth

and Hsiung signed a memorandum ofunderstanding that may be followed upby additional agreements.In the afternoon of that first morning,

Drs. Liao-Troth and Call visited theEducationUSA center in Taipei, part of aglobal network of more than 400 advisingcenters worldwide that is supported bythe Bureau of Educational and Cultural

Terra Nostra*Terra Nostra*SPRING 2013 *Latin for “Our World”

Published each semester by the International Education Center of Georgia College. Available online at gcsu.edu/international

INDEX

New Connections with Taiwan and China............................1

Dr. Dwight Call Retires after 16 years Leading International Education ...................1

Study on Exchange in Taiwan .........3

Returning to Japan..........................5

28th Annual International Dinner ....6

Global Citizenship Symposium........8

Guest Lecturer funded by the Halle Foundation.......................9

A Weekend as a Yemen Delegate..............................9

Alumni News .................................10

From Macon to Azbairjan..............11

New Connections with Taiwan and China

Dr. Dwight Call retires after 16 yearsleading International Education

r

- Libby Davis, Associate Director,International Education Center

After 16 and a half years at the helmof International Education at GeorgiaCollege, Dr. Dwight Call, assistant vicepresident for International Education, isretiring this June. When he came toGeorgia College in January 1997, thefoundation of international educationhad been laid, but Dr. Call was the onewho elevated it to a new level and over-saw tremendous growth in internationalprograms and initiatives at GeorgiaCollege. When he first arrived, you could

count on one or two hands the numberof students who studied abroad. Now,the numbers consistently top 200 eachyear, with 25 percent of all graduateshaving completed a study abroad experi-ence. The number of partner universi-ties worldwide has grown and flour-ished, and international services devel-oped into an expanded and centralizedInternational Education Center. Dwight brought to Georgia College

long years of experience in communitydevelopment, an expertise in workingwith inbound and outbound studentsand knowledge of the nuts and bolts ofdeveloping semester study abroad pro-

grams in Oceania and Africa. At GeorgiaCollege he worked tirelessly on interna-tionalizing the curriculum, working withfaculty on developing new faculty-ledstudy programs abroad, and to ensurethat Georgia’s Public Liberal ArtsUniversity has an international andintercultural emphasis that is recog-nized across the State of Georgia.Dwight’s collaborative approach with

faculty and staff built widespread sup-port for international education acrosscampus. He spearheaded many joint ini-tiatives, including securing grant moneythat led to internationalization of thecurriculum in several departments and

President Weiguo Sun of Xihua University (left) in Chengdu, China, andInterim Provost Matthew Liao-Troth of Georgia College sign memoran-dum of understanding.

See CONNECTIONS, p.2

See CALL, p.4

gcsu.edu/international

2

GEORGIA COLLEGE

Steve DormanPresident

Tom OrmondAssociate Provost

INTERNATIONALEDUCATIONCENTER STAFF:

Dwight CallAssistant Vice President for International Education

Libby Davis Associate Director andInternational Student Adviser

Scott TerryStudy Abroad Adviser

Liz HaveyStudy Abroad Adviser

Jason WynnInternational AdmissionsCounselor

Mary AndersonSecretary

Lucine Colignon and Sarah ProchaskaInterns

Sarah Crile and Jhadelys ReyesStudent Workers

Location: The Bone HousePhone: 478-445-4789Fax: 478-445-2623Campus Box 49

Georgia College, Georgia's designatedPublic Liberal Arts University, combines theeducational experience expected atesteemed private liberal arts colleges withthe affordability of public higher education.Its four colleges - arts and sciences, business, education and health sciences -provide 6,600 undergraduate and graduatestudents with an exceptional learning envi-ronment that extends beyond the class-room, with hands-on involvement in facultyresearch, community service, residential learning communities, studyabroad and myriad internships.

Interim Provost Matthw Liao-Troth (left) and Assistant VicePresident for International Education Dr. Dwight Call (right)with Shih Hsin University of Taipei’s Vice President JamesC. Hsiung after the signing of a memorandum of under-standing between the two institutions.

Drs. Dwight Call (second from right) and Matthew Liao-Troth (right) met with Acting President Chun-Rong Liu (cen-ter) and other administrators at Taipei Municipal Universityof Education in Taiwan.

Drs. Liao-Troth (left) and Call (center) met with TaipeiMunicipal University of Education’s first exchange studentsscheduled to come to Georgia for fall semester 2013:Cheng-Hsuan “Danny” Han and Chuan-Yueh “Sophia”Wang. Second from the left was an exchange student fromCOPLAC’s University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, amember of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges(COPLAC).

Auditorium full of Xihua University students interested instudying on exchange at Georgia College.

Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. The ECA fostersmutual understanding between the United States. andother countries by promoting personal, professional andinstitutional ties between private citizens and organiza-tions in the United States and abroad. Among other tasks,EducationUSA centers advise students interested in study-ing in the United States. Drs. Liao-Troth and Call were wel-comed by Clarence Jingping Fu, center coordinator, had anopportunity to discuss Georgia College, and were able tohelp a couple of students interested in studying in theUnited States.The second full day in Taipei was spent by Drs. Liao-

Troth and Call at TMUE, a short walk from the hotel wherethey were staying, accompanied by Counselor Hogan Tsaifrom the Division of International Exchange. Located inthe central district of Taipei City, the campus is surroundedby many national government buildings in an extremelysafe part of the city. The university is very near importantarts and educational institutions such as National CentralLibrary, the National Theater and the National ConcertHall, Nan-hi Learning Garden and several junior high andelementary schools.At TMUE fruitful discussions followed with various fac-

ulty and administrators, including Division Chief forInternational Exchange Dr. Jun-Yi Hsieh and ActingPresident Dr. Chun-Ron Liu, and interest in sharing doubledegrees surfaced. Following lunch Drs. Liao-Troth and Callhad a tour of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall andenjoyed seeing TMUE’s lovely campus. Finally they had anenjoyable time meeting with two students who have beenaccepted on exchange for fall semester at GC.From Taipei Drs. Liao-Troth and Call flew to Chengdu,

changing planes in Macau, a special administrative regionof the People’s Republic of China that is heavily dependenton gambling and tourism and was administered by Portugalfrom the mid-16th century until 1999. Dr. Jiachuan ZHANG,who visited Georgia College in the fall as director of XihuaUniversity’s Office of International Cooperation andExchange, met the two at the airport in Chengdu and tookthem to the Yinhe Dynasty Hotel in the center of the city,where they were hosted by XHU.At XHU Drs. Liao-Troth and Call had a very full day and

were quite impressed by the quality of the students. In themorning they gave a presentation in English to an auditori-um filled with 150 students interested in studying onexchange in the United States. Many students revealed intheir questions that they understand the differences ineducation offered at Chinese and U.S. institutions of highereducation. Following the presentation they were joined by

President Weiguo Sun, Vice President Jian Ping He andothers for a formal signing of a memorandum of under-standing between GC and XHU. Lunch was a sumptuousbanquet that included many toasts to good health and thefuture relationship between the two schools. After lunchDirector Luo Bo led Drs. Liao-Troth and Call on a tour ofthe large, beautiful and spacious campus, followed by a tripto the Chengdu Panda Base of Giant Panda Breeding thatis dedicated to giant panda conservation and developinghumane living areas for giant pandas, red pandas, andother Chinese endangered animals.As the week in Taiwan and China drew to a close, Drs.

Liao-Troth and Call rode to the Chengdu ShuangliuInternational Airport on their last day together and reflect-ed on the success of their ventures in Taiwan and thePeople’s Republic of China. The first visible proof of thatsuccess will be the welcoming of two exchange studentsfrom Taipei Municipal University of Education in MusicTherapy and Psychology and the hosting of two facultymembers from Xihua University in Computer Science andFinance, but they anticipate much more successful collab-oration to come.

CONNECTIONS, from p.1

3

- Dr. Tsu-Ming Chiang, Professor of Psychology

The world has become globally connect-ed. Therefore, it is imperative for 21st-cen-tury learners to be acquainted with globalissues and be educated about cultural influ-ences on beliefs and practices in order tobuild cultural sensitivity. As the Chinesepopulation has grown globally, learningmore about the Chinese and Chinese cul-ture is important in the 21st century. A pri-mary goal of the University System ofGeorgia Board of Regents is that “all USGstudents attain an appropriate level ofinternational knowledge and understand-ing that enables them to participate fullyand successfully in a global society.”Dr. Dwight Call, assistant vice president

for International Education, called a meet-ing in August 2012 to discuss internationaleducation opportunities for GeorgiaCollege students in China and Taiwan.Faculty members who had previous experi-ence and connections with those countriesvolunteered to explore various studyabroad opportunities. With extensive expe-rience and background in Taiwanese cul-ture and its educational system, Dr. J.F. Yaoand I began researching and assessing thebest educational opportunities for GC stu-dents. We examined the size of the univer-sity, university reputation, programsoffered and the location of the universitythat will provide the best cultural experi-ences for our students. We found such apublic university with emphasis on a liberalarts education and excellent teaching withsimilar growth and development to theGeorgia College. The Taipei MunicipalUniversity of Education (TMUE) estab-lished in 1895 is located in metropolitanTaipei.

“Located at the central district of TaipeiCity, the campus of Taipei MunicipalUniversity of Education … adjoins to thoseimportant arts and educational institutessuch as the National Central Library, theNational Theater and the National ConcertHall, Nan-hi Learning Garden and severaljunior high and elementary schools. Inaddition, the public recreation grounds,including the 228 Memorial Park, ChiangKai-shek Memorial Hall and the TaipeiBotanical Garden, is within walk distance.Taking advantages of the abundance, diver-sity and vitality of an energetic city, the uni-versity presents unique aspects of metro-politan academic organization.”- quotedfrom the TMUE website.After a series of email exchanges, I was

invited to give two speeches and visit TMUEin celebrating the university’s 117 years ofhistory in a psychology lecture series.

During my trip, a memorandum of under-standing was signed establishing anexchange program for students and facultybetween our two universities. Taiwan is a country with five thousand

years of rich history and culture that stilluses the traditional Chinese calligraphy,yet embraces many modern advances. It isalso an island with multiple cultural influ-ences in its recent history as Dutch andthen Japanese colony. Students and facultycan sample traditional Chinese culturalartifacts and a wide range of Chinesecuisines, along with modern technology,convenient transportation transit system inTaipei, and fast speed train system connect-ing the north and south of Taiwan. TMUE’s strong belief in cultural

exchange as part of its excellent educa-tional system has led the TMUE presidentto set aside funds to support exchange stu-dents with free lodging during the time ofexchange. Additionally, a “buddy” system isin place to pair each exchange student witha native Taiwanese student to aid the cul-tural exploration and learning in and out ofclassrooms. With mutual understanding,both GC and TMUE agree to allow two stu-dents to exchange places each academicyear. Students will have a range of classesto choose from, including introduction toChinese language and culture from entrylevel to advanced level. Though Chineselanguage is not a prerequisite for studyingabroad, it would be advantageous for stu-dents to have some basic Chinese. It wouldallow a wider range of classes to choosefrom. Because the Taiwanese universitysemester periods (September – Januaryand the end of February to late June) aredifferent from the United States, either thewhole year exchange or spring semesterexchange is recommended. In preparing future leaders who will

contribute to society, I cannot emphasizeenough the importance of internationaleducation for GC students. Learning a sec-ond language (or even a third) not onlyincreases individuals’ opportunities toappreciate other cultures, it also enhancesemployability. Any company with businesswith other countries will readily hireemployees who have multiple language andcultural experiences. As a person who isfluent in three languages, I continue tolearn a fourth and a fifth language. Contactthe International Education Center StudyAbroad Advisers to learn how to apply forstudy abroad in Taiwan and to obtain schol-arships for exciting study abroad learning. *In August TMUE will become the

University of Taipei. Both the University ofTaipei and Shih Hsin University will beexcellent locations to study and learnChinese.

Study on Exchange in Taiwan

Dr. Tsu-Ming Chiang, professor of psychology (second from left), shakeshands with Acting President Chun-Rong Liu after his signing of a memo-randum of understanding between Georgia College and Taipei MunicipalUniversity of Education.

Dr. Tsu-Ming Chiang, professor of psychology (left), delivers memorandumof understanding from Taipei Municipal University of Education to InterimProvost Dr. Matthew Liao-Troth (center) and Dr. Dwight Call, assistant vicepresident for international education.

International Education Center staff receive memorandum of understand-ing with Taipei Municipal University of Education: (left to right) StudyAbroad Adviser Liz Havey, Study Abroad Adviser Scott Terry, InternationalAdmissions Counselor Jason Wynn, Associate Director of InternationalEducation Libby Davis, Professor of Psychology Dr. Tsu-Ming Chiang,Interim Provost Dr. Matthew Liao-Troth and Assistant Vice President forInternational Education Dr. Dwight Call

4

launched the International Degree Option. Sunita Manian, coordinator of Interdisciplinary Studies, describes

his many contributions: “He has helped infuse global perspectivesthroughout the curriculum, so that global education doesn’t only takeplace on study abroad, but is also part of everything else we do at GC.Dwight was instrumental in the development of the Middle East Councilof the USG, which has played an important role in encouraging the studyof that very important part of the world.” Dwight was also an integral part of the annual Global Citizenship

Symposium, a collaboration of the International Education Center andthe American Democracy Project. “I have been honored to work closelywith Dwight during the past nine years,” writes Gregg Kaufman,Director of the American Democracy Project. “Dwight’s steady leader-ship and generosity will undoubtedly be remembered by many. It hasbeen my honor to have him as a colleague and friend.”Dwight brought a wealth of experience and passion to the position.

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who is more knowledgeableabout so many countries and cultures and so dedicated to the work hedoes. While he never boasts about it and will say he really isn’t that well-travelled, Dwight is extremely interculturally astute and can navigateany type of cross-cultural situation, having traveled to over eighty coun-tries and having lived abroad in a variety of situations. He immediatelymade any new international student feel at home as he talked personal-ly about his experience in the student’s home country, be it Sweden orBelize or Zimbabwe. Extending the welcome, Dwight opened his home up to international

students every semester. He wanted to make sure that they felt comfort-able and really wanted to get to know them personally. Even long afterstudents had graduated, Dwight always kept in touch continuing to buildour alumni network and often visiting alumni on his travels to variouscorners of the world. Not only was Dwight a leader for international education at Georgia

College, but he was a well-respected and active leader around the state.He served in numerous leadership positions during his tenure, such asU. S. co-chair of The Consortium for Belize Educational Cooperation(COBEC), chair of the European Council, chair of the GeorgiaConsortium for International Studies, and chair of the University Systemof Georgia Committee on International Students and Scholars. He alsoorganized and led USG faculty development seminars abroad in Czech,Russia, Japan, Denmark and Sweden, and Morocco and Spain. Dr. Neal McCrillis, director of the Center for International Education

at Columbus State University and chair of the University System ofGeorgia Council on International Education, has worked with Dwightover the years through COBEC and faculty development seminars. “His work is often quiet and he never draws attention to himself,” Dr.

McCrillis recalls. “I was struck early on by his ability to collaborate withothers. He remains a great friend, colleague and passionate supporterof all international education endeavors whether sponsored by GC orothers. I think the collaborative biology program in Belize that hehelped organize with a Belizean junior college really represents the kindof study abroad program Dwight most admires.”Remembering the faculty seminar in Japan that Dwight led, McCrillis

reiterates, “He was a great faculty seminar leader. I learned a lot fromhim about the structure of such activities and interpersonal dynamics.It takes a special person to plan and lead an international faculty devel-opment seminar and Dwight is about the best I’ve seen.”Ms. Margee Ragland, associate professor of art at Georgia Perimeter

College and the newly elected European Council Chair, describedDwight as a mentor who will be greatly missed in the field: “Dwight is acitizen of the world. His peaceful, tolerant, and inquisitive nature hasinspired him to travel all over the world making lifelong friends wherev-er he goes. I always look forward to learning about his newest travelsand adventures. Dwight is an inspiration to everyone dedicated to inter-national education. He will be greatly missed as an international educa-tion leader in Georgia, but his retirement will afford him the opportunityto explore the world at his leisure.”Indeed, Dwight Call will be greatly missed at Georgia College by all

of his colleagues and students. We wish him well on his retirement andlook forward to hearing about his next adventures. Despite the miser-able winter weather in northern Ohio, Dwight plans to move to Kendalat Oberlin, a vibrant community in a small college town where he grad-uated from university. Dwight is at home in the world and plans to domore traveling in many directions, to write on intercultural experiencesand to consult on international education issues.

Dr. Dwight Call, assistant vice president for international education, at his retirement reception

CALL, from p.1

At the 28th annual International Dinner, Chike Rapu presents Dr. Dwight Call, assistant vice president for international education,with a gift in honor of his retirement

5

Across the road from RitsumeikanUniversity in Kyoto is the RyoanjiTemple, which contains the mostfamous rock garden in the world.

All students at Ritsumeikan University’sInternational House have single rooms.

Ritsumeikan University international staff: front, left to right, Yoshiaki Sakai, officeof international student services, Kay Kim, inbound student coordinator, AyakoOtabe, outbound student coordinator, Sakiko Sawada, international relationscoordinator, and Dr. Tsutomu Kanayama, director of the division of internationalaffairs.

J. F. Oberlin University’s internationalprogram staff Yukiko Ebara with statueof Dr. Yasuzo Shimizu, the founder ofthe university. Dr. Shimizu was a gradu-ate of Oberlin College in Ohio andimpressed by Johann FriedrichOberlin, an Alsatian pastor for whomOberlin College was named.

J. F. Oberlin University’s internationalprogram staff (left to right) AtsushiNagaoka and Fumitake Nakamura.

Returning to Japan- Dr. Dwight Call, Assistant Vice President for International Education

The last week in April I was able to visit two longtimeexchange partners in Japan, Ritsumeikan University in Kyotoand J. F. Oberlin University in Machida. The visit gave me achance to return to a country where I have lived on two sepa-rate occasions – in the late 1960s as a YMCA World ServiceWorker I taught English in the small city of Kofu and in theearly 1990s I managed the semester-long study program forU.S. students for the Vermont-based School for InternationalTraining.Prior to touring Ritsumeikan’s international student dormi-

tory and meeting colleagues, I arrived early enough in Kyoto tobeat the crowd of students visiting Ryoanji Temple just acrossthe road from Ritsumeikan. Kyoto was capital of Japan from794 to 1869. I’d visited Ryoanji, the world’s most famous rockgarden, many times and was glad for a few moments of earlymorning meditation.At Ritsumeikan University itself I was able to tour the beau-

tiful and accommodating international student dormitory withDr. Tsutomu Kanayama, director of the division of internation-al affairs, and Sakiko Sawada, international relations coordi-nator. We then returned to the international office, where wehad a long and fruitful discussion regarding the two schools’exchange of students, which both sides value greatly. Kay Kim,inbound student coordinator, reported that Georgia College’sstudent at Ritsumeikan for the academic year is doing well.Ayako Otabe, outbound student coordinator, inquired “What doyou do with our students?” What she wanted to know was whatGeorgia College does to impact Ritsumeikan’s exchange stu-dents in Milledgeville so that they return with much betterEnglish and much more confident. I explained GeorgiaCollege’s American Language and Culture class that many stu-dents take in their first semester, as well as the very activeInternational Club, the small town and small classroom size,all of which facilitate the students’ adjustment to U.S. cultureand their language learning.The following day I visited J. F. Oberlin University on the

edge of Tokyo, where I heard about J. F. Oberlin’s extensiveprogram sending groups of students abroad for English lan-guage learning and short-term internships. In fact, AkihiroNezu, director of North American Operations, will be accompa-nying one group of students to Atlanta this summer, where J.F. Oberlin has already been working with Georgia Tech andMercer University. Hopefully, Mr. Nezu will have time to visitGeorgia College.Even though Georgia College canceled its Japanese lan-

guage program several years ago – a program that had operat-ed for nearly 15 years – many Georgia College students are stillquite interested in Japanese contemporary arts forms and,therefore, Japanese language. Students are fascinated bymanga (modern Japanese cartoons), anime (featuring hand-drawn or computer animated television or film) and computergames. Manga and anime have a large audience in Japan andare popular in the United States and throughout the world. Our partnerships with Ritsumeikan and J. F. Oberlin still

offer Georgia College students fantastic opportunities to studyJapanese language, culture and contemporary art forms.

6

28thANNUAL

On March 2 collective taste budshad the opportunity to travel theworld without leaving the GeorgiaCollege campus. This delight wasmade possible by the GeorgiaCollege International Club as stu-dents hosted their 28th AnnualInternational Dinner. The studentscreated an environment thatallowed the sold out audience ofover 200 people the chance to sam-ple flavors of international culturefor the eyes, nose and pallet. Where else can you go to sample

cuisine from countries such asSpain, Syria, Belize and Sri Lanka allunder one roof? Students preparedand served these dishes fromaround the world to help supportthe Global Scholars Fund, whichprovides scholarships to outstand-ing and financially needy interna-tional and study abroad students.Attendees worked their waythrough the buffet line, often withtwo plates in hand, to try dishessuch as Bulgogi, Spring Rolls,Tabouli, and Conch Fritters just toname a few. As faculty, community members

and peers indulged in their mealsthe students set forth to entertainthem with a variety of cultural per-formances. Included in the enter-tainment of the night wereBollywood, swing and salsa dances,a Tae Kwon Do presentation, tradi-tional vocal pieces and an interna-tional fashion show. Those attend-ing were even offered a furtherglimpse into the minds of the inter-national students through a videoof brief interviews detailing theirexperiences here at GeorgiaCollege. As the night came to an end, the

students thanked their faculty men-tors. Many attendees purchasedInternational Dinner Cookbooks totake home so they could try theirhands at recreating their favoritedishes of the night. The dinner wasa great way for students to share apart of their culture with theGeorgia College community andcreated a memorable event for allthose who attended. Be sure toplan ahead for next year’sInternational Dinner. It is a feast youwon’t want to miss!

International Dinner from the balcony.

Serving line at International Dinner: John Maimo (Camaroon) on the left and Joseph Ogendo (Kenya)second from left.

InternationalDinner

7

Serving line at International Dinner: Katsuaki Oishi (Japan) on the left.

Masters of ceremony Ronrico Slack (Jamaica) onthe left and Ellen Axentborg (Sweden).

An Indian dance.

International fashion show.

8

Global Citizenship Symposium- Gregg Kaufman, Instructor, College of Arts and Sciences and Coordinator of the AmericanDemocracy Project

Alex Wirth, Harvard sophomore used his presenta-tion and handout, Building a Campaign for Change, tohelp audience members, 300 strong, think seriouslyabout issues of personal importance and how to strate-gically think about making a difference as citizens whohave the advantage of four or more university years.Wirth illustrated his campaign for change by speakingabout the Presidential Youth Council he and othersdeveloped as well as a social media effort based on a“Daily Show with John Stewart” segment that docu-mented the U.S. Congress desire to stop fundingUNESCO. Several students reflected on Wirth’s keynotein a writing assignment by writing, “Alex Wirth left mefeeling motivated to make a difference. Most times,when you leave a presentation, you are a bit con-fused…. This was not the case with his keynoteaddress. When I left, the only questions that I was ask-ing myself were about where I wanted to devote myefforts? How do I want to campaign for change.”Another wrote, “When leaving the symposium, I felt asthough I was part of something big and that if I getinvolved in something that I am passionate about, I canmake a change.”John Saltmarsh, co-director of the New England

Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE) atthe University of Massachusetts, Boston, and TimothyEatman, assistant professor of Higher Education anddirector for Research of Imagining America at SyracuseUniversity, conducted workshops for academic leaders– Pursuing the Carnegie Community EngagementClassification – and students – What does it mean tobe a public scholar? John and Tim creatively sharedtheir personal narratives relative to teaching democrat-ic engagement and the time when their scholarshipcoalesced at the second evening keynote address,Journey to Politically Engaged Scholarship. Their sto-ries of their respective learning, teaching and interac-tion with students made for an enlightening and

thought-provoking time.Barbara Levin, UNC Greensboro, an advocate for

creatively utilizing technology in the K-12 classroom,delivered the final symposium keynote and subsequent-ly served on a panel with representatives from areaschools, Teach for America and the U.S. Department ofEducation 21st Century Community Learning Centergrant program. Another panel, comprised of a principal,three teachers and two ninth-grade grade students,shared their integrated lesson unit entitled Campaign2012 where mathematics, language arts, technology andsocial studies helped students not only follow thenational campaign but create avatars and a virtual cam-paign. The third day concluded with a two-hour sessionthat attracted community members including countycommissioners and school board members. Called AreWe Making Academic Progress in Baldwin County?The first hour’s panel included representatives from K-12, Georgia College and an afterschool program thatengages 1,000 grade third through 12th youth. The sec-ond hour provided for breakout sessions that addressedhealth and fitness, workforce development, the literateAmerican student, and race relations in the communityand schools’ cultures.Interspersed throughout the three days were student

performances, “Miss Electricity”, by Katharyn Walatand “Crisantemi”, Puccini, and the documentary film,“Race to Nowhere”. Gregg Kaufman, GC's ADP cordina-tor stated, “This year’s symposium was unprecedentedfor a number of reasons. Georgia College’s new presi-dent, Steve Dorman, attended events on all three days,the four college deans and many academic chairper-sons, local elected leaders, and a former state senatorjoined the hundreds of students who explored literacyin its many forms and the symposium directly related tothe university’s Quality Enhancement Plan goal ofbuilding a culture of engaged learning.”Since the coming year will bring to campus a new

provost and a new head of the International EducationCenter, administrators will give careful considerationregarding the future of the Global CitizenshipSymposium.

Alex Wirth, Harvard sophomore, helpedaudience members consider how tothink strategically about making a differ-ence as citizens.

Dr. Timothy Eatman (left), assistant pro-fessor of higher education and directorfor research of imagining america atSyracuse University, and Dr. JohnSaltmarsh, co-director of the NewEngland Resource Center for HigherEducation (NERCHE) at the University ofMassachusetts, Boston.

Planning for the Dinner (left to right): Nilantha Abeyrathne from SriLanka (Vice President), Rujeko Chinomona from Zimbabwe (Secretary),Libby Davis (Adviser), Scott Terry (Adviser), Nicole Moyo fromZimbabwe (Treasurer), Anshika Rimal from Nepal (President) andAdhyayan “Pushkin” Negandhi from India (Webmaster).

Officers hold the Bobcat Award received from Campus Life by theInternational Club for “Multicultural Program of the Year,” left toright, Libby Davis, Rujeko Chinomona, Anshika Rimal, NilanthaAbeyrathne, Nicole Moyo and Scott Terry.

International Club Officers and the International Dinner

9

Guest LecturersFunded by TheHalle FoundationDr. Christoph Ehland, professor of English, and Jeannette Boettcher, profes-sor of Second Language Acquisition, both from the University of Paderborn inGermany, lectured on German stereotypes in American and British cultures.More than 30 students and colleagues from other departments attended. Thelecture and an interview with Dr. Ehland were filmed and broadcast acrosscampus. The visit and lecture were sponsored by the University of Paderborn,Kennesaw State University and The Halle Foundation. The mission of TheHalle Foundation is to promote understanding, knowledge and friendshipbetween the people of Germany, as seen in its European context, and thoseof the United States. To this end, the Foundation supports initiatives in thefields of culture, science, technology, commerce, language, scholarship, andinternational relations that take place under the auspices of Emory University,the Southern Center for International Studies, the Robert W. Woodruff ArtsCenter, or under the auspices of other not-for-profit institutions which theTrustees may select from time to time.

Adanma Oduah, sophomore biology major, and Nicole Moyo, junior manage-ment major, were delegates in the Council of Social Affairs at the Model ArabLeague.

Group of students at the Model Arab League.

- Nicole Moyo, Managementmajor from Zimbabwe

Having spent most of my life inZimbabwe, my knowledge of theArab world was limited to the infor-mation broadcast on TV networkssuch as BBC and the localZimbabwean network. Despite thebleak perspective of the Arab world Ihad received, I was keen on knowingmore than the tragic news broadcaston a daily basis.March 15 – 17 I had the opportu-

nity to participate in the Model ArabLeague in Spartanburg, SouthCarolina, as a member of the GeorgiaCollege Model United Nations.Through participation in theNational Council on U.S.-ArabRelations’ Model Arab League (MAL)program students learn about thepolitics and history of the Arab worldand the arts of diplomacy and publicspeaking. MAL helps prepare stu-dents to be knowledgeable, well-trained, and effective citizens as wellas civic and public affairs leaders.The schools that participate areassigned an Arab country to repre-sent in the eight councils of theModel Arab League. Georgia Collegehad a 13-member delegation repre-senting Yemen. Adanma Oduah, asophomore biology major, and I weredelegates in the Council of SocialAffairs Ministers.The keynote speaker was a Syrian

citizen, Nora Nassri, a doctoral can-didate at the University of SouthCarolina. She gave a presentation onthe Syrian civil war. The main mes-sage she put across was that the con-flict in Syria cannot be generalized

as is done by the media, for it is acomplex phenomenon that is rootedin the nation’s history and affectedby several other current factors. Theconference consisted of five councilsessions in which the delegatesdebated intensively on the givenagenda topics. Yemen was a co-spon-sor of a resolution that addressedexamining common public healthissues affecting member states withspecial regard for population growthand the threat of trans-border infec-tious diseases. Yemen also co-spon-sored a resolution that addressedthe formulation of a comprehensiveArab League policy to address thereduction and removal of non-dis-criminate weapons ordnance, as wellas developing strategies to assistaffected member states and individ-ual victims.The experience at the Model Arab

League broadened my knowledge ofYemen and Arab affairs for we had tobe in character as diplomats repre-senting our assigned countries. Wehad to debate basing our argumentson our nation’s points of view andnot our personal beliefs and back-grounds. A couple of times we had tostand our ground to make sure thatthe interests of Yemen, a small andeconomically challenged country,were not overlooked by larger andmore economically developed coun-tries. We also got to interact withmany other college students whoshare our passion in diplomacy andinternational relations. I am lookingforward to participating in more sim-ilar simulations such as the ModelAfrican Union and the Model UnitedNations.

A Weekend as a Yemen Delegate

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We look forward to hearing from for-mer international and study abroadstudents and always welcome emailsletting us know what you’re doing. Wevalue and need your assistance inrecruiting good students from aroundthe world to study at Georgia College.

Despite being separated by vast dis-tances and time, alumni from all cor-ners of the globe stay connected bythe strong bonds they formed atGeorgia College. Find out what yourGeorgia College international friendsare doing by joining our Facebookgroup at GCSU InternationalEducation Alumni. All former inter-national and study abroad studentsand members of the InternationalClub and their friends are welcome!

Ritesh Agarwal and his wife Shurityare expecting their first child in July.Siragis Salekin is married to ZakiaFrahna and works at HSBC Bank inDubai, United Arab Emirates.Returned Peace Corps VolunteerBrandon Avery spoke at GeorgiaCollege in March. Brandon joined thePeace Corps after graduating with adegree in philosophy and a certificatein nonprofit management from theNonprofit Leadership Alliance. Heserved for two years in Togo, estab-lishing seven CommunityDevelopment Committees, a citizenself-governing effort, affiliated withthe German embassy, leading a sur-vey team to evaluate the WorldHealth Organization’s anti-malariabed-net distribution campaign, andcoordinating and facilitating genderequality training conferences in sup-port of Togolese professional women.Avery served as a tutor for the YouthEnrichment Services program atBaldwin High School while at GC andspoke to BHS YES students.

Amy Chastain, who is teachingAdvanced English for BusinessStudents at Shantou UniversityEnglish Language Center, has organ-ized Skype discussions with studentsat Georgia College. ShantouUniversity is located in the city ofShantou in Guangdong Province,China. Former international studentsYuchuan Chen and Jowen Hsu metDrs. Matthew Liao-Troth, interim

provost, and Dwight Call for dinnerwhen the latter were in Taipeirecently. Both alumnae reported thatthey are happily employed in theirmajors, i.e., computer science andmusic therapy respectively, and eagerto assist in recruiting new students totheir alma mater.

That first evening in Chengdu twoalumni, Li Cheng and Rui Huanggave Drs. Matthew Liao-Troth, inter-im provost, and Dwight Call a tour ofthe old district of the city andenjoyed a traditional Chinese meal.Amazingly, they then stopped atStarbucks for coffee. Successful inbusiness, both alumni rememberedfondly their time in Georgia andoffered that they will certainlyencourage other prospective studentsto study at GC. French TV did a docu-mentary on Jade de Lavareille, a for-mer Theatre exchange student fromFrance, who is working to become amodel. Some of the documentary wasdone while she was at GC and someback in France. The program showsJade in her Acting I class with Dr.Karen Berman, chair of the TheatreDepartment, and directing during herDr. Amy Pinney’s Directing I class.

When Dr. Dwight Call was in Chinarecently, he caught up for the week-end with Maik Henneberg in the cityof Changsha, where Maik managesfinances for Bosch multinationalengineering and electronics companyheadquartered in Gerlingen, nearStuttgart, Germany. It is the world’slargest supplier of automotive compo-nents. Kathryn Lea has been accept-ed as a Peace Corps Volunteer for ElSalvador. Marielle Stair writes thatshe and her husband Jason now livein Athens, Ga., where she works forthe Disability Resource Center at theUniversity of Georgia and has beguntraining to become a transcriptionistfor hearing impaired students. Shewas also recently sworn in as a CourtAppointed Special Advocate in theClarke-Oconee Juvenile Court inAthens and will start her master’sdegree in social work through theUniversity of Southern California thissummer.

from our alumniaround the world

Ritesh Agarwal (left) and SiragisSalekin

Maik Henneberg poses in front ofthe new statue of Mao Zedong inthe city of Changsha, China, whereMaik manages finances for Bosch.The statue is on an island in theriver, which Mao swam when hewas a young man.

Dinner in Taipei: (left to right) Dr. Dwight Call, alumnae Jowen Hsu andYuchuan Chen and Dr. Matthew Liao-Troth.

Dinner in Chengdu: (left to right) Alumnus Li Cheng, Dr. Matthew Liao-Troth, Dr. Dwight Call and alumnus Rui Huang.

News

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PLEDGE FORMTHE GLOBAL SCHOLARS FUND FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

Assisting outstanding and financially needy international and study abroad students at GC

� ENCLOSED IS MY CHECK in the amount of $ __________, payable to the GC Foundation to Global Scholars Fund.

� PLEASE CHARGE MY GIFT OF $ ___________ to my : � Visa � MasterCardCard #: ________________________________________ Expiration Date: __________

Name: ______________________________________________________________________________Address: ____________________________________________________________________________Phone: _______________________________ Email: _______________________________________

Return Pledge Form to: International Education Center, Campus Box 049, Milledgeville, GA 31061NOTE: GC employees may give through payroll deduction.

Contact University Advancement to request a payroll deduction form and designate Fund #296.All gifts to the GC Foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

�

From Macon to Azerbaijan:The International Education Center at Georgia College offers

a world of opportunities for students interested in studyingabroad. For some students capitalizing on just one opportunityto study abroad is simply not enough. Many students continueon to experience multiple destinations and locales whileenrolled. With over 75 countries from which to choose organizedstudy abroad programs, who can blame those who keep comingback for more – more culture, language, academic perspectiveand adventure. Lon David Gibson would categorize himself asone of those individuals who caught the travel bug and kept onexploring. “I consider myself to be one very blessed individual. Ihave been provided with opportunities to study abroad and visitcountries such as Germany, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg,Great Britain, Belize and Belgium,” said Gibson. This Georgianative, raised in Macon, recently graduated with a master’sdegree in public administration, but not before getting his fill ofstudy abroad.Who would have thought that a quick conversation with a fac-

ulty member on campus sparked by a single study abroad flyercould have led to such incredible journeys? Gibson has partici-pated on summer study abroad programs to Germany with theEuropean Council and two Georgia College faculty-led programs,one to multiple destinations in Europe with Dr. Jerry Herbel,government and sociology and the other to Belize, with Dr. KirkArmstrong, kinesiology. Gibson spoke of these experiences:“Seeing others in the world and how they make their lives workmotivated me to see more, but the trip to Belize truly touchedmy heart. It showed me that I needed to mature as an adult,become more of a man and give back to the world because livingin America is such a blessing.” Gibson continued to share hispassion for travel by participating as one of Georgia College’sBobcat Abroad Ambassadors, returned study abroad studentswho help to raise awareness of study abroad on campus. “Ibelieve that studying abroad raised the expectations I had formyself, it changed my perspective on life completely,” saidGibson. These sentiments are echoed by other Georgia Collegestudents and in many cases lead to life-changing decisions.For Gibson studying abroad is not just a world of opportuni-

ties to participate in, but in fact, study abroad opens a world of

opportunities for those who take part. Gibson recently acceptedan invitation to serve in Azerbaijan with the Peace Corp, theprestigious agency that provides trained volunteers for countriesrequesting assistance around the world. He will be teachingEnglish to non-native speakers on his two-year assignment. “InApril, I will be heading to a country I’ve just recently becomecomfortable with pronouncing, but I am ready and confident,”said Gibson.

Gibson encourages those interested in following his PeaceCorp journey to connect:FaceBook: @ Lon David GibsonInstagram: @ david_gibsonTumblr: @ http://www-lonblogspot.tumblr.com/

An alumnus joins the Peace Corps

According to David Gibson,“There will be days when fishingis better than one’s most opti-mistic forecast, others when it isfar worse. Either is a gain overjust staying home.” Thatexplains why David has joinedthe Peace Corps.

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TERRA NOSTRA

International Education CenterCampus Box 49Milledgeville, GA 31061-0490Phone 478-445-4789Fax 478-445-2623