UVA’s ISO Newsletter
Monthly News & Updates
September 2008
Established in 1979, the International Studies Office is a University-wide resource that supports U.Va.’s
international mission to enhance a globally aware, culturally diverse community. The ISO
(http://www.virginia.edu/iso/) is comprised of three collaborative teams: the International Student and
Scholar Program, the Lorna Sundberg International Center, and the Study Abroad office.
As a multifaceted and multifunctional university office, the ISO acts in close collaboration with schools,
faculty, and administrative offices across grounds. We hope you find the Newsletter helpful in keeping
abreast of international activities and developments throughout the University and around the world.
Table of Contents
News from the ISO
Save the Date
International Education around UVA
International Education around the Globe
ISO Staff-in-the-Spotlight
Congratulations and Honors
News from the ISO
Newly-Appointed Vice Provost for International Affairs
Gowher Rizvi has been appointed Vice Provost for International Programs at the University of Virginia.
Rizvi comes to U.Va. from the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard
University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he served as director. Rizvi will oversee the
International Studies Office and its programs for study abroad and international students and scholars.
The International Studies Office is looking forward to working with the new Vice Provost, and welcomes
Rizvi and his family to Charlottesville. His appointment began September 1, 2008.
The ISO Welcomes . . .
Dudley J. Doane, Interim Director, International Studies Office
The International Studies Office welcomes Dudley Doane to our team. In addition to his duties as the
Director of CAELC, as well as Summer Session and Special Academic Programs, Dudley has accepted
this additional role, due to his expertise in the field of international studies. Dudley has been at U.Va. for
nine years, and has directed the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs since 2003. Since
1989, he has both studied and worked in a variety of international education and higher education settings:
in former Germany, the former German Democratic Republic, Ecuador, Korea (ROK), and Indonesia. He
has a history of collaboration with the ISO, through J-Term programs, SAS, and support services for
international students and scholars. He completed his undergraduate work at Bowdoin College, his
Master’s at School for International Training, and his Ph.D. at U.Va. His research and dissertation has
addressed entrepreneurialism in higher education involving international programs. We at the ISO are
very fortunate to have Dudley guiding the ISO for the next year.
Rebecca Martin, Office Assistant, Study Abroad
Rebecca joined the Study Abroad team at the beginning of September. She comes to us from UNC-Chapel
Hill, where she worked as advisor in the UNC Study Abroad Office, specifically advising students with
disabilities. Rebecca also has experience with recruitment and retention of historically under-represented
student groups through the University of Georgia’s Center for Undergraduate Research. She studied
abroad in Oxford, England in 2002 and taught English language workshops in Split, Croatia in 1998. She
received her bachelor’s in Education from UGA in 2000 and her Masters in English Literature in 2003.
Lauren Dobbs, Office Manager, International Center
Join us in “re-welcoming” Lauren Dobbs as the International Center’s new Office Manager. Lauren
graduated from U.Va. in May of 2008 with a Spanish major and a minor in Anthropology. In her time as
an undergraduate, Lauren was a study abroad peer advisor and a peer advisor with the Office of African
American Affairs, studied abroad in Peru and in Spain, and independently backpacked in Europe for two
months at the end of her semester in Spain. Lauren has been at the IC since the end of June as a temp; the
ISO is lucky to have Lauren with her return expertise and enthusiasm for international education.
News around ISSP
Welcome to New International Students at UVA this Fall
The ISO would like to welcome all the new international students at U.Va., including those “global
nomads,” US citizens who have grown up abroad. This fall, we have 73 exchange students on central
grounds, in the Darden School, and in the School of Law. In addition to our research scholars and their
family members sponsored by UVa’s J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (numbering today at 460), we extend
a special welcome to four Fulbright scholars and three new Fulbright students: Ozgur Dinchyurek,
Architecture, from Cyprus; Imre Hamar, Religious Studies, from Hungary; Anjana Singh, Microbiology,
from Nepal; and Quanhong (James) Zhu, Politics, from China.
ISSP: “Issues Facing Women across Cultures” Roundtable Discussion Planning Committee
This year, the U.Va. Women's Center is seeking to foreground and heighten awareness within the U.Va.
community of issues faced by women across cultures/countries. We are hoping you will help us achieve
this goal. One of the events we are planning is a Roundtable Discussion (involving both international
and local students) entitled "Issues Facing Women across Cultures" on Wednesday, October 22 at
7:00 p.m. in the Kaleidoscope, Newcomb Hall. We extend our invitation to you to be part of our planning
committee, which will decide on the roundtable discussion's structure and agenda. If you are interested
in being part of our planning committee, please contact Natalie Martos (nam7e@virginia.edu) or
Mun Yuk Chin (munyuk@virginia.edu) for more details.
ISSP Reminders:
International Student Course Enrollment International students under the F or J visa status may not drop
below full time enrollment, apply for a Leave of Absence, or withdraw from U.Va. without prior
authorization of the ISO, or the students can lose their legal status in the U.S. Please consult with the ISO
if you have any questions or concerns (982-3010).
International Student Employment F and J visa status students may not work more than 20 hours per
week on grounds during the academic semester. Full-time Assistantships are considered 20 hours per
week employment. Employment outside of U.Va. is strictly prohibited, as is self employment.
International Student Interest Group The International Studies Office, Office of the Dean of Students,
and faculty are partnering to identify and develop initiatives to expand collaborative University support
services for international students. Anyone interested in participating in these discussions is encouraged to
contact Sarah Wilcox-Elliott (slw3n@virginia.edu).
News around Study Abroad
Peer Advisors
The Study Abroad office is thrilled to have sixteen peer advisors on board this semester, representing a
broad range of world regions, study abroad programs, majors, and experiences. The peer advisors support
the office by presenting information sessions across Grounds and are available to meet with students in
the Study Abroad Library on weekdays.
Study Abroad General Information Sessions in Full Swing
Attendance at a General Information Session (GIS) is the first step for any student who wants to study
abroad through U.Va. GIS’s are held Monday-Thursday, 2:00-3:00pm, for the duration of the semester.
Locations are: MW 125 Minor; TR 130 Minor. Please encourage your students to attend a GIS as early in
the semester as possible. Make-up GIS’s are listed at www.studyabroad.virginia.edu.
Fall 2008 Study Abroad Fair
Hundreds of U.Va. students took the opportunity to meet U.Va. faculty, study abroad program directors,
outside program reps, visiting exchange students, and representatives from the Peace Corps and U21
universities at the Study Abroad Fair on Wednesday, September 10th, in Newcomb Hall Plaza. With
hundreds of programs being highlighted in one location, students learned about opportunities for global
education through a year, semester, summer, or January-term experience.
Welcome Back Reception
The fall 2008 reception to welcome back returning study abroad students and to welcome this year’s
exchange students from other universities was a great success! In the IC’s terraced back yard, with
amazing food catered by Mel’s Cafe, about 150 students were able to mix and mingle with various U.Va.
offices and share stories about their international experiences.
UVA Center in Lyon Opening
On June 23, 2008, U.Va.'s program in Lyon, France, took a big step forward by officially inaugurating the
new UVA Center in Lyon at the Université Lumière Lyon 2. Invited by President John Casteen and
Vice-Provost Leigh Grossman, over forty U.Va. students joined the ISO Associate Director for Study
Abroad, Marina Markot, and Lyon 2 Vice-President of International Relations, Thierry Valenin, for a
grandiose ribbon-cutting ceremony in the rose garden courtyard of Lyon 2's main campus. UVA program
director, Professor Janet Horne and on-site coordinator, Barbara Michelot, coordinated the event. The
opening of the new U.Va. office celebrates seven years of Franco-American friendships formed between
our two universities and offers U.VA. students an academic home in France.
News around the International Center
IC Kitchen Renovation and Cooking Demonstration
The staff of the Lorna Sundberg International Center strive to create a warm
home environment for their guests. With the completion of a major kitchen
renovation this past spring, guests now have a comfortable space to do a
little home cooking at the end of the day.
The new kitchen has also inspired planning of more food- and cookingrelated events. On Saturday September 27th, the IC will host local Central
American restaurant Cazon Tropical for a cooking demonstration. Come
learn how delicious Dominican, Honduran and Salvadorian cuisine is made,
and stay to sample the food and share in cultural conversation. For more
information or to register, send an email to intlctr@virginia.edu or call 434924-7983.
Save the Date
International Center Kitchen
Cooking Demonstration
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Location: Lorna Sundberg International Center.
The IC will host local Central American restaurant Cazon Tropical for
a cooking demonstration. For more information or to register, send an
email to intlctr@virginia.edu or call 434-924-7983.
January-Term Study Abroad
Application Deadline
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Click here for application information.
Click here to search and apply for specific programs.
Gilman Scholarship Deadline
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Read more about eligibility for the Gilman.
Fourth Annual Mary Ellen
Brown Picnic
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Location: High Mowing Farms in Batesville, Virginia. 12:00-4:00pm.
U.Va.’s internationals and all interested in U.Va.’s internationals are
invited to bring families, roommates, and outdoor games. Rain or
shine! The IC coordinates the picnic and helps arrange transportation.
Please RSVP by October 3rd to intlctr@virginia.edu.
Freeman-Asia Scholarship
Spring Applications Due
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Link to: Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) to read
about awards for students applying to study abroad programs of 10-12
weeks or more with a start date between December-April.
ISO Scholarship Deadline for
Spring 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2008
The International Studies Office wishes to support those students who
demonstrate the interest and inclination to become global citizens.
Students can apply online by clicking the "Find a Program" link and
selecting “Scholarship Programs.”
Roundtable Discussion:
"Issues Facing Women across
Cultures"
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Location: Kaleidoscope, Newcomb Hall. 7:00 p.m.
This year, the U.Va. Women's Center is seeking to foreground and
heighten awareness within the UVa community of issues faced by
women across cultures/countries. One of the upcoming events is this
roundtable discussion, involving both international and local students.
International Education Around UVA
UVA Today Article: Taiwanese Exchange Program Opens New Doors at Nursing School
On Sept. 9, professor John Kirchgessner's "Intro to the World of Nursing" class at the University of
Virginia got a little firsthand perspective on the "world" part. With the discussion led in part by eight
visiting Taiwanese students, the class heard about the past, present and future of Taiwanese health care.
The Taiwanese students, all from the Kaohsiung Medical University College of Nursing, and their
professor, Shu-Yuan Lin, were the first group to take part in a new exchange program . . .
http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=6468
Student Exchange from Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan and UVA School of Nursing
The UVA School of Nursing celebrated its first
formal
cultural
exchange
program
of
undergraduate nursing students with the
Kaohsiung Medical University this fall. KMU 4thyear students teamed with UVA Nursing students
for four weeks, in which they toured the medical
facilities at UVA, Grounds, surrounding sites in
the region all the while attending nursing classes
and presenting at the School of Nursing. KMU
students received KMU academic credit for their
work and all the students, faculty and staff
involved with this exchange profited from a fun,
engaging, and memorable experience.
IHP Dinner for Taiwanese Nurses
The International Host Programs hosted a dinner on September 4th for the eight fourth-year nursing
students and their professor who were visiting U.Va.’s School of Nursing from Taiwan. IHP President
Tom Leland and his wife, Sharron, opened their home to twenty dinner guests, and each IHP board
member brought a favorite American dish. The onion pie was a great hit! The nurses were delightful—
smart, friendly, and enthusiastic about meeting Americans and sharing themselves and their culture. The
IHP is grateful to the School of Nursing’s Doris Greiner, Director of Foundation and International
Initiatives, and Elke Zschaebitz, for requesting that the IHP be part of their guests’ American experience.
International Host Program President’s Dinner
President Casteen’s annual buffet dinner at Carr’s Hill for new international students and the IHP's
Community Hosts on September 8th was a warm welcome to new international students and recognition of
the administrators and community volunteers who work to promote their wellbeing. President Casteen
welcomed the 525 attendees to his home. The IHP thanks President Casteen for being a great friend and
supporter and appreciates the work done by Tracy Smith and others on the President’s staff who make the
evening so memorable each year. (see pictures below)
IHP Update for Fall 2008
This fall, the IHP matched over 60 new international students with Community Hosts, the IHP
International Women’s Group resumed their semi-monthly meetings for spouses and children of UVA’s
international visitors, and the IHP Scholars Welcome Network continued to place visiting scholars with
community members throughout the year. The IHP is a community volunteer organization affiliated with
the University of Virginia Lorna Sundberg International Center. They are always in need of volunteers
and English conversation tutors to befriend international students and scholars. For more, visit
http://www.virginia.edu/iso/ic/ihp/index.html, blog at http://ihpvirginia.org, or write to ihp-ch@virginia.edu.
UVA Undergraduate Program in Oxford meets UVA School of Continuing and Professional Studies
Travel & Learn Adult Education program at Oxford
Mark Thomas of the U.Va. History Department and Director of the University’s summer undergraduate
program at University College, Oxford, spent some time at the end of his program with participants and
leaders of U.Va.’s week-long adult education travel program held annually at Merton College, Oxford
University. Joan Gore, Program Director, and Peter Onuf of U.Va. History and this year’s U.S. faculty
leader for the adult program, compared notes with Mark on planning, resources, and other Oxford
program development issues. Mark had the opportunity to meet with the adult students and talk with them
about his program. For more information, visit http://www.virginia.edu/travelandlearn/2008oxford.html
and http://www.virginia.edu/travelandlearn/
UVA Today Highlights Majida Bargach, Director of UVA in Morocco Program
Click here to read Majida Bargach’s profile, “Bridging Divides and Building Diversity.”
Click here for more on UVA in Morocco.
Universitas 21 September Events at UVA
Universitas 21 at U.Va. is hosting two events this month on U.Va.’s campus. The first is the 2008 U21
Health Sciences annual meeting, scheduled to run from Wednesday, September 17th, through Friday,
September 19th. The second will be a workshop around the broad-based theme of “Digital Humanities”
from September 23rd-26th. Among other topics, the workshop will address the use of digital technology in
the Humanities research areas, including documentation of special collections and digital reconstruction
of historic landscapes and urban sites. Visit the U21 web site for more: www.universitas21.com/
SEAS International Programs September News
A SEAS International Programs Fund has been created, with contributions from a Jefferson Trust
Award of $75,000 (to be disbursed over a 3-year period) and an additional $85,000 from several private
donors. These funds are being used to provide travel stipends for study or work abroad, support
faculty in the development of new international programs, provide foreign language instruction,
and to support global engineering development projects, such as those in Africa and Central America.
Global Ingenuity 21, an international study program for Rodman Scholars has been funded for
development by a five-year grant from Volkswagen of North America (announced publicly on September
18, 2008). This program will enable participating Rodman Scholars to gain a valuable international
experience in Europe or Asia, focused on themes around global challenges of the 21st century.
SEAS International Programs and the Center for Engineering Career Development (CECD) have
contracted with International Cooperative Education, based in Menlo Park, CA, to place SEAS
students in international internships. Denise Egan (CECD) is advising students interested in
international internships and has also created a competitive internship travel stipend awards program.
Awards have already been given to Eddie McDonnell (Mechanical Engineering intern at Daimler AG,
Germany) and to Manting Lau (Biomedical Engineering intern at Shijir International, Mongolia).
McIntire School of Commerce International Opportunities: “Explore the Possibilities”
McIntire strongly encourages students to plan an international study experience. Third-year Comm
students may study abroad their spring semester and still complete the Integrated Core Curriculum (ICE)
requirements, thanks to a partnership between McIntire and a number of international institutions.
McIntire offers faculty led short-term courses that include several weeks of travel abroad during January
term and May term. Additionally, Commerce students can participate in independent international
programs during summer months.
A new MS Comm program offers the Integrated Core Experience (ICE), specialty tracks, and a global
immersion experience requiring students to work and study in either Europe or Asia while applying their
knowledge to the completion of a capstone project. For more information on study abroad options for
Commerce students, visit www.comm.virginia.edu/studyabroad.
The Center for Russian and East European Studies
The Center for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Virginia serves as a resource for
research and scholarship in the field of Russian and East European Studies. The center supports teaching,
research, curriculum development, community outreach programs and university-wide activities. In these
efforts, the Center cooperates with other educational institutions in Virginia and the Southeast.
http://www.virginia.edu/crees/
UVA Exchanges
Exchanges are bilateral or multi-lateral agreements established between U.Va. and foreign universities,
allowing U.Va. students to study at an overseas partner university while students from the partner
university study at U.Va. Exchanges are "full-immersion" programs. One of the benefits of exchange
programs is that U.Va. students pay U.Va. tuition while studying abroad. Below is a list of existing
U.Va. exchanges. If any U.Va. faculty have contacts at other foreign universities, let us at the ISO know!
University College Dublin, Ireland
University of Auckland, New Zealand
University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
University of Hong Kong
University of Melbourne, Australia
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Albert-Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany
Australian National UniversityCanberra, Australia
Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany
Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
Peking University, Beijing, China
Rikkyo University, Tokyo. Japan
Sciences Po Paris, France
Sciences Po Lille, France
Singapore Management University, Singapore
Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Toyama University, Toyama, Japan
ULB-Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Universidad del Valle, Guatemala
University Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV, France
University of Ballarat, Australia
University of Bath, United Kingdom
University of Cottbus, Germany
University of Dortmund, Germany
University of Lyon, France
University of Montreal, Canada
University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
University of St. Andrews, United Kingdom
University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
University of Toulouse, France
University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
International Education Around the Globe
NAFSA Article: Academic Ranking of World Universities Released by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The annual “Academic Ranking of World Universities” is now available on the Web, published by
Shanghai Jiao Tong University. U.Va. is listed at 95. Click below to see how ratings were assessed:
http://www.arwu.org/rank2008/EN2008.htm
Forbes Ranking of America’s Best Colleges 2008
Forbes.com inaugurates its first ranking of America's Best Colleges, an annual list. CCAP's methodology
attempts to put itself in a student's shoes. How good will my professors be? Will the school help me
achieve notable career success? If I have to borrow, how deeply will I go into debt? What are the chances
I will graduate in four years? Are students and faculty recognized nationally, or even globally?
http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/13/college-university-rankings-oped-college08cx_rv_mn_0813intro.html?partner=email
NAFSA Issues Report on Public Diplomacy and International Education
In a set of policy recommendations released August 12, 2008, NAFSA urges presidential leadership for a
“revived public diplomacy” that would put international education and exchange front and center in the
effort to repair the country's reputation in the world and advance its global leadership.
http://www.nafsa.org/press_releases.sec/press_releases.pg/pdpaper08
Chronicle of Higher Ed. Article: Growth Rate Lags Again in Graduate Schools' International Admissions
The number of foreign students admitted to graduate schools at American colleges and universities grew
in 2008 for the fourth straight year, but the rate of increase over the previous year declined for the third
consecutive year, according to survey results released today by the Council of Graduate Schools.
http://chronicle.com/daily/2008/08/4305n.htm
Call for Proposals
NAFSA’s Annual Conference “Fostering Global Engagement through International Education” will
be held in May 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Poster Sessions proposal deadline: November 14, 2008.
(Workshops, Sessions, and Seminars deadline: already passed. Registration dates: March 2–May 1, 2009.)
http://www.nafsa.org/annual_conference/call_for_workshop_and
The Association for International Education Administrators (AIEA) Conference “International
Education: Engaging Communities” will be held February 22-25, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. Deadline
for proposals: Tuesday, September 30, 2008. (Registration dates: October 2008–January 12, 2009.)
https://aieaworld.american-data.net/events/2009conf/index.php
Upcoming Conferences and Events
NAFSA’s Region VIII Conference will be held in Pittsburgh, PA, November 5-8, 2008. Preregistration
must be postmarked October 15, 2008. After that date, registration will be on-site.
http://www.region8.nafsa.org/Regionalconference.html
“Asian Social Protection in Comparative Perspective,” an international conference, will be held
January 7-9, 2009 at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. Registration is open
September 8 – December 19, 2008.
http://www.appam.org/conferences/international/singapore2009/index.asp
The Forum on Education Abroad Annual Conference, “Being There: Teaching and Learning
Abroad,” will be held February 18–20, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. Registration opened Monday,
September 15, 2008 and will close February 4, 2009.
www.forumea.org/dialogue-conference.cfm
Unite for Sight’s 6th Annual Global Health & Development Conference, “Achieving Global Goals
Through Innovation,” will be held April 18-19, 2009 at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut,
USA. Registration will be open with incremental fee deadlines now through April 15, 2009.
http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference
The CIEE Annual Conference, “Setting the Stage: Managing Growth in Study Abroad,” will be held
in Nasheville, TN, from November 12th through 15th, 2008. Conference registrations will be accepted
online and by mail or fax until October 24, 2008. After October 24, attendees must register on-site at the
CIEE conference registration desk. Reduced Early Bird registration rates will apply until October 1, 2008.
http://www.ciee.org/annual_conference.aspx
The ACCIAC 2008 Going Global Conference will be held at the University of Miami from November
9th through 11th.
http://www.acciac.org/
ISO Staff-in-the-Spotlight
Tanya Reeves Originally from the Adirondack Mountains in up-state New York, Tanya
Reeves received her M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, where she
focused on East Asia and Women’s Studies. She participated in study abroad programs to
France, England, and Jamaica, and traveled in Asia while teaching English in Japan. Tanya
interned and worked with international students and scholars at SU’s Slutzker Center for
International Services, and was a program coordinator at the International Center of Syracuse. Tanya has
been with the IC since the fall of 2006. As Assistant Director, she oversees the IC’s programs and operations
with the help of a wonderful team of staff and volunteers. Tanya moved to Orange in 2000 when her husband
took the position of Director of Archaeology at James Madison’s Montpelier. Before coming to the IC,
Tanya worked at The Arts Center in Orange where she continues to volunteer and where she and her son and
daughter take classes.
Congratulations and Honors
ISSP International Student News and Accomplishments
Haiting Wang (SEAS ’11, China) held an Asian business conference in Beijing last summer
(www.apabs.org). The conference invited 30 CEOs and Scholars as the speakers, and 9 media outlets
(newspaper and Internet) attended the press conference. APABS will hold the Washington DC-area
Conference at U.Va. Haiting is the president and founder of this conference.
Barin Kayaoğlu, (History ’11, Turkey) a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History with fellowships
from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations and the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences, spent the summer in Iran learning Persian. Kayaoğlu is currently writing his dissertation on U.S.
relations with Turkey and Iran during the Cold War.
Minuj Jindal (CLAS ’10) worked in India this summer at Copal Partners, a knowledge processing
outsourcing and financial analytics company. “It has been ranked number 1 for the past 3 years in
financial research and investment services. It was a great experience working in an upcoming industry and
learning about emerging economies. I also got a chance to work with interns from Columbia and Chicago
MBAs and Dartmouth and Oxford undergrads. This helped me to gain an insight into diverse business
ideas and different academic backgrounds these individuals had.”
Iberedem Ekure (SEAS ’10, Nigeria) interned this summer at JPMorgan in New York in their sales and
trading division in the Structured Investments group.
Xiao (Betty) Xiong (CLAS ’10, China) is the 2008 recipient of the Lorna Sundberg Scholarship. The
scholarship was created to honor the dedication to community service that marked the life of Lorna
Sundberg, the International Center’s leader from 1981-1998. Each year the scholarship will be awarded
to an international student enrolled at UVa who demonstrates both academic merit and devotion to
humanity through the commitment of time and energy to community-based service projects.
YingShan Lau, an Exchange Student from Singapore, spent the summer teaching English at the Farmers
Field School in Vietnam. “The Farmer Field School (FFS) is a group-based learning process that has been
used by a number of governments, NGOs and international agencies to promote Integrated Pest
Management (IPM). The first FFS were designed and managed by the UN Food and Agriculture
Organisation in Indonesia in 1989 since when more than two million farmers across Asia have
participated in this type of learning.”
Summer Scholarship Recipient-in-the-Spotlight
This past Summer 2008, Study Abroad alumnus and ISO Peer Advisor Ana Jemec was selected as one of
100 “Projects for Peace” winners. Ana spent the summer in South Africa conducting research and
building a water purification system. Here is her account:
“This summer I worked on a water purification project in the Mutale River Valley of the
Limpopo Province in South Africa. I collaborated with UVa student Eric Harshfield and with
local students, faculty, and community members in South Africa to create a sustainable water
filtration system. The most incredible aspect of the experience was the opportunity to discover
the culture and interact with the locals on a daily basis.”
Call for Submissions
The ISO Newsletter invites internationally-related programs and departments on campus to submit your
news for publication. Items for submission are due on the 10th of each month. Newsletter issues will come
out the week of the 15th.
Guidelines for submissions:
• Blurbs should be no longer than five lines long. We can include one-two photographs with your
blurb.
• Links to internationally-related articles are welcome. We will include the first five lines of the article
along with a link.
• Submissions for the “Save the Date” calendar should follow the same guidelines. Be sure to include
Date, day, time, and location, when appropriate.
Email submissions to studyabroad@virginia.edu by October 10th for inclusion in the October issue.
Please feel free to share the Newsletter with your colleagues.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the mailing list, contact studyabroad@virginia.edu.