Table of Contents
- El Jefe Updates: Bill Holmes
- Highlighting Collaborations:Wright State International Festival
- International Student Profile: Sachin Kumar Koyeti
- Students Abroad Highlight: Kathryn Chaney
- Upcoming Events: April 2018
El Jefe Updates: Bill Holmes
As March draws to a close, I am pleased to have been able to engage with so many people throughout campus and the community about the future of international education at Wright State. Next month, I will host another Open Forum on Friday, April 13th at 10:30am-11:30am. All Forums are held in E186 Student Union, Conference Room of the University Center for International Education.
Our Wright State International Festival drew in over 1,000 attendees on March 24th. This was the 34th International Festival held at Wright State but my first. I was truly impressed by the level of engagement of our international students in helping to support the festival through their table displays, performances, and participation. This year, we had a Children's Corner which included international students reading books in different languages, origami, and names being translated for display. The level of community participation in this event was like no other I have seen elsewhere. Mark your calendars for next year, April 6th, 2019!
In addition to highlighting our programs and students, I hope to share on-going news about our activities and staff here in UCIE during our monthly newsletter. During the past two months, I have traveled to India, Nepal, and Turkey to promote Wright State abroad. An increased presence abroad is critical to the success of our international programs. Success also depends on the achievements of our staff in the UCIE. I am please to let you know that Michelle Streeter Ferrari has been appointed to the Welcome Dayton Committee. The Welcome Dayton effort promotes immigrant integration into the greater Dayton region by encouraging business and economic development; providing access to education, government, health and social services; ensuring equity in the justice system; and promoting an appreciation of arts and culture. Our welcoming community is critical to the appeal of Dayton to our international students. I am also happy to announce that Kimberly Brumbaugh has been accepted into the 2018 NAFSA-Association of International Educators Trainer Corps. The NAFSA Trainer Corps is made up of approximately 300 member volunteers who develop, deliver, and maintain the NAFSA Core Education Program (CEP) curriculum and materials. Trainer Corps members deliver the NAFSA CEP Workshops at various events, programs, meetings, and conferences throughout the year, including NAFSA's Annual Conference, Regional Conferences, and On-Site offerings all over the country.
Enjoy our newsletter and I wish you the best as we enter the end of the Spring Semester!
Highlighting Collaborations: Wright State International Festival
On Saturday March 24th, the University Center for International Education (UCIE) collaborated with multiple community groups, student groups, faculty, and staff members to celebrate the beauty of WSU's international community at their 34th Annual Wright State International Festival. The festival drew in over 1,000 attendees who were able to travel the world without leaving campus by enjoying culture performances, live music, cultural cuisines, international beers, and table displays from over 40 different countries.
The event featured performances from the following:
- Chinese Student and Scholar Association
- Filipino Pamana Dance Group
- El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico
- The Celtic Academy
- African Student Union
- Saudi Student Association
- Dayton Argentine Tango Society, LLC.
- Bangladesh Student Association
- 5325 Band (WSU Alumni Chinese Band)
- Indian Folk Music by Dr. Tavni Banerjee and Dr. Will Romine
- Joseph Glenn’s Trinidad Steel Drums
- Nepali Raiders
- Dayton Hungarian Festival Club Dancers
The country displays featured over 30 different groups including:
- Indian Student Association
- African Student Union
- LEAP
- Dan Foster’s Caricatures
- Saudi Student Association
- Office of Latino, Asian, and Native American Affairs
- Bangladesh Student Association
- Magyar Hungarian Club of Dayton
- Nepali Raiders
- Persian Club
- Chinese Student and Scholar Association
- Gabriela Pickett’s Art and Design
- DCOWA/DSCC
- Chief Diversity Officer/Office of Equity and Inclusion
- Student Legal Services
- And many others!
The UCIE also collaborated with a local organization called Preschool Promise to include an international reading corner at this year’s Children’s Zone to have children’s books read in 5 different languages. The Wright State International Festival was a wonderful event because of the successful collaborations it had across campus and community to celebrate and value international education. The UCIE sends a heartfelt thank you to all those who had a part in making it such a success. Some other March collaborations included the following:
- International Women's Day with International Women's Organization, Women’s Center, and the Office of Latino, Asian, and Native American Affairs, March 8, 2018
- Global Connections: Argentina and Pakistan with Exchange Students, Rida Stephen and Sofia Perdomo, March 16, 2018
- Holi with the Indian Student Association and the Residential Community Counsel, March 30, 2018
- African Kwa Kweli with the African Student Association, March 31, 2018
Graduate Year: Spring 2016
Major: Master of Science in Computer Science
Country: India
Accomplishments: Software Engineer at Wurth Electronics ICS. Has been invited to Wurth offices in both Germany and France.
"I have been working as a Software Engineer at Wurth Electronics ICS. Since then I have been improving the processes by automating human process interaction. I have been making significant improvements to the manufacturing process by reducing human error risks and improving productivity and efficiency." Sachin has also been invited to the Wurth headquarters located in Germany and visited both German and French offices to understand the problems faced and help find and model long term solutions in Electronics manufacturing industry by automating human process interaction using software technologies to improve productivity, quality and efficiency.
"Wright State University helped me in talking a step towards my goals which I have been dreaming since childhood. I thank Wright State for helping me dream big and set my targets to achieve more. WSU helped me become globally prepared, interdependent, and to think critically with an ability to apply knowledge resources," said Koyeti.
Keep up the great work, Sachin Kumar. We are so proud of you!
Students Abroad Highlight: Kathryn Chaney
Military personnel and other government employees preparing to be posted to U.S. embassies in Europe will likely run across Wright State University alumna Kathryn Chaney. She helps staff the Europe Desk at the Defense Institute of Security Cooperation Studies.
“My favorite aspect of the job is just helping the students,” said Chaney, who in March began a new job as a logistics management specialist. “It’s really fulfilling doing research for them that helps them better understand something so that when they go over to the embassies they feel confident they know what’s going on and can do their jobs.”
In 2009, Chaney enrolled at Wright State in the International Studies Program and traveled to Spain and Morocco in 2011 as part of a study-abroad ambassador program.
The trip focused on human rights issues, and Chaney visited an orphanage in Morocco and spent time with organizations that worked with Gitanos, an itinerant ethnic people in Spain. The following year Chaney returned to Spain to immerse herself in Spanish at the University of Salamanca.
She enrolled in the International and Comparative Politics Program focused on the Global Gender Studies track, in which she earned her master’s degree in 2017. Chaney began working at the Defense Institute of Security Cooperation Studies while she was still at Wright State, using the experiences she had in Spain.
Chaney recently received a congratulatory “shout-out” from the World Values Survey Association, which conducts international surveys to identify the values in various countries. The association applauded Chaney for her master’s thesis, which looked at the economic empowerment of women in India and Bangladesh.
Chaney said Wright State has given her a tremendous experience. We are so proud of you, Kathryn! Read more about Kathryn Chaney at this link: Foreign Service
Upcoming Events: April
