May 2004

• Monroe-Paine Lecture Features Iraqi Reconstruction Expert
• New Law School Program Offered in South Africa
• Bosnian Program Makes a Difference
• Summer English Language Programs for International Graduate Students
• Debunking the Myths of Study Abroad
• American LIFE Program Slated for Fall 2004
• New Staff Join International Offices Across Campus
• Fall 2004 International Student Orientation

Monroe-Paine Lecture Features Iraqi Reconstruction Expert

On April 26, Ted Morse - a senior official with US Agency for International Development (USAID) - delivered the 2004 Monroe-Paine Lecture on Iraqi reconstruction in "Prospects and Problems in International Conflict Prevention". The event was co-sponsored by MU's Truman School of Public Affairs and the European Union Center. Morse joined the U.S. Agency for International Development in 1962, focusing on long-term economic and social development and security - with extended assignments in Africa, Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, the Balkans, and most recently, Iraq. In addition, he has worked on fourteen emergency relief and post-conflict reconstruction situations, including contra-aid, Grenada, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, and Iraq.

His crisis management experience led to his most recent assignment as the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) coordinator for Baghdad. It has also been the motivation for his work to install conflict prevention policies and programs within the U.S. Government inter-agency processes during his retirement.

Mr. Morse earned his Bachelor's degree in Social Science at California State University at Sacramento. He earned a MA in International Development at George Washington University. He has two Presidential Distinguished and Meritorious Service Awards for directing contra-aid in 1988-90 and directing U.S. Government drought relief in Africa. He has received numerous awards from USAID, the Department of State, and the Defense Department for his distinguished service.

Morse was accompanied on the campus visit by his wife, Mary Lewellen, who is also a very distinguished administrator with USAID. While on campus, Morse and Lewellen met with faculty and students interested in international development and HIV/AIDS policy and treatment.

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New Law School Program Offered in South Africa

Twenty-two American law students will be traveling to Cape Town, South Africa this June to participate in the MU School of Law's first summer study abroad program. Students enrolled in the five-week program - a collaboration between the law school and the University of the Western Cape - will take three two-credit courses in different areas of comparative law taught by MU and UWC law professors. The three courses are Comparative Constitutional Law, Comparative Criminal Justice, and Dispute Resolution.

The program runs from June 11, 2004 through July 17, 2004. Students will reside in the beautiful ocean-side neighborhood of Sea Point and travel to their classes at the University of the Western Cape by chartered transportation. Weekend travel opportunities to the Cape of Good Hope, the Stellenbosch wine region, Robben Island - the prison home of Nelson Mandela -- and other scenic and historical locales are included in the itinerary. Students will also visit local courts and prisons as part of their course work.

Although most of the participants are MU law students, students from UCLA, George Washington University, Wayne State University, DePaul University, the University of San Diego, and Santa Clara University also will be participating. Fifteen UWC law students also will participate in the program.

"We are excited about this program and the opportunity it gives our law students," said Professor Jim Levin, co-director of the program. "Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and this program offers our students the unique opportunity to witness the amazing developments that are occurring in post-apartheid South Africa."

The South Africa Study Abroad Program is the latest extension of a 14-year collaboration between the University of Missouri System and the University of the Western Cape.

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Bosnian Program Makes a Difference

By David Currey, Director of International Student and Scholar Services

Believe it or not, as an administrator in the field of international student and scholar services I've only had a handful of opportunities to actually travel abroad as part of my job. Most of my international travel adventures took place prior to my current career track, which seems ages ago. Nevertheless, a recent opportunity for a short-term overseas trip availed itself this past February when I was invited by American Councils to participate in the selection committee for the Bosnia Undergraduate Development Program (BUDP) in Sarajevo. My heart skipped a beat as I contemplated the prospects of visiting an area of the world that within the last decade had experienced the horrors of civil war. "Is it safe?" was the first question from my wife, and admittedly, mine too, though now I'm embarrassed I even had the thought.

In any case, having enjoyed getting to know the BUDP students currently attending MU, Dalija Hasanbegovic and Sandra Lukic, I also knew that if the rest of Bosnia was anything like these intelligent, enthusiastic and friendly students, surely safety was the last thing I had to worry about. Familial anxiety withstanding, my instincts were correct. Though the scars of war were still evident in Sarajevo, life seemed to have returned to normal. Still it seemed unimaginable that in the not too distant past a 1,300 day siege ensued where snipers indiscriminately shot civilians in the same streets where I was now taking a leisurely stroll.

For several wintry days, narrowing down a pool of thirty-six exceptional scholarship candidates to only twelve finalists presented a dilemma that overshadowed any previous anxieties about this trip. The candidates came from all corners of the country, including Banja Luka, Bihac, Mostar, and Tuzla. Some had experienced the war years as school children. I wished they could all be finalists.

In the evenings I was generously treated to the sights and sounds of Sarajevo, a crossroads unparalleled in cultural and historical complexity. After five intensive days of interviews, new and delicious foods, new sights like the 16th-century Bey's Mosque, and new friends, I left renewed and optimistic about the value of the BUDP and similar U.S. funded exchange programs. Through these types of exchanges there is always the hope that participants will not only gain a better understanding of America, but that Americans will be challenged in their perspectives toward those from distant lands. I have no doubt that Dalija and Sandra have had a wonderful impact on many of us here at MU and I wish them every success as they return home to make a difference in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Note: The University of Missouri-Columbia is one of eight U.S. universities currently hosting Bosnian students participating in the BUDP, which provides one year of undergraduate non-degree study in the U.S. to outstanding undergraduate students from Bosnia and Herzegovina in fields related to democratic and economic reform. The BUDP is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and administered by American Councils for International Education.

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Summer English Language Programs for International Graduate Students

For summer 2004, the Intensive English Program (IEP) and the English Language Support Program (ELSP) will offer two English language training programs for international graduate students who are interested in improving their English language skills. Although all graduate students have met the English language requirements for admission to an academic department, some students have difficulty with certain skills, such as speaking and understanding oral English or writing academic papers. These two programs address these specific linguistic skills.

Intensive English Program (IEP)

During the summer session, the Intensive English Program (IEP) offers a special section of English language instruction to international graduate students with deficiencies in their oral/aural skills. Areas of emphasis in the curriculum are presentation skills, pronunciation, listening, academic and field-specific vocabulary, idioms, functions of English, and oral and written grammar. These are skills that are obviously very important for all graduate students and are essential for potential teaching assistants. Especially good candidates for the special IEP section are students who have taken the ITA screening test and received scores at or below 2.

The summer IEP section is very time and labor intensive. Students spend five hours per day in classes, with five different instructors, and are expected to spend two to four hours each evening preparing for the classes. Since the program is so intensive, students are not permitted to be concurrently enrolled in other MU classes, and it is highly recommended that they not have other major demands on their time.

The goal of the IEP in offering this special section is to aid departments by encouraging their international graduate students to improve their English and thus increase their value to the departments. For graduate students who have had and will have teaching or research assistantships, the IEP will waive the non-resident portion of the summer IEP tuition. To be eligible for a waiver of the non-resident portion of the IEP fees and admission to this special section, the student must ask the department to confirm in writing that he/she has had an assistantship during the previous fall or winter semester and will have an assistantship in the following fall or winter semester. The resident IEP fee for summer 2004 (including MU's required student activity, information technology, recreation facility, and student health fees) is $1115. This fee can be paid either by the graduate student him/herself or by the department. The total fee for a student who does not qualify for a waiver of the non-resident fees is $2,500.

English Language Support Program (ELSP)

Two three-credit-hour courses will be offered by the English Language Support Program (ELSP) during the eight-week summer session: ELSP 003 (Grammar & Composition II) and ELSP 004 (Oral Communication). Each course meets five days per week for two hours each day.

In ELSP 003, students are taught the rhetorical patterns used in academic writing, progressing from the paragraph level to essay development. They learn the process of writing, including planning, drafting, and revising. Students write a minimum of five major essays, with several drafts. In addition, the curriculum includes a review of the grammatical structures relevant to specific rhetorical modes. ELSP 004 emphasizes the development of intelligibility in spoken English. Through individual, pair and group activities in both formal and informal contexts, students work on improving pronunciation, delivering oral presentations, and practicing discussion techniques. Because the focus of the course is on oral English, the students are required to work with video and audio tapes to practice the skills they are learning. Each student also meets one-on-one with the course instructor to work on individual pronunciation problems (including specific sounds, word stress, sentence rhythm and intonation).

Although ITA screening is not required for admittance to an ELSP course, students who have scored an NR or 1 on the ITA screening test should be advised to enroll in the summer IEP, where they will receive more hours of language training, addressing a broader range of problem areas and providing more intensive practice.

For more information on either of these summer English language training opportunities, please contact Susan DeMian, IEP/ELSP administrative assistant, at 882-7523 or iepmu@missouri.edu.

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Debunking the Myths of Study Abroad

Although the number of MU students studying abroad has more than tripled over the last 10 years, the percentage of students taking advantage of this excellent learning opportunity represents only 3.2 % of the total MU undergraduate student population. Several recurring myths about study abroad tend to keep students from considering these international experiences.

Myth #1: You have to speak a foreign language to study abroad. Many programs, including some in countries where English is not spoken as a native language, do not require any foreign language background. Many of these programs in non-English speaking countries emphasize language study, especially in languages, such as Korean, that are not always available on the MU campus.

Myth #2: Studying abroad won't work for my major. Students from every major can and should study abroad. Many study abroad programs allow students to enroll directly in a foreign university, giving them the option of taking classes in whatever academic programs are available. In fact, several programs are set up expressly for students in a specific MU major, such as the summer Business program in Bergamo, Italy, or the Brazil semester exchange for Civil Engineering. Students from all of the MU Schools and Colleges, representing over 75 different majors, studied abroad during the 2002-2003 academic year.

Myth #3: I won't be able to graduate on time. With careful planning, students can remain on track to graduate in four years and still study abroad for up to a year. Study abroad fulfills general education requirements, and in most cases major and minor credits. Summer programs can actually speed up graduation by allowing students to take additional courses or complete a foreign language requirement.

Myth #4: It costs too much to study abroad. Costs vary widely from program to program, but on many MU programs, students pay the same educational fees as if they were on campus, then pay for housing and meals once they are abroad. Additional expenses include the study abroad administrative fee, round trip airfare, passports and visas, and travel within the host country or region.

Financial aid can be applied to the costs of studying on any MU or MU Partner study abroad program. The International Center also offers a number of study abroad scholarships each year. In addition, there are a growing number of third-party scholarships available for study abroad, such as the Gilman Award, the Freeman Asia Award, as well as special scholarships through MU's partner programs.

Myth #5: I don't need to have an international experience. All students can benefit from becoming more culturally diverse and having a better understanding of the world. Future employers look for characteristics of a global citizen--such being open to differences, and having foreign language skills--to help make a difference in the workplace, regardless of the field. In today's ever-expanding global society and competitive job market, students simply cannot afford to miss out on studying abroad!

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American LIFE Program Slated for Fall 2004

Imagine you're a new student at a foreign university, you've survived the information overload of the orientation program, registered for class, made some new friends from other countries, but haven't really been off campus, except a one-day excursion to the local shopping mall. You see lots of residential areas around campus and lots of people driving around the city, but it all seems so distant and otherworldly. You wonder silently, what are these people really like, do they care about students, what makes this community different or similar to my home abroad? That is where the American League of International Friendship Encounters (LIFE) comes in. An estimated 80% of international students never set foot in an American home during their stay in the U.S. Through the American LIFE program the International Center hopes to help reduce this regrettable statistic, one student at a time.

The LIFE program provides international students with an opportunity to experience American culture, while making friends and gaining a sense of community during their studies at MU. This truly unique opportunity not only adds to the students' experiences; it also expands the international horizons of local community members who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and countries. By forming friendships with an international student, American friends are helping to alleviate loneliness and transition anxieties that students often have. "Our desire is to offer new international students and scholars another connection to the mid-Missouri community that will strengthen the bonds of friendship and understanding between different peoples and different cultures," said David Currey, director of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS).

LIFE is a flexible program, and the amount of time invested is determined by the friendship partner and the student. Generally, LIFE participants should be willing to commit to one or two activities a month during the semester. The International Center will coordinate a few key activities during the semester to facilitate interactions. Beyond these, the vision is for mid-Missouri residents and international students to form relationships via typical American activities. "Whether it's a home-cooked meal, an excursion to the St. Louis Zoo, or going to the local farmer's market, any activities that mid-Missourians do are great encounters for international students and scholars," said Stacy Lightfoot, a graduate student intern at the International Center who helped develop the program.

The International Center seeks community members from all walks of life to take part in the American LIFE program. To prepare volunteers for the program, the International Center will offer an orientation session in late July. LIFE volunteers will get an overview of the program, learn more about their role, discuss cross-cultural communication and adjustment issues, and have the opportunity to sign up for the program. If you are interested in learning more about the program and may be interested in attending a LIFE Information and Orientation Session, please contact David Currey, ISSS Director (curreyd@missouri.edu). LIFE Information & Orientation Sessions can also be arranged for your community group upon request.

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New Staff Join International Offices Across Campus

CAFNR Welcomes New Director of International Studies

"Something I would like students, faculty, and staff to know about me is that I really love and believe in study abroad," he offers. "This isn't just some sort of 9-5 job for me. I was a student at Mizzou and spent my junior year abroad in Paris, France. This experienced helped me to grow both personally and professionally. Before going abroad I was basically living on autopilot. I wasn't doing very well in school and my interests didn't reach much further than the sports page and the nightly sitcoms. My experience abroad opened my eyes to how much more was out there in the world. It was a transforming experience for me and I wouldn't be the person I am today without it."

In his position with CAFNR, Robinson hopes to offer similar experiences to students by helping them explore opportunities to compliment their education with academic experiences abroad. "I would like all CAFNR students to arrive at Mizzou as freshman with the idea in their minds that they are going to study abroad," he explains. "I hope that study abroad will become a normal part of a students' academic planning instead of an aberration to the norm."

Journalism Hires Study Abroad Advisor

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Fall 2004 International Student Orientation

The fall orientation for new international students is scheduled for August 9-10 for graduate students and August 16-17 for undergraduate students. The orientation organizing committee, together with the International Center, is planning to welcome about 400 new international students. Students participating in orientation will have a chance to attend information sessions covering topics such ranging from immigration regulations to health and safety to US culture. Discussion panels with professors, current international students, and American students will also be provided. Social events such as lunch, campus tours and pizza parties will give new international students several chances to talk informally with International Center staff members as well as make new friends.