Volume 118 | April 2022
OGA Newsletter
The Office of Global Activities (OGA) is dedicated to connecting MSW students to international social work opportunities through fundingspecial programs, academic resources, internationalized curriculum, and arranging faculty and student exchanges at partner institutions.
Ramadan (April 2 - May 1)
April 2 marked the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Ramadan is observed as a month of fasting, gathering, reflection, and prayer for Muslims all around the world. During Ramadan, many Muslims abstain from food and drink (including water) from dawn until sunset. Muslims consider fasting in Ramadan a pillar of their faith. Muslims typically eat a meal before dawn, and then break the fast immediately after sunset with a meal called iftar. A few hours after the meal, some Muslims also attend congregational prayers until midnight or 1 AM. For more Ramadan resources and events, please see our "Announcements" section below.
Spotlight: Modern-Day Slavery: Social Work & the Caste System in India
Modern-Day Slavery: Social Work & the Caste System in India
Wednesday, April 6 from 5:00 - 6:30 PM EDT
One in every 200 people in the world are in slavery. Among the bonded laborers, a South Indian scheduled tribe called “Irula” (which means “darkness”) is categorized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) by the Indian government.

Recently, a movie titled Jai Bhim was released describing the plight of the “Irula” tribal community, which gives a deeper understanding of the undocumented community in India.

Join SSW visiting scholar Dr. Prince Solomon, who has worked with released bonded laborers for several years, as he unfolds the existing caste system in India and its impact on modern-day slavery.

This lecture and discussion is hybrid. The event will take place in the Educational Conference Center (SSWB 1840) with a virtual option via Zoom. Please indicate your mode of attendance on the RSVP form below. Individual boxed dinners will be provided for those attending in-person. Please note that registration is now only open to those attending by Zoom.
Events
Date: Tuesday, April 5 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: Are you a current student or recent graduate interested in working with the US Agency for International Development (USAID)? Join a virtual information session with Global Health Technical Professionals (GHTP) to learn about what it's like to support the agency's Global Health portfolio. You'll learn about global health career and paid internship opportunities, professional development benefits, and advice for a successful application.
Date: Thursday, April 7 from 5:00 - 6:30 PM EDT
Brief Description: To continue creating awareness and opening discussion spaces to consider forced displacement and the challenges it involves for the education sector, the EEGS is co-hosting, with the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, a documentary screening of Una Escuela llamada América. This documentary narrates the experiences of Joaquín, Deyna, Ricardo and Dilan, four children that migrated from different Latin-American countries to Arica, Chile. The film is in Spanish, and will feature English subtitles. Please join EEGS for this documentary screening, which will be followed by a discussion with one of the documentary producers, Pablo Mardones, and the Education Cluster Coordinator in Venezuela with UNICEF, Henry Renna. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by April 5 to help determine the food order.
SSW International Student Coffee Hour
Date: Friday, April 8 from 5:00 - 6:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: In this coffee hour, we will be celebrating our international MSW students who are graduating this semester. We will be serving cookies. Graduating international students will also receive a small gift from the Office of Global Activities (OGA) to commemorate their time at the SSW. Graduating students who are not able to attend this Coffee Hour will be contacted to pick up their gifts from the OGA at another time. This will be a hybrid event, so please feel free to log on via Zoom or come in person.
Date: Sunday, April 10 from 3:00 - 6:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: The CEN Business Challenge is an open pitch competition and DEI event organized by the China Entrepreneur Network (CEN) at U-M. Students will have the opportunity to pitch their own ideas to Ann Arbor startups. They will receive information on a problem that these startups are facing and will have a couple of hours to come up with their pitches. During the challenge, CEN will provide support as well as have a DEI workshop to ensure that the teams will create ideas that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Students will present their solutions to a panel of judges who will judge based on a number of criteria including viability, creativity, and sustainability. Winners will receive a cash prize and be connected with the volunteer startups to have their solutions applied. The event will be held in room B1560 in the Ross School of Business.
Date: Tuesday, April 12 from 7:00 - 8:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: Todd Miller writes a weekly post for The Border Chronicle. He has researched and written about border issues for more than 15 years, the last eight as an independent journalist and writer. He resides in Tucson, Arizona, but also has spent many years living and working in Oaxaca, Mexico. His work has appeared in the New York Times, TomDispatch, The Nation, San Francisco Chronicle, In These Times, Guernica, and Al Jazeera English, among other places.
Date: Wednesday, April 13 from 5:00 - 6:30 PM EDT
Brief Description: Join the Child Welfare Student Association for an informational presentation and dialogue regarding global issues within child and family welfare systems, as well as wellbeing on a global and micro scale. The event will discuss the varying dynamics of the orphan/ vulnerable child crisis in regions around the world, and how communities and governments are responding. The primary focus will be on the protection of vulnerable children, particularly those who are not cared for in family/home-like environments. This event is open to all UM students and faculty. Individual boxed dinners will be provided for the first 20 registrants attending in-person; however, registration to attend via Zoom will remain open up to the time of the event.
Date: Monday, April 18 from 4:00 - 5:30 PM EDT
Brief Description: An Afghan journalist's perspective on the war, democracy, the United States withdrawal and return of the Taliban to power. Jawad Sukhanyar will discuss issues like human rights, absence of press freedom and democratic institutions. How are the Taliban ruling the country? Trying to introduce their variant of Islam called Taliban-ism, resorting to religious nationalism and more.
Announcements
Congratulations MSW student, Bailey Castillo!

Bailey Castillo, MSW student and second-year Global Activities Scholars Program (GASP) student has been selected as the 2022 MSW Social Work Student of the Year for University of Michigan!

Annually, one BSW and one MSW student from each accredited social work program in Michigan receives this statewide honor, presented by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Michigan Chapter. This award recognizes social work student leaders who have shown outstanding academic achievement, organizing efforts, student involvement, and a commitment to the NASW Code of Ethics.

Please join us in congratulating Bailey on this amazing accomplishment!
Ramadan
Below you can find more Ramadan resources and events.
Date: Beginning on Monday, April 4 all throughout Ramadan from 8:00 - 9:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: Ramadan 2020+ is an initiative spearheaded by the Islamophobia Working Group in partnership with the Muslim Students' Association to host community iftars (large community dinners) during the academic year that are open to all - Muslim and non-Muslim students, staff, faculty, and community members - keeping with the tradition of community building in Ramadan, this beautiful and blessed month, inshaAllah, God willing. However, if you are not observing Ramadan, we ask that you only RSVP for community iftars on Mondays and Thursdays.
Date: Thursday, April 14 from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM EDT
Brief Description: The community conversation will take place during the holy month of Ramadan. The focus will be Ramadan itself – the blessings/experiences of Ramadan in the healthcare setting. In addition, Dr. Amro Stino, Kamau Ayubbi, Staff Chaplain at Michigan Medicine, and a panel of diverse voices/perspectives from the UMHS community – for example, a UM medical student as well as others (be they nursing, admin staff, environmental services staff, etc.) will share their experiences. Lastly, Dr. Stino will discuss the creation of and promote MeERG.
Professional Opportunities
Application Deadline: Rolling
Brief Description: The team also seeks to hire two U-M student summer interns interested in education abroad. Applicants will collaborate with the staff working on a variety of global education projects. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and qualified candidates will start as early as May 2, 2022.
Application Deadline: N/A
Brief Description: Missy! Orr, a School of Social Work and Global Activities Scholars Program alum and current employee at International Rescue Committee (IRC), has shared a position that is her larger team. IRC’s Resource Acquisition and Management team within the Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration (RAI) department supports a network of 25 offices across the United States on business development and fundraising initiatives. The Post Award Program Officer will be a primary focal point for post-award grant administration duties for RAI HQ and select field offices in the United States. This includes reviewing program progress reports, budget versus actual reports, providing technical support on donor compliance, coordinating with the HQ Finance department, assisting with subaward preparation and management, and delivering trainings.
Application Deadline: N/A
Brief Description: Missy! Orr, a School of Social Work and Global Activities Scholars Program alum and current employee at International Rescue Committee (IRC), has shared a position that is on her larger team. IRC’s Resource Acquisition and Management team within the Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration (RAI) department supports a network of 25 offices across the United States on business development and fundraising initiatives.  As the Development Operations Manager, you will be a trusted resource for development staff across the country, providing technical support on fundraising systems, analytics and reporting, support offices with executing timely donor stewardship, and oversee use of fundraising tools.
Application Deadline: N/A
Brief Description: We The People MI (WTPMI) works to build a multi-racial, working class constituency across the state that is engaged in community organizing, the development of leaders, and the building of a unified, proactive agenda rooted in economic, racial, and social justice for all Michiganders. They are looking for Field Organizers and Field Organizer Supervisors to help them with their 2022 election work. All jobs are temporary (year long) but full time positions start at $42,000/year plus benefits. 
Application Deadline: N/A
Brief Description: Samuel Hall is a social enterprise that conducts research, evaluates programs, and designs policies in contexts of migration and displacement. They recently announced two new openings for a Migration & Displacement (Pillar 1) Research Manager (RM) and Migration & Displacement (Pillar 1) Project Lead (PL). To see all of their current openings, click here.
Application Deadline: N/A
Brief Description: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is launching a one-year Afghan Support & Investment Project (ASIP) across Northern California, including the greater Sacramento region, Bay Area, and Central Valley. The project will center on disbursing housing funds in support of newly arrived Afghans. IRC will be hiring around 24 new staff members to support this project. Most positions are either remote or hybrid.

Multiple Positions Available: Switchboard/International Rescue Committee
Application Deadline: N/A
Brief Description: Switchboard, International Rescue Committee's funded training and technical assistance provider, is growing its team to accommodate increased needs among providers serving Afghan newcomers. Switchboard is a one-stop resource hub for refugee service providers in the United States.
Volunteer Position Available: UHS Children's Center Virtual Readers Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Brief Description: The University Health Systems (UHS) Children's Center is looking for volunteers to record themselves reading infant, toddler, and preschool-appropriate children's books aloud for virtual story time. The teachers see story time as a way to help kids become adaptive to different people and ways of being in the world and encourage people of other cultures and nationalities to participate in the program and share storybooks based on their own identities and experiences. They also seek volunteers who are multilingual and are willing to read aloud in different languages to connect with children who are non-native speakers of English. If you are interested, please contact Kenneth Simpson at 734-998-6195 or kengen@umich.edu.
Grant Opportunities
Deadline: Friday, April 15
Brief Description: WCED seeks applications from University of Michigan graduate students in all centers and departments for grants toward research projects related to authoritarianism and democracy, broadly understood. Funds cannot be used for conference expenses. Awards range from $500 to $5,000, depending on the number of successful proposals.
Deadline: Friday, April 15
Brief Description: The Swieca Family Israel Travel Fund is designed to financially support students who will be participating in educational travel to Israel. Educational travel is defined as study, internship, volunteer, or research opportunities, as well as conference attendance. Funding will be distributed to cover expenses such as program fees, conference registration, transportation, room and board, and/or local excursions made in connection with the project. For eligibility criteria, the application process, and more information, visit here. Questions? Contact the International Center at ic-abroad@umich.edu.
Deadline: Rolling; final submission date Friday, April 29
Brief Description: The Global Islamic Studies Center (GISC) welcomes proposals from U-M graduate students for research, language learning, and conference engagements. Funds may be used to pursue individual research projects domestically and internationally, or to attend/present research for a conference, workshop, or course that explores topics in Islam and Muslim communities (this includes language learning courses). Awards of up to $2000 are granted, depending on the number and character of successful proposals.
Deadline: Rolling
Brief Description: The International Center offers a grant opportunity to help student organizations and University departments recognize the diversity of the U-M international student population through special events and programming. Organizations and departments should apply at least 14 days in advance of their event (the earlier, the better). Grants amounts will vary based on the submitted budget and the availability of funds.
Resources
To find previous OGA Newsletter volumes, click the OGA Newsletter Archive.
Email ssw.oga@umich.edu if you have any questions.