Volume 112 | February 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.
Black History Month (February 1 - 28)
Happy Black History Month! Throughout the month of February, we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Americans. Black History Month is also a time learn about and reflect on the history of Black folks in America. As of recent, Black History Month has also become a time to uplift stories of Black joy, wellness, and excellence. That is why the theme for this year's Black History Month event series hosted by Multi-ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) is Black Joy! Please see the "Announcements" section below for Black History Month events.
Spotlight: Global Course Extension in New York City
Global Course Extension in New York City
Application deadline: Sunday, February 27 by 11:59 PM EST
Travel dates: August 20-26

Student cost: approximately $325*

During the Sp/Su 2022 semester, the School of Social Work Global Social Work Pathway is offering a unique opportunity. This experience will consist of two courses focused on human rights: a 1-credit introductory course taught by Professors Ashley Cureton and Rogério Pinto, and an optional 2-credit engagement course that will take place in New York City.

The six-day trip to NYC will include visiting organizations involved in human rights work such as the United Nations, where students will network and interact with leaders working on human rights issues from a social work perspective.

This program is open to all U-M SSW MSW students interested in engaging with human rights and global issues. Preference will be given to students in the Global Social Work Practice Pathway. Please note that students must be enrolled during the Sp/Su term in order to participate.

Students who are already participating in a global experience (e.g., international field placement, Global Independent Study, etc.) are not eligible to participate. Participating students must be in good academic standing and maintain good academic standing during the winter and spring/summer semesters.

*The remaining cost will be subsidized by the Associate Dean for Educational Programs and the Office of Global Activities. Additional $150 need-based scholarships are available to students who qualify. Students selected for this trip will receive further information.
Events
Date: Wednesday, February 16 from 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM EST
Brief Description: This seminar series critically interrogates the ways in which militarised borders, migration enforcement, and their racial orderings continue to be normalised on a global scale. The political drive towards expanding walls, policing infrastructures, camps, detention centres, interceptions at sea, push backs, deportations, surveillance, and racist immigration policies that restrict asylum and migration is hereby not only a legacy of past empires but is also indicative of new emerging geographies of (im)mobility, racialisation, and liberal violence. Speakers in this series come from a range of disciplines and will examine global migration through questions of race and racism, coloniality, nationalism, citizenship, belonging, criminalisation, and bordering. Dr. Hannah Cross (University of Westminster) will be the guest speaker for this event.
Date: Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 6:00 PM EST
Brief Description: Based on the struggle of young people in Goma (Northeastern Congo) against the prevailing Western reporting about war and misery, Stop Filming Us investigates how these Western stereotypes are the result of a skewed balance of power. Stop Filming Us creates a cinematic dialogue between Western perceptions and the Congolese experience of reality. Virtual viewing followed by a panel.
Announcements
Black History Month Events
Join MESA in celebrating the lives, success, struggles and beauty of the Black and Afro-descended peoples from around the globe. The theme for this year's Black History Month is Black Joy! As you will find in the events below, our communities on campus have prepared dynamic, immersive and meaningful programs for all to attend, with a myriad of in-person, hybrid and virtual options.
Date: Tuesday, February 15 from 6:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Brief Description: John Smith, also known as Mr. Grindtime, will facilitate a workout and discussion to help improve overall mental, physical, and emotional wellness. This event is a mixture of a discussion and a workout class. This will be a hybrid event, held in-person and virtually.
Date: Wednesday, February 16 at 7:00 PM EST
Brief Description: As a part of their Black History Month Series in honor of bell hooks, the SSW Association of Black Social Work Students (ABSWS) and the Black Radical Healing Pathways (BRHP) are hosting The Black Mic Effect in the ECC (SSWB 1840) and virtually via Zoom.
Date: Thursday, February 17 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST
Brief Description: Dr. Sheldon Frields as he discusses his experiences being the only male nurse of color in various spaces and how diversity and inclusion are crucial to both the success of our society and the field of nursing. 
Date: Thursday, February 17 from 3:00 - 4:00 PM EST
Brief Description: Dr. Feranmi Okanlami, Director of Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services, will lead a discussion that centers on the intersection of Race, Ability and the process of finding one’s Place or sense of belonging. Through sharing his own personal experiences of living with disabilities and advocating for more robust and inclusive services for university students living with disabilities, Dr. Okanlami will push participants to think critically about what a truly inclusive and accessible university culture looks like, and will invite them to move away just from theorizing about change, toward enacting the changes they would like to see.
Date: Thursday, February 17 from 6:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Brief Description: Gone to the Village is a unique and powerful documentary, beautifully filmed, of the elaborate funerary rites for the Queen Mother of the Asante in Ghana. Leading Asante scholar Kwasi Ampene directs and narrates with the authority, gaze and sensitivity of a true insider, with stunning footage of the rich cultural traditions of the Asante people. Filmed on location in Kumase during the funeral, we witness traditions that have stubbornly and proudly resisted the onslaught of colonial rule and globalization. Through the film, we learn about the history of the Asante as well as the central role of women in this matriarchal society. The scenes of dance, song, drumming, proverbs, and dress code are of exceptional and exquisite beauty, unprecedented in the African continent.
Date: Friday, February 18 from 2:00 - 3:00 PM EST
Brief Description: Dr. Ampene will engage in a Q&A discussion with audience members, on the subject of his documentary Gone to the Village, and its relationship with this year’s theme for Black History Month: Black Joy. This event is offered in-person and virtually.
Date: Saturday, February 20 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM EST
Brief Description: This event celebrates art, music, and Black culture on campus in a formal affair. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their art, perform spoken word, and enjoy music on the dance floor. The goal is to bring the Black community together and celebrate the culture with good food, good music, and a great time.
Date: Tuesday, February 22 at 12:00 PM EST
Brief Description: As a part of their Black History Month Series in honor of bell hooks, the SSW Association of Black Social Work Students (ABSWS) and the Black Radical Healing Pathways (BRHP) are hosting a panel discussion addressing the presence of African Americans in academia and activism. This event will be held both in person (in the ECC, SSWB 1840) and online.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Events
To celebrate his life and legacy, please consider attending some of the below events in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his vision. For all U-M MLK Symposium events, see here.
Date: Thursday, February 17 from 12:00 - 1:30 PM EST
Brief Description: The 2022 MLK Health Sciences Committee presents an Interdisciplinary Panel Discussion on racial and ethnic disparities in pain management. The panelists will discuss their experiences with this issue and will share their insights regarding potential solutions. This Interdisciplinary Panel Discussion is sponsored by the MLK Health Sciences Committee – representing the University of Michigan – School of Dentistry; School of Kinesiology; Michigan Medicine / Medical School / Office for Health Equity & Inclusion; Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research; School of Nursing; College of Pharmacy; School of Public Health; and the School of Social Work.
Date: March 21 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST (tentatively in person) and March 22 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM EDT (virtual)
Brief Description: The MLK Health Sciences Committee invites you to join them for discussions on selected topics from Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet Washington. We will plan to discuss select chapters (8, 11, 13) that focus on clinical studies involving African American children as well as current studies involving citizens from African countries. This book dialogue is sponsored by the MLK Health Sciences Committee – representing the University of Michigan – School of Dentistry; School of Kinesiology; Michigan Medicine / Medical School / Office for Health Equity & Inclusion; Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research; School of Nursing; College of Pharmacy; School of Public Health; and the School of Social Work.
Professional Opportunities
Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 1, 2022 (Rolling admission)
Brief Description: The Ottawa Internship Program is designed to provide a first-hand learning experience in Canadian government through placement with a Member of Parliament or Senator in the capital of Canada. Students will work in a parliamentarian's office for a period of five weeks. This program is open to graduate and undergraduate students from all majors and all colleges at U-M.
Application Deadline: Friday, April 1, 2022
Brief Description: The Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) will be held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from June 20-August 12, 2022, and plans to return to an in-person format this year. Students can study Burmese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Javanese, Khmer, Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese at elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. Tuition scholarships are available.
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.
Grant Opportunities
Deadline: Tuesday, February 15 by 11:59 PM EST
Brief DescriptionThe International Institute Student Fellowships (IISF) are designed to support University of Michigan students, regardless of citizenship, who are enrolled in a degree program and wish to participate in internships or conduct research abroad. 
Deadline: Tuesday, February 15 by 11:59 PM EST
Brief DescriptionThe Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia (WCEE) is pleased to make available grants for in-person and virtual summer research projects or internships for current undergraduate and graduate students at U-M Ann Arbor. Funding is intended to be used within Europe/Eurasia or at international institutions from that area in the U.S. Please contact WCEE for questions regarding projects outside the region.
Deadline: Tuesday, February 15 by 11:59 PM EST
Brief DescriptionThe LACS Tinker Field Research Grants support master’s, doctoral, and professional school students conducting preliminary or pre-dissertation fieldwork in Latin America. Research projects must be conducted in the Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America and trips must last a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of four months. Awards, up to $2,500, are made based on the quality of the proposal and the academic progress of the applicant. Funds cover international airfare, in-country transportation, and some field-related expenses.
Deadline: Tuesday, February 15 by 11:59 PM EST
Brief Description: The ASC awards student grants (up to $3,000) toward research projects or internships in or on Africa. ASC is committed to supporting students at all levels and in all fields, regardless of citizenship, to undertake research, internships, or other training activities in or on Africa. Projects may be for any length of time, with a project start date between May 1 in the calendar year the application is submitted and April 30 of the following year. In light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, travel to the continent may or may not be feasible. Alternative approaches such as virtual internships are welcomed.
Deadline: Monday, February 21 by 11:59 PM EST
Brief Description: Awards will vary in amount based on proposal merit, budget, and need. Applications must meet one of two criteria:

  1. Conduct student-designed research that is tied to degree requirements and focused on issues of importance to women
  2. Travel abroad for students in public health, environmental health, or another health-related field (including but not limited to, nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, environmental health, and public health)

Most CEW+ Fellowships range between $2,000 and $5,000. CEW+ Fellowships are not intended to support travel for conference attendance and presentations.
Deadline: Monday, March 1 at 11:59 PM EST
Brief DescriptionFor graduate students working on Thailand, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies is accepting proposals for conference travel support funds, research fellowships, and internship support. 
Preference will be given to those who have not received funding in the past and who enroll in Thai language courses at U-M.
Deadline: Monday, March 1
Brief Description: In tribute to Professor May's academic interests in the Philippines, this scholarship supports students who are (a) Filipino or of Filipino heritage, and/or (b) pursuing a field of study related to Southeast Asian Studies, with a preference for those focused on the Philippines.
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 [email protected] if you have any questions.