Volume 96 | September 2021
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.
Michigan Indian Day (September 24)
In the state of Michigan, the fourth Friday of September each year is known as Michigan Indian Day. This year, Michigan Indian Day was recognized and celebrated on September 24. While Michigan Indian Day was first enacted into law in 1974, it gained more universal recognition in 2007 when the House of Representatives said the following in House Resolution No. 193: "Michigan Indian Day is an excellent opportunity for Michigan citizens to better understand and appreciate the many contributions that people of Native American descent have made to our state." Read more about Michigan Indian Day here.
Spotlight: Join an ELI Conversation Circle for Fall 2021!
Join an ELI Conversation Circle for Fall 2021!
Register by Sunday, October 3
Are you an international student at the University of Michigan? Are you interested in practicing informal English conversation, learning about US culture, meeting new people, and connecting with other international students and scholars at U-M before you arrive on campus? 

If yes, register to join a Conversation Circle!

Conversation Circles are free, weekly, one-hour meetings facilitated by volunteer U-M students, faculty, or staff who are native or near-native English speakers.

In Fall 2021, Conversation Circles will happen online, via Zoom, so that you can join a Circle no matter where in the world you are!

Please note: Space is limited and sign-up is on a first-come, first-serve basis. If your preferred Circle is full, you can add your name to the waitlist or select another one.
Announcements
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization that responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster.

A number of U-M MSW students have done field placements all around the U.S. with IRC. Some alumni of the program have even gone on to accept positions at IRC! Below is a list of resources from IRC on how to support and learn more about one of IRC's current causes, the Afghanistan crisis.






Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! People across the country spend time this month celebrating the diversity, histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Hispanic Americans make up the largest minority group in the nation and have significantly contributed to our government, culture, and economy over generations. Keep an eye out for Hispanic Heritage Month-centered events and resources featured in our newsletter throughout the month!

Date: Saturday, September 25 - Sunday, November 7
Brief Description: In celebration of Dia de Muertos, the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), in partnership with Detroit's Mexican Consulate, invite you to explore a community exhibition of ofrenda altars. In Mexico, and other Latin American countries, the Day of the Dead is the time of the year to celebrate the lives of close relatives, friends or community members who have passed away.

"Generations of artists have returned to the themes of the US-Mexico border and the impact of its inconsistent and often arbitrary enforcement on the lives of Mexican, Mexican American, and other Latinx communities. Visual art, music, and literature produced from the 1930s through the present offer rich data for contemplating shifting representations of the border and immigrants over time and for exploring factors that shape the context, content, and tone of such representations."
International Career Pathways is a cross-unit initiative that aims to compile and highlight events happening across campus pertaining to global internships, service, and careers!

Date: Thursday, October 21 from 12:00 - 2:30 PM EDT
Brief Description: The International Opportunities Fair is a great way to connect with organizations with an international focus! The Fair includes post graduation opportunities, internships abroad, volunteering abroad, teaching abroad, and grants/fellowships/scholarships.

Date: Wednesday, September 22 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM EDT
Brief Description: The U.S. Department of State offers over 1,000 summer internships at its embassies and missions throughout the world, at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and at facilities in approximately 20 other cities throughout the United States. A panel of University of Michigan students will share their experiences as U.S. Department of State interns this past summer.

Date: Wednesday, October 20 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: Interested in careers in public policy, law, and human rights? Join to learn from Hardy Vieux, Chief of Staff of Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), and Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation Policymaker in Residence at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

Date: Monday, October 25 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: Interested in humanitarian and international development careers with Mercy Corps? Join to learn from Michelle LeMeur, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Director, Mercy Corps Nepal.

Date: Wednesday, October 27 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: A panel of global health and development professionals will share their career stories, including preparation, training, and advice for prospective global professionals.
Events
Date: Wednesday, September 29 from 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Brief Description: Join students, faculty, and staff of the Jewish Communal Leadership Program to celebrate the Sukkot holiday. The holiday of Sukkot centers around the sukkah (a temporary shelter). Traditionally, Jews would eat, sleep, and gather in the Sukkah during this annual harvest festival. All are welcome -- no knowledge/prerequisites of Judaism/Hebrew required.
Date: Thursday, September 30 from 4:00 - 5:00 AM EDT (6:00 - 7:00 PM AEST)
Brief Description: Guy S Goodwin-Gill and Jane McAdam will reflect on the many issues confronting the global protection regime at this moment, in a conversation with Guardian Australia’s Ben Doherty, chaired by Kaldor Centre Advisory Committee member, Shukufa Tahiri. How has international refugee law evolved in the 40 years since the first edition of the book was published? Where are the new stresses? What challenges endure? What role can scholars, decision-makers and those working at the grassroots play to promote protection for those who need it?
Date: Thursday, September 30 from 3:00 - 3:30 PM EDT
Brief Description: Students who are seeking international experiences as a way to explore their own roots are considered heritage seekers. Their experiences with a certain culture give them a unique perspective and can serve as an advantage in their immersion experience, and while most heritage seekers are invested emotionally and intellectually in their host country/homeland, some may neglect to consider the negative impacts of their perceived familiarity with the culture. Join the Center for Global and Intercultural Study (CGIS) for this special brief where they discuss this somewhat invisible identity and the benefits and barriers a heritage seeker can encounter while navigating abroad.
Date: Friday, October 1 from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: Next week, the International Institute will be hosting its first webinar for the Masters in International and Regional Studies (MIRS) Program. This session will discuss topics related to the program structure, admissions requirements, funding and financial aid, specialization tracks, and dual-degree opportunities for students interested in applying for the Fall 2022 term.
Date: Friday, October 1 - Saturday, October 2
Brief Description: The Translate-a-thon is a short, intense, community-driven translation marathon, where volunteers interested in translation come together to translate materials for the benefit of our local, national and international community. Current students and alums, faculty and staff, teachers and students from local high schools, prospective transfer students, professional translators and other interested parties are all welcome. The event is hybrid, so you can participate in person or online. Come when you can, stay as long as you like.
Date: Monday, October 4 - Sunday, October 17
Brief Description: You are invited to attend Professor Rogério Pinto's installation entitled Realm of the Dead where he tells how his family grieved the loss of his sister, Marília, who died in a sudden accident when she was three years old. Using dozens of sculptures built into vintage suitcases, Professor Pinto tells his story of growing up in poverty in Brazil, then at 21 coming as a poor immigrant to the United States. The Realm of the Dead installation is part of this year's U-M SSW Centennial Celebration. Please note that due to COVID-19 restrictions students cannot attend the performance portion of Professor Pinto's Realm of the Dead.
Date: Friday, October 8 from 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM EDT
Brief Description: As the COVID-19 pandemic so sharply illustrates, the challenges of equitable access to vaccines globally are complex. Potential solutions must address the science of developing vaccines, and also the policies, economic factors, and social structures that relate to vaccine financing, production, distribution, access, and hesitancy. Join experts from across U-M and India’s Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research for a discussion on novel, collaborative approaches to advancing vaccine equity. 
Date: Thursday, October 14 from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: This interdisciplinary and geographically wide-ranging conference aims to bring together scholars from public health and the humanities, from the medical sciences and the social sciences, whose areas of research will help us consider past and present relationships of gender and health.
Date: Wednesday, October 20 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT
Brief DescriptionInternational Student Lunch Conversation is a casual time and space for international students to virtually connect with each other and talk about life as an international student in the U.S. and at U-M. The International Center and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will inform you of the current services they are offering, share resources for your mental health, and more, but you are also open to bring your own topics of conversation. Feel free to eat your lunch during this event!
Date: Friday, November 19 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT
Brief Description: Join the International Center virtually over lunch to discuss special topics and explore the resources available for international students and scholars. Discussions are informal and it's a great place to get your burning questions answered!
Professional Opportunities
Application Deadline: Thursday, October 7
Brief DescriptionThe Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) promotes and disseminates research on Japan, fosters communication among diverse disciplines, and encourages new approaches in the understanding of Japan and its place in the world. They are looking for a project coordinator to offer center programs support, coordinate outreach, and offer grant support.
Application Deadline: Friday, October 29
Brief Description: The Graduate Certificate in World Performance Studies (GCWPS) provides students an opportunity to join an interdisciplinary cohort of Graduate Fellows, interested in performance as an artistic and scholarly field of inquiry. The GCWPS requires 9 credit hours of coursework over the span of twelve months. Graduate Fellows are awarded a $3500 stipend for a summer research project, internship or practicum, to take place in the summer.
Application Deadline: Monday, November 1
Brief Description This unique 12-month professional development opportunity is designed for individuals dedicated to a career in international relief and development. CRS is one of the largest and most trusted international relief and development organizations. In more than 100 countries worldwide, CRS promotes transformative and sustainable change by using holistic approaches, engaging people at all levels, and tailoring their work to the needs of the people they serve.
Brief Description: Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels is seeking 4 MSW students for office assistant positions. Office Assistants support AAMOW's meal deliveries by cleaning coolers and baskets, counting meals, greeting volunteers, bagging Ensure, and occasionally delivering meals in their own vehicle or a University vehicle. Office Assistants also help with general tasks in the office that may include answering phones, entering data, and attending in-home assessments with AAMOW social workers.
Grant Opportunities
Deadline: Thursday, September 30
Brief Description: The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) is pleased to offer student scholarships for studying Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, or Vietnamese language. Scholarships may be given at any level of study and to undergraduate and graduate students.
Deadline: Wednesday, October 6 by 12:00 AM
Brief Description: Apply today for a Student Mini Grant (up to $1,000), a program that supports innovative and collaborative projects that make a real-life impact. Selected projects must strengthen community partnerships, enhance global scholarship, and/or advocate for inclusion and diversity, and engage with library experts and library services or resources.
Deadline: Rolling
Brief Description: Subject to availability of funding, awards will be made to faculty, students, and staff presenting Africa-focused papers or serving as chairs or discussants for Africa-focused sessions at regional, national, or international conferences. Priority is given to applicants who have not received prior ASC funding and to projects focused on Sub-Saharan Africa.
Deadline: Rolling
Brief Description: The U.S. Department of Education provides a variety of grant opportunities. Eligibility, funding amounts, and deadlines vary.
Resources
Global Impact: News Story of the Week
*All news stories presented are likely to include bias. Please be aware of this as you read the article. If interested, we encourage you to read further about the topic at your own discretion.

"What if Star Wars: A New Hope... was dubbed into Diné Bazaad, the 700-year-old language of the Navajo? There were so many parallels – of duality, of colonization, of landscape in the Indigenous land and a force that drives people to connect through shared experiences... Nearly 20 years after watching A New Hope for the first time, Manuelito Wheeler, [member of the Navajo Nation]... headed the translation and dub of the dialogue into Diné Bazaad. It premiered in 2013... and now lives on Disney+ for subscribers worldwide."
To find previous OGA Newsletter volumes, click the OGA Newsletter Archive .
Email [email protected] if you have any questions.