Ralph J. Bunche Center Newsletter

RALPH J. BUNCHE

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS CENTER

2218 Sixth Street NW

Washington, DC 20059

SUBSCRIBE HERE

If you haven't subscribed to our newsletter yet, click on the subscription link to register!

End of Year Message from the Director

Another year in the books Bison Family!! It’s been a great one for the Bunche Center and we thank you for helping to make it so! We welcomed the Ambassador of Colombia, His Excellency Francisco Santos, to campus, we spoke at numerous conferences, and brought the work of the Center to wider audiences through TV appearances and radio shows! As you will see below we just hosted our first Bunche Center International Awards where we celebrated Howard University's "Champions of Internationalization" and if you were unable to join us this year, do not worry, we will do it again next year as this will be an annual celebration of internationalization at the Mecca. We look forward to a little down time as we prepare for the arrival of our new cohorts of Payne, Rangel and Pickering fellows in a few weeks! We will be working hard over the summer preparing new programming for you Bison family. Finally, CONGRATULATIONS to #HU19! Wishing you all the best as you close this chapter and start a new one! Celebrate...you earned it! Everyone else, please enjoy your summer break, stay safe and go GLOBAL!!

Globally,

Tonija Hope Navas

Director

IN THIS ISSUE

Center Highlights
1st Annual Bunche Center Awards
NEW PROGRAM ALERT
Bison Abroad Spotlight
HU Bison Abroad Updates
Opportunities for Students
Opportunities for Faculty

CENTER HIGHLIGHTS

Accepted Students Day

This year the RBC was invited to address potential future Bison and their families at the annual Accepted Students Day event. It was a great opportunity to share the ways in which HU supports global citizenship. Our team was also able to engage with prospective students and answer specific questions about programs, countries where they can study abroad, and how to finance it. We look forward to welcoming HU '23 to the Mecca in August!

"Dear Roommate" Podcast

Director of the Bunche International Center, Tonija Navas joined Howard University students Hadiya Presswood and Justyce Falkenberg to discuss culture shock and adjusting to life with roommates who may do things a little differently from you...and all the beauty that comes with that! Take a listen!

Ralph J. Bunche Visits Howard

No, not that Ralph J. Bunche, but yes, his grandson. It was a pleasure to welcome Mr. Ralph J. Bunche to the Center. Mr. Bunche, who resides in Brussels, Belgium, is the General Secretary of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and wanted to reconnect with the Center, which he last visited many years ago, to explore ways to collaborate. His organization represents disenfranchised peoples around the world, including the residents of the District of Columbia, who have no representation in the US Congress. Mr. Bunche was greeted by Assistant Provost for International Programs, Dr. Cudore Snell, and Director, Tonija Hope Navas. He also visited with the Chair and faculty of the Political Science Department as well as with President Frederick and Provost Wutoh. We look forward to working with him on a variety of projects and initiatives.

Social Work Recognition

On Friday, April 26th, the School of Social Work hosted their annual debrief of their International Service Learning Program to Cape Town, South Africa which celebrated 10 years. Ms. MaRaina Montgomery provided a pre-departure orientation to the students who traveled to Cape Town. During the debrief the Bunche Center was recognized for its support of the program. Thank you Dean Crewe, Dr. Snell, Dr. Moss and other Social Work colleagues for including us in this important program. Here's to at least 10 more years!

Students from Atlanta visit the Bunche Center

Springtime at Howard University is the perfect time for college tours. In April, 50 high school students from Atlanta, GA traveled 13 hours to Washington, DC to visit the Mecca! The annual trip was organized by the Howard University Alumni Chapter of Atlanta. While here, Ms. Montgomery hand-picked 6 current Bison Abroad volunteers to engage with the students and conduct ice-breakers and an informal Q&A. These discussions offered the students perspective on the college experience and going abroad. Each student left having an idea of where they wanted to visit throughout the world.

INAUGURAL BUNCHE CENTER AWARDS

On Thursday, May 25th, the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center hosted it first annual International Awards. The purpose of the celebration was to honor and recognize the work of faculty and staff outside of the Center who support international education and study abroad across the university. Our inaugural awards celebrated the work of Faculty nominees Dr. Amarilis Lugo de Fabritz, Russian Instructor in COAS , Dr. Felecia Banks, Chair of the Occupational Therapy in CNAHS, and Dr. James Davis, Associate Dean of COAS, who was the winner. Staff nominees were Mr. Jahmal McCray of the Graduate School, Dr. Kanika McGee, Associate Dean of the SOB, and the winner, Ms. Gaelle Ivory, Associate Director in the Office of Student Life and Activities. Our student nominees were sophomore Ms. Maggi Chambers, graduating senior, Ms. Lydia Johnson, and the winner, graduating senior, Mr. Christian Keith. We also awarded the Student's Choice Award for Best Study Abroad Provider Experience to CIEE. During the ceremony we also took a moment to recognize students from the International Affairs Society that participated in the Model UN and Model NATO conferences as well as graduating seniors who have worked or volunteered in the Center. We are so appreciative of all of our colleagues and students across the university who are committed to and support our work. A special note of thanks to our partners CET Academic Programs and IES Abroad for sponsoring our inaugural awards.

Congratulations to our Champions of Internationalization winners and nominees!

Top: Dr. Amarilis Lugo de Fabritz, Dr. James Davis, Dr. Felicia Banks

Middle: Ms. Gaelle Ivory, Mr. Jahmal McCray, Dr. Kanika McGee

Bottom: Christian Keith, Maggi Chambers, Lydia Johnson

Student Choice Award for Best Provider Experience

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

PATRICIA ROBERTS HARRIS

PUBLIC AFFAIRS FELLOWSHIP

BISON ABROAD SPOTLIGHT

Mya Pugh - Barcelona, CIEE

took a trip to Morocco over spring break where she made friends with a camel!

Nia - Cape Town, IES

went skydiving in South Africa. And for some, the scariest part is getting ON the plane.

Alexi Jde-Lyew, Limerick, AIFS participated in the Festival of Colors also known as Holi with fellow Bison Abroad Sirajul Mustafa.

HU BISON ABROAD UPDATES

The Bison Abroad Office is pleased to report that this past academic year was one of the most successful yet! The first ever spring study abroad fair was a major success with 115 registrants, bringing the total number of study abroad fair participants to 355 for both fairs this academic year! The sixteen study abroad focused events and two classroom visits that took place this spring were very well attended! The event "Styling on the Go!," facilitated by graduating senior, Joyce Adoma, a fall 2018 #StudyAbroadSoBlack Scholarship recipient was especially great! In total this academic year, FORTY events/workshops were produced to promote and prepare Howard students for study abroad!

For the fall 2019 semester, we received a total of 130 applications for study abroad, the most applications received on record! Additionally, 53 students applied to study abroad this summer through the RBC, and we are excited for the 50 applicants for the CECAT program in Oaxaca, Mexico!

The past year was also one of great success for the Bison Abroad Office/RBC. Our work to promote and prepare students to study abroad is being recognized across the field of international education. The #StudyAbroadSoBlack movement has been selected as a finalist by GoAbroad.com for the "Innovation in Diversity Award"! With a total of five conference presentations across the academic year (with an additional three scheduled for May), participation on the CIEE fall '18 conference proposal review committee, the Forum on Education Abroad's Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, and NAFSA's 2019 Local Arrangements Team for the Annual Conference, we are committed to improving access to study abroad for the Bison community!

Stay tuned for new initiatives in the next academic year!