Winter 2014 / Volume 15

j a y h a w k

Inside This Issue:STUDY ABROAD STUDENT AMBASSADORS INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL REGISTRY

KU JOINS IIE GENERATION STUDY ABROAD INITIATIVE

NEW STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMSTHANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

The

The Newsletter for the University of KansasStudy Abroad Alumni and Friends

P L A N E T

Study Abroad Student Ambassador Brooke Hanson during her semester on the Humanities and Western Civilization Program. Read more about the ambassador program on page 1.

This fall, the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) launched a leadership development initiative for returning study abroad students. The vol-unteer-based Study Abroad Student Ambassador pro-gram aims to provide study abroad returnees with the necessary skills to become leaders in their communities, as well as an opportunity to connect with and assist other students interested in study-ing abroad. The program has four primary objectives: student outreach, student sup-port, global citizenship and community service. Melody Stratton, Outreach Coordi-nator, began developing the program last spring. She de-signed the ambassador pro-gram to challenge returned study abroad students to apply the knowledge they gained while studying abroad to solving problems in their own communities. As part of the program, students learn about social and environ-mental justice, activism, community involvement, and global issues. “We want to develop globally-aware and socially-conscious leaders who will be active global citizens,” said Stratton. “Studying abroad helps students learn more about the world and about their beliefs, and we hope to harness the energy and passion these students have after studying abroad.” This year 27 returned study abroad students were

selected to serve as ambas-sadors through a competitive application process. The ambassadors represent a wide variety of majors and study abroad programs. The ambas-sador program is structured to encourage par-ticipation and leadership. Four lead ambassadors coordinate their own teams, and each team works to achieve one of the four program objectives. The lead ambassadors were

selected by their peers after developing and presenting project proposals for the

academic year. All student ambassadors receive extensive training and at-tend a leadership development re-treat. This year’s retreat included a volunteer activity with United Way, a problem-solv-

ing workshop, and relaxation yoga. Erika Dvorske, Director of United Way of Douglas County, and Marci Francisco, Kansas State Senator, also

joined the retreat as guest speakers. For the remainder of the year the ambassadors will work to raise awareness about global issues and study abroad opportunities. They will also develop and implement a service project. “The Study Abroad Am-bassador Program is great because it allows us to still be a part of study abroad when we return to campus,” said ambassador Catie George, “The program allows us to take the skills we learned abroad and promote global awareness to people here at KU.”

By Jackie Langdon

The Jayhawk Planet

OSA develops Study Abroad Student Ambassador program

1

STUDY ABROAD STUDENT AMBASSADORS

Ambassadors from (L-R): Front - Emily Siegler, Courtney Schupp, Katie Dague, Kat Youtsey, Erin McFarland, Ellen Keegan, Raider Fowler, Genevieve Riley, Ashleigh Lee Back - Tymon Wall, Peter Ludwig, Nicolette Edwards, Andrew Doerflinger, Becca Schmidt, Kwasi Porter-Hill, Olivia Jensik, Andrew Boppart, Alex Jaumann, Ashley Hrabe, Amy Laflin, Catie George

Winter 2014 / Volume 15

In May 2014, the Office of Study Abroad launched the Student International Travel Registry. Stemming from the University-affiliated Student International Travel Policy, the Registry is designed to support undergraduate and graduate students traveling abroad with university affilia-tion, but not on regular study abroad programs. The Registry provides a mechanism by which KU can disseminate resources to students so that they may be proactive in planning for their health and safety abroad. In addition, it enables the uni-versity to communicate with and support student travelers in the event of an emergency. The development of the Student International Travel Registry stemmed from the

increased number and type of international activities in which KU students are engaged, the ever-expanding diversity of destinations to which students are traveling, and a desire on the part of the institution to ensure that students have access to time-ly information and emergen-cy assistance before, during, and after travel abroad. Through the Registry, the OSA will provide students with access to pre-departure materials, resources, and services. In addition, student travelers will be provided with global emergency services and evacuation/repatriation insurance, as well as access to the 24/7 OSA emergency management services should problems arise. The registration process is completed online through

Study Abroad enhances support to students traveling internationally the OSA website. Sample

activities for which students would be required to register include performances, com-petitions, research, academic or professional conference attendance, and co-curricular activities. Angela Perryman, Direc-tor of the Office of Study Abroad, is excited to see the Registry operational. “The Registry enables us to create a comprehensive repository of the many international activities of KU students, support students engaged in these valuable educational activities, connect students to resources both locally and abroad, and reduce the potential risk. This is good for students and good for KU.”

thank you!Through the generous

support of our alumni and

friends, the Office

of International Programs,

the Office of the Chancellor,

and the Office of the Provost,

166 KU students received

scholarships for their expe-

riences abroad in academic

year 2014. The Office of Study

Abroad would like to thank

the following people for their

continued support this year:

Jeff Alexander

Dr. Kent Amsberry

Julianne Jenkins &

John D. Arendt

Laura Arsenault

Bruce Osen & Jane Averill

Ruth Baer

Cynthia Baker

Heather Baker

Alicia Barlow

Ashley Barnes

Kira Moore Barnes

Pamela Bayless

T. Paige Bearce-Beery

Nathan Betzen

Casey & Dr. Jacklyn Biggs

Duncan Billings

Rebecca Blackburn

Jan Bolinger

Frank Bonafilia

Cheryl Bornheimer

Sherry Ensminger Boutlinghouse

Boone Bradley

David Bricker

Melissa Bright

Luke Brinker

Nancy Giossi & John Broholm

Mary Brungardt Brown &

David Brown

Dr. Dylan Bryant &

Ellen Kraus Bryant

Dr. Joan Budd

G. Wayne Burge

Kevin Butorac

Elyse Calderon

Thomas & Lizbeth Carignan

Charles Caro

Kathryn Carroll

Kody Carter

Drs. Amy Schrumpf Carter &

Christopher Carter

Sean Carver &

Samantha Bennett Carver

2

As part of Engineers Without Borders, Katy Roth traveled to Bolivia over of the summer of 2014. The orga-nization was one of the first groups to register with the Student International Travel Registry.

The Jayhawk Planet

Already recognized as a national leader in study abroad, the University of Kan-sas has set a goal to signifi-cantly increase undergrad-uate participation in study abroad from 22.8 percent to 30 percent over the next five years. As part of that effort, KU was one of 156 charter members to partner with the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad Initiative, a five-year plan launched in March 2014 to double the number of U.S. college students studying abroad. Generation Study Abroad

will engage educators and stakeholders in the pub-lic and private sectors to increase the annual number of U.S. study abroad partici-pants to 600,000 by 2020. “Our goal is not only to boost participation but to increase the number of students who participate in semester-long experiences. We will be working closely with departments across campus to meet this goal, in particular to integrate study abroad into the major curriculum and in fulfillment of the KU Core,” said Susan Gronbeck-Tedesco, associate vice provost for International Programs.

The KU Core, KU’s first university wide undergradu-ate curriculum, supports the university’s ambitious study abroad participation goals. The KU Core allows students to meet educational goals and learning outcomes while engaging in experiential learning, including cultural experiences. Many study abroad opportunities will ful-fill the Culture and Diversity learning outcome. With 160 programs in countries ranging from India to France, students have a wide variety of study abroad opportunities to choose from. KU is currently ranked 28th in the nation among public uni-

KU joins the national Generation Study Abroad Initiative

thank you!

By Gavin Young

Ayshea Chavez-Charity

Dr. Anna Cienciala

Dr. Angelika Howard Clark &

Dennis Clark

Sherry Binkley Clayton

Audrey McKanna Coleman

Erin Collins

Bridget Compton

Fred Conboy

Christopher Confer &

Allison Ross Confer

Theodore & Karen Contag

Lisa Corbin

Darcy Austin Cowan

April Cremer

Meghann Curry

Peter & Caroline Curzon

Thomas Davidson

Dr. Deborah Davies

Jennifer Davis

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Debicki

Verla Wichert Dick

Andrew & Erin Curtis-Dierks

Jared Downard

Douglas Downing

Dr. Kirsten Drickey

Myrl Duncan

John Dunlap

Janet Schrunk Erickson

Joseph Finkelstein

Brenda Finnell

Dr. Billie Thompson Fischer

Bonnie Fishman

Michael Flannery &

Christy Hahs Flannery

Ashley Fiss

Jennie Franta

Jonathan Freed &

Jeni Przytula Freed

Helen Cheng & David Frey

John Galloway

Kristina Garcia

J.P. Gerritz

Aaron Gillespie

Carolyn Weyforth Glanville

Mark Glassman

Paula Godwin

Logan Gollogly

Jennifer Anderson Gongora

Dr. Gary Gossen

Simon Gottlieb

Carmen Storm Gray & Brian Gray

Jordan Gray

Bevan Graybill

Sarah Greenup

3

Winter 2014 / Volume 15

thank you!

versities for undergraduate participation in study abroad, according to the 2013 Open Doors Report on Internation-al Educational Exchange. Additionally, financial aid opportunities make interna-tional experiences attainable for more students. Students’ financial aid is applicable to study abroad programs, and most KU scholarships and grants can be applied to study abroad. According to a 2013 Open Doors report, only 10 percent of students who graduated

with an associate’s or bac-calaureate degree partic-ipated in a study abroad experience. As of November 2014, 298 higher education institutions from 46 states had signed the Generation Study Abroad Commitment. IIE hopes to gain institutional commitment from 500 higher education institutions around the country. Recognizing the importance of an internation-ally focused workforce, IIE is actively seeking the participa-tion of corporations and the business community.

Beth Gurney

Wendy Haas

Linda Hagen

Michael & Michelle Haines

Sandra Hannon

Dr. Kelley Hayden

John Head & Lucia Orth Head

Conrad Henderson

Paige Henderson

Kay Henry

Jonathan Hermes

Keri Davis Hess

Craig Hess

Jana & Bradford Hoffman

Sherri Ann Holliday-Sklar

Elizabeth Horst

Caroline Howard

Jeremy Howard

Erin Hubert

Stephen & Mary Anne Hughes

Ben Isaacson

Sara Jackson

Elaine Jardon

Kelly Jennings

Justin Johnson

LTC Cornelius Johnson, USA, Retired

Adam Frieberg & Mary Johnstone

James Jones

Janet Justus

David Kelman &

Shannon Hilton Kelman

Jeremy Kliewer

Dr. Eric Knudston &

Julie Peters Knudston

Molly Kocour

Mitchell Kraemer

Kyle Krueger &

Barbara Clendening Krueger

Andrea Langhurst

Paul Lantis

Brian Larkin

Joseph Lauth

Dr. Richard Lawner &

Jennifer Parkinson Lawner

Sonya Numbers Ledbetter

Dr. Ian Lewis

Rebekah Lewis

Paul Liebnitz &

Jennifer McGonigle Liebnitz

Paul & Susan Lindahl

Sharon Price Love

Amanda Mahoney &

LT David Mahoney

Maria Maldonado-Morales

Joseph Malizia

Ashlie Koehn, a junior from Burns, KS, was awarded a Boren scholar-ship to study Russian language in Kyrgyzstan for the academic year. Koehn, an Environmental Studies and Global & International Studies major, is one of 24 KU students who received a national scholar-ship for study abroad this year. The Office of Study Abroad actively supports students applying for national scholarships as part of the KU commitment to increase study abroad participation.

“Globalization has changed the way the world works, and employers are increasingly looking for work-ers who have international skills and expertise,” says Allan Goodman, president of IIE. “Studying abroad must be viewed as an essential component of a college de-gree and critical to preparing future leaders.” By partnering with IIE, KU can work with institutions around the nation to raise awareness about the impor-tance of foreign language and cultural skills, identify and break down the barriers to study abroad participation, share best practices with IIE partners, and mobilize addi-tional financial resources for study abroad.

4

The Jayhawk Planet

thank you!

I have always been inter-ested in topics and ideas that challenge the status quo. It was perhaps for that reason that I chose to major in politi-cal science, and even more so why I had “the itch” to study abroad. The prospect of being thrown into a foreign land thousands of miles away from the comfort of home, being immersed in a founda-tional culture, and having to rely only on one’s fortitude and determination in order to get by—it all simply sounded invigorating. I chose to attend the Uni-versity of Essex in Colchester, England. The decision was actually very easy; known for its political activism and their vast cultural diversity, Essex seemed like the only choice for me. What I expected to gain in that year was a cultural

understanding that would help fill my intellectual void. What I received was so much more than that. I created relationships with individuals from around the world. I saw buildings and stood in cities older than my own country. The art, accomplishments, and natural beauty of those places humbled me. As I reflect upon my time abroad, one thing is clear for me: there is no way that I could have done this alone. I am grateful to those who provided me with study abroad scholarships. Without them, all of this would not have been possible. All of the memories and relation-ships, all of the experiences, and all of the knowledge I discovered would not have happened without the help of generous benefactors who donated to the OSA. My younger brother and I were raised by a single mother who worked three

By Shayne ThomanPictured above, fourth from left

jobs in order to give us the best lives possible. Before my junior year of high school I remember my mom telling me that if I wanted to do something more with my life I would have to figure things out for myself. She would do everything that she could to help me, but she did not possess the financial means nor the practical knowledge that would be needed for me to succeed. My family simply could not afford for me to live out what would later become the best year of my life. I am incredibly thankful to those who have given to the KU Office of Study Abroad. My scholarship gave me a chance to do something that changed my life. Because of those generous contribu-tions, the OSA has been able to provide scholarships to students like me, providing more Jayhawks an opportu-nity to ge out of their college experience as I have.

Jeffrey Mapes

Rebecca & Eric Mardis

Patrick Martin

Kurt & Nichole Mattingly

Patrick Mawhinney

Mark McBride

Megan McCollister &

Jacob Hodge McCollister

Claire McInerny

Jennifer Booth McLiney

Kelly McNearney

Susan Vernon Meier

Alexander Meisch

Rami Meisinger

Dr. Robert Mettlen &

Judith Neil Mettlen

Cynthia Ulery Meyer

R. Meyer

Daniel & Jadi Miller

David & Susan Millstein

Heather Milton

Paul Monson

Mark Munoz

Catherine Murray

Christopher Navrat &

Stephanie Fite-Navrat

Marilee Neale

Jennifer Williams Needs

Mary Nelson

Dayona Nett

Isabel Nogues

William & Cecile Nye

Patrick O’Connor

Patricia & Edward O’Day

Emily O’Neill

David Oswald

Richard Paegelow &

Chris Tang

Tyler Palmer

Stephanie Palmer

Margaret Paogue

Rodney Parr

Christine Pederson

Angela Perryman

Cecile & John Petermann

Carrie Gardner Pillsbury

Alisa Plant

Janet Mark Plattner

Kristina Pollard Post

Massimiliano Pozzoni

Sallee & Brent Prauser

Bryan Prentice

Zeyna Pruzhanovsky

Christina Pryzgoda

5

Scholarships expand opportunities for student abroad

thank you!

Winter 2015 / Volume 15

The OSA is continuing in our efforts to ensure study abroad opportunities exist for students across diverse disciplines and destinations. This year, in collaboration with the faculty in a wide range of disciplines, the OSA has developed new interna-tional study and internship programs. Key highlights of our expanded portfolio include a comparative winter break program on design in Miami and Havana, KU-spon-sored internships in Kazakh-stan, and advanced studies in transnational performance in Germany. This winter break, the Department of Design and the OSA will offer a two-week intensive course in compara-

tive cultures. In this pro-gram, students will explore the similarities and the differ-ences between two unique cities: Miami, Florida and Havana, Cuba. Participants will study architecture, de-sign, and culture through city tours, museum visits, guest lectures, and activities with locals in both Miami and Ha-vana. Additionally, students will research how perceived ideas of place, developed through media (books, films, TV, tourism advertising and propaganda), compare with the reality of place. In summer 2015, the School of Languages, Lit-eratures and Cultures, the Department of Slavic Lan-guages, and the Office of Study Abroad will be offering our first KU-sponsored study

Christopher & Jennifer Purvis

Anna Qin

Martha Rader

Talia Rubenstein Ravis &

Dr. Scott Ravis

Tasia Rayton

Stephen Rempala

Michael Rice &

Gwendolyn Tracy Rice

Larry VanTuyl &

Patricia VanTuyl

Paul & Michelle Rieger

Jean Hardy Robinson, PhD

Marilyn Roelse

Stephanie Green & Nicolas

Roesler

Debora Roessler

Nicolas Root

Caitlin Rose

Aaron Rosenthal

Tom & Jann Rudkin

Paul Rupp

Julie Sailors

Stephen Hauck &

Marianne Schaefer-Hauck

LTC Leah Coleen Schmidt

Norbert & Margaret Schneider

Dr. Steven Schnell &

Lisa Kahn Schnell

Inga Schuchard

Deborah Schultz

Deborah Shaw Schwartz

LTC Heather Serwon, DVM

Steven Shade

Jane Porter Shaughness

Catherine Siegman

David & Nancy Moorman

Silverforb

Carol Slack

New Opportunities for students in 2015abroad program in Kazakh-stan. In partnership with KIMEP University in Almaty, this eight-week program enables students to complete intensive Russian language coursework appropriate to their level and English-based academic internships in the fields of higher education, entrepreneurship financial development, public rela-tions, or journalism. The KU Department of Theatre and the OSA will offer a summer 2015 study abroad program for graduate and advanced undergrad-uate students in Theater, American Studies, or related disciplines. This intertextual program features an inten-sive research seminar in the UNESCO city of Regensburg, Germany, at the University of Regensburg, coupled with guided and indepen-dent excursions to various performance sites in the region. Students will study the fundamental approaches to transnational performance while learning how various performance examples, such as theatre, festivals, impro-visation, music, and fine art are sites of research that can be viewed in transnational contexts.

By Angela Perryman

SemesterHanyang University (Korea)Vienna University (Austria)WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management (Germany)

Winter BreakDesign in Miami & Havana

Spring Break Business in Brazil

New Programs in 2015

SummerArcheology at Tel es Safi/Gath, IsraelArchitecture in ChinaDigital Media Messaging in ScotlandInternships in KazakhstanIntroduction to International Business and Engineering in PanamaSpecial Education in Costa RicaSupply Chain Management & Logistics in EuropeSustainability, Development, & Community Empowerment in South AfricaTransnational Research and Performance in Germany

thank you!

During the past academic year, the OSA received 567 schol-arship applications. Of those applicants, 166 students received a scholarship from our office. In total we awarded approximately $534,000 in scholarship funds, and nearly half of our scholar-ship funds came directly from donors like you. Despite our ability to provide

Lori Slater

Laura Katherine Smail

Ryan Smartt

Dr. Debra Smith

Edith & Donald Snethen

Amy Luiso Stadler

Nathan Stange

Joshua Steinmetz &

Kim Carrington Steinmetz

Patti Streltzer

Jessica Stretz

Benjamin Tatum

Jessica Townsend Teague

Josef Cunningham &

Anne Tormohlen

Linda Tuller

Susan Yager Velasco &

Mikhail Velasco

Dr. Megan Thorton Velazquez

Stacie Daniels Vincent &

Paul Vincent

Anne Waddell

Laura Wade

Rev. Alisa Lasater Wailoo

Jenny Waldeck

Richard Walker

Guy Walker &

Harley Hamilton Walker

Dr. Anne Wallace

Anne Wallen

Travis Warner

Julia Watson

William Waugh

Katherine Waugh

David Clarey & Jean Wayne

Philip Wedge &

Linda Dobratz Wedge

Brad Weiner

Iris & Gregory Weinstein

Dr. Lauren & Maura Welch

Michael Welker

Mary Wells

Mark & Anne Marie Wertin

Andrew Whittle

Allison Williams

Scott Williamson

Veronica Wilson

Juliann Crider Wisbrock

Richard & Mary Linna Woods

Mary Wodoward

Audrey Wren

Andrew & Amanda Yates

Michael Younker

Thank you for your supportsome scholarship funding, in the last academic year we had 178 students withdraw their applications to study abroad due to financial reasons. Currently, 65% of study abroad students use financial aid, and 14% are Pell Grant recipients. Although we are proud to send 22.8% of our undergradu-ate students abroad, we want to

make studying abroad a reality for all KU students. To do this, we need your support. Each year, your gifts allow students to study environmental policies in Germany, connect with host families in Costa Rica, build their public relations skills during an internship in Dublin, join the fencing team in Wales, delve into French language study

Lippincott Hall1410 Jayhawk Blvd., Rm. 108Lawrence, KS 66045-7515

in Angers, learn about social wel-fare policies in India, and study engineering in Australia. We greatly appreciate the financial assistance we received over the last year, and we look forward to your continued sup-port in the coming year.