Chatham University is pleased to celebrate International Education Week 2016.  The dates for International Education Week 2016 are November 14-18, 2016.

International Education Week (IEW) is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.

We invite you to join in this year’s IEW events:

Sunday, November 13, 6:30 pm, Working Through the Borders, a discussion of personal conservation efforts and global sustainability, Welker Room

 Monday, November 14, 7 pm, International Karaoke Night, Café Rachel

 Tuesday, November 15, 11:30am-2 pm, Office of International Affairs Open House, Falk and Coolidge, lower level.

 Wednesday, November 16, 12 noon, Lunch and Learn: Peace Corps, Carriage House

 Thursday, November 17, 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm, Global Focus Year of Canada All Campus Author Speaker:  Gayle Anne McKenzie, Chapel

 Friday, November 18, 11:30 am – late, Light Up Night, downtown Pittsburgh

For more information please contact internationalaffairs@chatham.edu or visit us at the Office of International Affairs in Falk Hall, lower level.

A Summer Filled With Adventures for ELP Students

By Brigette Bernagozzi, ELP Lecturer

Our ELP students have enjoyed a busy summer filled with many new adventures! Our first summer session included a visit to the Heinz History Center exhibit called “Toys of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.” Students learned about dolls, games, and other sources of entertainment for children during the different decades of American history.  We were even encouraged to try our hand at the pinball machines and retro video games, including Ms. PacMan.

In May, we visited Chatham’s Eden Hall campus. Students and teachers spent the morning in the garden, watering crops and constructing planting beds. After our hard work in the sun, we gathered in the beautiful new student center for a warm meal cooked by Eden Hall staff just for us. Soon after, the ELP celebrated the term’s conclusion with a goodbye gathering, where students made their farewell presentations and received certificates of completion for their courses.

In June and July, writing teachers Sylvia and Brigette led a group of students on several off-campus forays into American culture. Weekly Friday field trips included jaunts to Squirrel Hill Library, the Warhol Museum, and Pittsburgh’s steep incline, which leads up to Mount Washington. After shooting impressive photographs of Pittsburgh’s stunning skyline, everyone celebrated with soft-serve ice cream before descending into Station Square for shopping and a hearty lunch at Houlihan’s.

Our next adventure led us into the heart of the Strip District, famous for its fresh fruits, mouth-watering meats, international chocolates, and gourmet cheeses. After stopping at an authentic Italian coffee bar, students embarked on a rainy scavenger hunt, winding their way through spice shops and fish markets. At first, the sudden thunderstorm soaked our clothing through and through, but then Sylvia pulled brightly colored ponchos out of her backpack for everyone to help ward off the rain. Then it was off to try new delicacies at Smallman Galley, a restaurant featuring several different styles of cooking, including barbecue chicken with baked beans, gourmet avocado toast, and a burger drenched in a top-notch umami aioli with smoked mushrooms. Decadent ice cream sundaes at Klavon’s 1920’s-style ice cream parlor topped off the afternoon.

How could our students not enjoy such a fantastic summer here at the ELP? We’ll miss those who are leaving us for new adventures, but our ELP staff will look back fondly on our shared journeys through the many museums, rainy cityscapes, and—of course—ice cream shops of Pittsburgh.

By Sylvia Shipp, ELP Lecturer and Student Advisor

As we crossed over the Monongahela River on the Smithfield Street Bridge, I informed the students.

“This is no ordinary bridge.”

The students looked up from their conversations to gaze at the yellow steel architecture.

“Not only is it over 130 years old and a National Historical Landmark,” I continued, “but it’s also the setting for the movies Flashdance and Striking Distance, and the rap video Black and Yellow.”

Minutes later, we parked near Station Square and quickly toured the Grand Concourse. Once a train station built in 1901 to meet passengers arriving on the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad, today people dine in this historical spot steeped in a dazzling ambience.

We cut through Station Square to get to the Monongahela Incline, which would take us to the top of Mount Washington. Our Chatham ID cards got us on for free. The incline car was hot and stuffy inside as it slowly carried us up to the top.

Photo credit: Moe Kuromatsu

Mount Washington is the perfect place to get an idea of just how beautiful Pittsburgh is.

Photo credit: Kanako Uchihata

And just how happy our students were to experience the breathtaking views.

Just off of Grandview Avenue, we discovered DeFiore’s Ice Cream Shop, which opened early just for us (is 10 a.m. too early for something so yummy?).

Afterward, we walked down Shiloh Street to investigate the neighborhood. It was quaint, and came complete with cafés, taverns, an Uzbek restaurant, a floral shop, and a bakery. We were amused by so many acute angles that were used in making the brick buildings.

Soon it was time to leave Mount Washington. After joking with the jovial incline operator, we took the incline down and spent time checking out Station Square. There is no shortage of unique shops and novelty items such as hurricane booths and Segway Tour training.

After our long exploration of this part of town, lunchtime was calling us. We decided on the restaurant Houlihan’s to fill our bellies with mouthwatering grilled chicken salads, Korean chicken, and petit filet mignon.

Photo credit: Moe Kuromatsu

Satisfied with the day’s explorations and events, we climbed back into our Chatham van and returned home, singing along with the radio, and talking about our next excursion.

Until our next field trip!

By Faith Cotter, MA Student in Professional Writing, English Language Prom Tutor

I am a tutor in the English Language Program, and I’ve been working in this position for over a year. A lot of my work, even outside of the tutoring center, focuses on clients who are multilingual. Aside from a few courses in Spanish, though, English is the only language I speak. The International Education Symposium inspired me to learn a new language and highlighted the importance of learning multiple languages in the United States and how we can implement the teaching of multiple languages into U.S. schools. It gave me a lot to think about!

Of course, it was easy to feel inspired by the talented speakers who talked to the audience about their experiences with language and culture. Mohammed Almalky’s presentation was hilarious! I still laugh at the jokes that he told. The other presenters were very informative as well. From a woman who learned English while growing up in Mexico, to three American students who either lived abroad in the military or for school, or who formed close friendships stateside with people from other countries, the Symposium gave the audience a wide range of experiences to learn from.

I am glad to attend a university that encourages friendships between people of different backgrounds. I know that I’ve learned so much from the students I have worked with at Chatham. The International Education Symposium was a wonderful celebration of the friendships that a Chatham education—or just taking the time to get to know one another—can create.

By Chris Musick, Assistant Vice President for International Affairs, Chatham University

A group of Chatham international students participated in the first of the “Cathedral Tour Series” by going to St. Paul’s Cathedral and the First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh. It was interesting for the Muslim and Buddhist students to witness a mass and have a discussion on religious differences over pizza. A smaller group returned to St. Paul’s to hear an organ concert on the splendid pipe organ by German organist, Thiemo Janssen.

The next tours will be to the East Liberty Presbyterian Church and the Rodef Shalom Congregation. The purpose of the tours are to introduce students from diverse religious traditions to the diversity of religious practices in the U.S. in a supportive environment.

By Brigette Bernagozzi, ELP Instructor, Chatham University

Chatham recently hosted a field trip to the nation’s capital in Washington, D.C. Thirty international students and one American student attended. A fun time was enjoyed by all! The group, which included students from Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, and Germany, spent two nights in the city. The hostel was close to the Metro and bus lines, so students were able to travel around DC with ease.

On Friday, students were led to the White House by Chatham faculty and staff. Everyone hoped to catch a glimpse of President Obama while taking photos of his beautiful home. After that, some enjoyed dinner in Chinatown. Others toured three memorial sites on foot with a guide. They snapped photos of the impressive Lincoln Memorial, which features an enormous statue of Abraham Lincoln and an excellent view of the Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument. Other tour stops included the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the World War II Memorial, whose fountains were lit at night.

On Sunday and Monday, students had free time. They explored local sites such as the Air and Space Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, and the U.S. Capitol Building.