Twelve English courses, nine field trips, 21 participants in the Conversation Partner Program, 28 short-term students, and 103 study abroad students are some statistics that describe the work of the Office of International Affairs, English Language Program, and affiliated departments in this summer 2019 semester.  Despite the current uncertainties and turbulence in the international education field, we continued our commitment to running excellent programs and creating optimal learning opportunities to students.

As a final project for the Academic Lectures course, students worked in groups to create proposals to make Chatham a better place for everyone. They then presented their posters at the End-of-Term Celebration. Their poster presentations offered great recommendations to improving international programs and student experience, including:

• Making Chatham cooler by creating “green curtains” from ivy plants and pergolas
• Using the Carriage House as the Global Community Room where domestic and international students gather for conversations and activities – This emphasizes the importance of turning a space into a “place to be” for certain activities
• Making Chatham attractive to international students by improving student experience, building more partnerships that work, and creating “friendlier” websites. The goal is to promote intercultural understanding, valuable experience, and a more diverse learning environment – a promise that Chatham is working hard on delivering
• Providing international students with more opportunities to socialize and use English through “big events,” “small events,” day trips, and holiday parties – things that Chatham does very well in the fall and spring semesters, but may be lacking in the summer term

Students highlighted the importance of creating a social event in a relaxing environment at the beginning of the semester so that they could bond with others. Students reported forming closer friendships and doing more things together after the BBQ Party at Mr. Musick’s house.

Below are pictures of the highlights of these programs, followed by pictures of students’ posters, illustrating the suggestions students made.

The Office of International Affairs would like to congratulate many international students on completing their degree and their study abroad experience at Chatham this April. We also congratulate students on their international awards and accomplishments.

Congratulate English Language Program graduates, Zainab Bin Abbas and Kubra Bahcivanci, for moving on to their MA studies in Physical Therapy and MBA, respectively.

Talking about her experience with the English Language Program, Zainab Bin Abbas wrote:

“It is my last day in Chatham University English Language Program. It is hard to say good bye, but everything has to come to an end. I am really thankful for my teachers. In only one semester, I learned a lot about American history and culture. I love the fact that classes in the program were not about grammar, reading, speaking and writing, but instead they focused on helping us to use what we have already learned by reading real books and discussing academic content. Also, we watched a lot of classic movies and learned about different movie genres. For me, the English Language Program at Chatham University is a strong course of study that greatly boosted by English knowledge and skills. Chatham University is a small university, so not many international students and English language learners know about it, but the program is just as strong as any program offers by bigger universities.”

We’d also like to congratulate Dylan Jacquard on completing the Chatham International Program after a successful internship at Cemoi/Chris’ Candies.

Also, big congrats to the following students on their international awards:

Vira I Heinz Program in Global Leadership for Women: Skylar Houck (Nepal), Sierra McCullough (Spain) and Terra Teets (Germany)

Glenda Rich DeBroff ’60 Memorial Scholarship:  Hunter Yedlowski (Ireland)

Theo Colburn-Rachel Carson Scholarship Award and Lorin Maazel-Rachel Carson Award for Environmental Studies: Elena Woodworth (Panama)

Sally Mercke Heym ’63 Memorial Award for Cross Cultural Studies: Kaitlyn Salmon (Rwanda) and Katarina Trask (Spain)

International Advocate Award: Melanie Landsittel. Melanie has been an excellent student worker at the OIA for a few years. After her graduation this year, she will begin teaching English in Prague! Big congrats and thanks to Melanie!

By Victor Badillo, Graduate Student, Student Worker, Office of International Affairs

OIA is always there when it comes to help our international and exchange students, and this is another way we try to do so. The first months in a new country is hard, and it is good to have someone who can offer some guidance. This was the idea behind our Cross-Cultural Workshop Series. Throughout the semester, we met the students and had an informal discussion unlike a normal classroom. We shared our stories, strategies, and ideas about what to do in the face of this new and thrilling chapter of our lives: studying abroad.

With this workshop series, our approach intended to make learning collaborative and co-constructed by the participants rather than developed by the workshop leader. Our students came with great ideas, we tried to build upon the ideas and offer some help.

We discussed topics like getting to know Chatham, its community and the larger Pittsburgh community. “Surviving your first month” was a way to check how people were doing and also share some common advice. Of course, helping with school-related topics was one of our goals, and we spent some time talking about the US classroom culture, preparing for midterms, and strategies to study. But not everything is about school, and the OIA is aware that taking care of ourselves is a top priority for every student. In this spirit, we talked about home sickness, culture shock, and self-care. Dr. Elsa Arce from Chatham Counseling Center talked with us about signs of homesickness and gave us resources within our campus and in the Greater Pittsburgh area. We also learned about a few mindfulness techniques and how to improve our experience through relaxation and productive breaks.

At the OIA we are always trying to enhance the experience for all our students, and this series was a small effort with a big payback.

By Mai Nguyen, MBA Student, Graduate Assistant for the Office of International Affairs

It has been three months since I first took my first step in the States. I fell in love with the people and culture here right away! One of my friends who lived in Pittsburgh welcomed me with a very tight embrace which dispersed my exhaustion from such a long flight from Hanoi to Hong Kong to the U.S. Professor James Pierson, Director of Chatham MBA Program, was very helpful in giving me information about the program and my career prospects after graduation. Dr. Linh Phung, Mr. Chris Musick, Ms. Kate Emory and other graduate assistants at Office of International Affairs were my lovely supportive colleagues.

Working as a graduate assistant at Chatham is such a very interesting experience in my life. I was first assigned to conduct research about promising markets for studying abroad. I took Vietnam as my first challenge to overcome. The work is independent by reading annual reports and making contacts with agents. Furthermore, I can use my knowledge from my current MBA degree to facilitate my actual job. Especially, I have a chance to work directly with people in various positions at the university, which may not be common in other organizations.

If I have to point out a tiny disappointment, I have to confess that I wish Chatham would be a little bigger school with greater diversity of races and nationalities. However, the advantage of attending a not-so-big university is that I am highly engaged with the local communities and American culture. I feel that independence, discipline, teamwork, and punctuality are the core values in the work culture at Chatham that I fit well in.

While working part-time at Office of International Affairs, I am also a full-time MBA student. I really enjoy being occupied because to me when you work for your dreams, it is not a work anymore. I also admire another of American value: efficiency. I like the way my classmates routinely schedule every little group meeting or even a visit. They do not want to miss deadline. Also, I have found my professors to be very instructive and dedicated since they push us to go beyond our limitations and get out of our comfort zone to reach another accomplishment in our career path. I did not really have that experience anywhere else.

Work and study cannot take you away from indulgence where I can find peace by walking home in the snowy nostalgic street along ancient buildings and majestic churches that never appear in a tropical land where I come from. I know there are a lot of wonderful things ahead of me to discover here in Pittsburgh and the States.

Thanks to Dr. Finegold’s visit to China and Wenzhou Medical University last year and the recent efforts to explore areas of collaboration between Chatham and Wenzhou,  the Office of International Affairs is pleased to introduce Wenzhou as a new university partner. The first joint activity between the two universities will be a 4-week summer program for 13 Wenzhow psychology and psychiatry students. The experiential program will be taught by faculty in Chatham’s undergraduate and graduate psychology departments.

Professor Li Chen is currently at Chatham and has contributed to the development of this program. Dr. Li Chen is an associate professor at department of psychology at Wenzhou Medical University in  Zhejiang Province in the People’s Republic of China. Her current research focuses on mental health of rural-to-urban migrant workers in China ( Intimate partner violence, alexithymia, interpersonal problems and marital quality). She and her colleagues have collected data on nearly 2000 migrant workers through a questionnaire-based survey.  Dr. Chen will be conducting research and observing psychology classes at Chatham through the middle of August.

Vietnam ranks number 6 in sending students to the U.S. after China, India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Canada (IIE Open Doors).

Although I had been to Vietnam to promote Chatham as an add-on to my family visits or conference attendance, this trip (Feb 28 – March 9) was my first time going back mainly to recruit students and meet with potential partners. During the trip, I visited 11 high schools, participated in two Study in the USA fairs, gave over 5 presentations, and met many students, parents, colleagues, and agents. On the first day, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many attendees at my presentation on the Secrets to Studying English at the U.S. embassy.

I later gave the same presentation to students from Foreign Trade University (FTU) after an invitation from Ms. Hanh Mai, an English lecturer at FTU. I was pleased to see students’ continued hunger for knowledge and the admiration for the U.S. as a country of “freedom and democracy” (students’ words). Sadly, students and advisors have reported greater difficulty in getting U.S. student visas, especially visas to study English.

Apart from presenting to students, I presented the text-based and task-based approaches to English language materials development to instructors at the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University (VNU), my alma mater. I argued for more teacher-developed materials, instead of global English Language Teaching (ELT) course books, that address local topics and issues which are more personally relevant and potentially more engaging to learners. Global ELT course books are developed for a wide audience, and the topics may be too sanitized, bland, and distant for students to relate to.

Among the presentations, the most memorable one was on careers in Data Analytics and Management Information Systems, in Vietnamese, to over 350 students from FPT High School. Although Vietnamese is my first language, my professional life has been in English, so presenting this information in Vietnamese was not an easy task. The students were highly energetic, boisterous at times, and mostly adorable. After the presentation, I had a nice conversation with Ms. Hien Phung, Head of the Counseling Office at FPT High School, about working together to create programs benefiting students from both institutions. She shared with me FPT’s low-cost summer study tours for international students, which I shared with my Pittsburgh contacts. She was also interested in short-term summer camps at Chatham for her students. Short-term programs are gaining popularity in Vietnam, but are often time-consuming to develop and run, so it has not been decided whether Chatham is going to pursue these opportunities.

Another outcome from the trip is the potential to collaborate with Vietnam National University – International School (VNU-IS) on initiatives that encourage student mobility and exchange of ideas and expertise between the two institutions. The two universities are currently in talks to sign a general MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) before starting specific programs, including a 3+1 program, which allows seniors from VNU-IS to transfer to Chatham and study for one year in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree from Chatham.

Overall, my trip, albeit exhausting, was productive and enjoyable. For part of my trip, I traveled with a group of over 25 very interesting recruiters. Over wine and cocktails, we had somewhat heated conversations about politics, guns, and even religion. I also got to see my family and friends.

Every time I go back to Vietnam, I see many changes (e.g., infrastructure, commodities, and services) and also unchanged facets of life and culture (e.g., family structure and relationships, expectations for men and women, and how children are raised). With each realization, my respect for differences and local and situated knowledge increases. So does my awareness of the need for social progress and action for change everywhere.

Hoc Bong Tieng Anh cho Sinh Vien Viet Nam

Chương trình Tiếng Anh tại Trường Đại Học Chatham sẽ cấp SÁU học bổng bán phần cho học viên Việt Nam vào học kì mùa hè 2018. Với học bổng này, học phí chỉ còn $2817 cho 12 tuần học Tiếng Anh (240 tiếng học trong lớp và nhiều hoạt động ngoại khóa).  Ngoài học bổng cho học viên Tiếng Anh, trường cấp học bổng từ $3000 đến $16,000 đến toàn phần cho sinh viên học đại học. Sinh viên đã nộp đơn xin học có thể được nhận thêm $1000 đến $3000 một năm nếu tham gia phỏng vấn. Tiến sỹ Linh Phùng, giám đốc chương trình Tiếng Anh của trường sẽ về Việt Nam công tác vào ngày 28/3 đến ngày 8/3. Học viên quan tâm có thể hẹn phỏng vấn bằng cách email lphung@chatham.edu.

International Student Ambassador Scholarships

English Language Program

Chatham University

The English Language Program at Chatham University is excited to announce SIX International Student Ambassador Scholarships for Vietnamese students to study English in summer 2018. The scholarships will be given to both conditionally admitted students and students who want to study English at Chatham.

Chatham University is a private university in the beautiful city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, with over 2,200 students and over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs. In an effort to recognize academic excellence, we award generous scholarships to deserving incoming full-time students. Scholarships for qualified undergraduate international students range from $6,000 to $16,000 to full tuition annually. Qualified students who participate in Scholarship Interview Days may receive up to an additional $3,000 annually. Dr. Linh Phung, Director of English Language and Pathways Programs at Chatham, will be in Vietnam between February 28 and March 8. Applicants to an undergraduate degree program at Chatham may participate in an interview with her during that time.

Students, who do not yet meet the English language proficiency requirements (TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5), may apply for conditional admission. Conditionally admitted students will study in the English Language Program. After they successfully complete the Advanced level in the English Language Program, they will start their degree program without having to take the TOEFL or IELTS test.

English Language Program and Scholarship Information:

Program dates: May 18 – August 7

Pr

ogram of study: 18-20 hours of English instruction a week for 12 weeks

Number of scholarships: 6

Amount of scholarship: $2,575 (50% of tuition for a semester)

Duration of scholarship: One summer term

 

Requirements:

Three scholarships will be given to High Intermediate students (TOEFL 60, IELTS 5.5, Duolingo 65). Three scholarships will be given to Advanced students (TOEFL 72, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 75). Scholarship recipients are expected to serve as international ambassadors for Chatham University by assisting with recruitment efforts and participating in cultural activities. Applicants will need to submit:

1. An online application
2. A copy of the passport
3. A financial document
4. Proof of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo)
5. Transcripts of all previous degrees
6. A proposal of activities to promote Chatham University and the English Language Program to their connections in Vietnam

 

Note 1: Students will be responsible for $2,575 in tuition and $242 in fees as well as their living

expenses.

Note 2: Students who want conditional admission to a degree program at Chatham University

must submit a separate application by contacting the Admission Office

(ChathamAdmissions@chatham.edu). If you need to apply for a visa, the deadline for Fall 2018 undergraduate and graduate admission is July 1.

 

Application Process:

• Apply to the ELP by going to chatham.edu/elp and click on “How to Apply”
• Application deadline to the English Language Program: March 15

 

Contact:

Office of International Affairs

Chatham University

1 Woodland Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15232

USA

Phone: (1)412-365-1388

Email: internationalaffairs@chatham.edu

Website: www.chatham.edu/elp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChathamOIA/