UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Studies Abroad

New to The Bluff: Maraina Montgomery, Director of Studies Abroad

After an international search, the University of Portland has named Maraina Montgomery, Director of Studies Abroad, effective July 1.  Montgomery joins UP from Washington D.C. where she was Assistant Director of Study Abroad in the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University. Her work at Howard University was instrumental in internationalizing one of the premier HBCU’s in the United States. Her writing has been included in numerous venues including the PIE News and International Educator Magazine. Furthermore, she has served on multiple academic advisory committees for national study abroad providers and professional organizations.

Maraina has a B.A. in Spanish Studies and Anthropology from Howard University and a Master’s in Education (Higher Education and Student Affairs) from Rutgers University. She has worked abroad in Japan, South Korea, & Ghana, and she studied abroad in Spain, Belize and the Dominican Republic.

Welcome to The Bluff, Maraina!

Studies Abroad Open House: Wednesday, Sept. 4

The Studies Abroad Office will be hosting their annual Open House from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4 in the Bauccio Commons Dining Room, according to Kallan Picha, studies abroad. There will be representatives from business, engineering, nursing, education, and CAS as well as study abroad providers, UP faculty, and student alumni to answer questions. Please encourage your students to come learn about study abroad opportunities for the upcoming summer, fall, and spring.

For more information, please contact Kallan Picha, studies abroad, at x7821.

New Director for Studies Abroad: Kallan Faith Picha

The Office of International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion welcomes Kallan Faith Picha to campus as the new director of studies abroad. Kallan comes to The Bluff with 9 years of experience in international education and a deep commitment to student service, program development, and establishing collaborative partnerships. In her most recent role as director of global programs at Pepperdine University, Kallan managed over 50 partnerships and has seen the program flourish under her leadership. She brings considerable enthusiasm and humane interest in serving a wide array of students, faculty, and staff here at UP.

Many members of the UP community joined in the on-campus finalist interviews, including Amy Wruck in studies abroad and the search committee: Elisa Majors, Laurie McLary, Jamie Merritt, Lisa Reed, John Watzke, and Blair Woodard.

 

CISGO Faculty Workshop, Feb. 17

CISGO will be hosting a faculty workshop on Friday, February 17, 4-5:30 p.m., in Franz Hall room 120. This workshop seeks to support faculty in utilizing their local study abroad environment to best incorporate the Global and Intercultural Learning Outcomes (GILOs) into their classes for courses taught abroad. It will be useful to faculty about to teach abroad, or who are interested in leading groups in the future. Faculty members who have already taught abroad are also encouraged to join us to share their own thoughts and experiences with regard to integrating local learning opportunities into their courses abroad.

Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP here if you are interested.

For more information conact Eduardo Contreras, Jr., studies abroad, at contrera@up.edu  or x8266.

Teaching Across Cultures and Borders with Hala Jadid al Kash

al-kash-copyHala Jadid al Kash, a professor with IES Abroad in Spain and longtime supporter of Syrian refugees, will present “Teaching Across Cultures and Borders” on Thursday, November 3, from 4 to 6 p.m., in the Terrace Room in Bauccio Commons. Her talk, which begins with refreshments and a brief social, is free and open to all.

Al Kash will discuss the challenges and opportunities to teaching American students in Spain, describing how she approaches teaching different types of American students; how she supports the intercultural development of her students; and how she covers contemporary topics such as the use of social media in mass movements, the Arab Spring, and the current Syrian refugee crisis.

Al Kash is a faculty member with IES Abroad in Granada, Spain, and teaches courses on Arabic language, social media, and Islamic culture to American study abroad students. Her classroom teaching uses media and contemporary issues to develop intercultural awareness in students. Al Kash was born in Syria, and has lived in Spain for 18 years. She founded Souriyat sin fronteras (Syrian Without Borders) which focuses on supporting Syrian refugees.

 

Please RSVP at this link. The talk is sponsored by the Office of Studies Abroad. For more information contact Eduardo Contreras, studies abroad, at contrera@up.edu.

 

PDX Abroad Think Tank, Sept. 23

contreras-copy-copyThe Office of Studies Abroad is hosting the next PDX Abroad Think Tank, where participants will discuss ways to engage with students who have the status of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), on Friday, September 23, from 1 to 5 p.m., in the Chiles Center Hall of Fame Room. These students are eligible to study abroad, but there are many challenges to supporting them in their pursuit of overseas study. The Think Tank will consider those challenges and seek solutions to supporting these students. Participants may attend for some or all of the event.

For more information contact Eduardo Contreras, studies abroad, at contrera@up.edu.

 

 

“What Does International Education Mean at UP?,” Nov. 18

contreras copy copyA panel discussion, “What does International Education mean at the University of Portland?,” will take place on Wednesday, November 18, from 5-6 p.m., in the Bauccio Commons Terrace Room. Barbara Braband, Rev. James Gallagher, C.S.C., Mike Pelley, and Blair Woodward will take part, moderated by Eduardo Contreras, studies abroad (pictured). At an institution like UP that values teaching highly and focuses on educating the whole student, what is the role of international education? Put differently, in what ways, if at all, does international education impact teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership at the University of Portland? All are welcome to attend and learn more about international education on The Bluff.

For more information contact international student services at iss@up.edu.

Studies Abroad welcomes Amy Wruck

wruck amy copyStudies Abroad would like to welcome their new administrative assistant Amy Wruck to the University of Portland. Amy was born and raised in Illinois. She completed her M.S.Ed. in higher education at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Her graduate studies focused on all things international: from study abroad best practices to international student development and the internationalization of higher education. Through her graduate assistantship in recreation & wellness, Amy also developed a love for student affairs and development, cross-campus collaboration, and the power of play. Amy is thrilled to be joining the University of Portland community and is excited to help the students here get the most out of their time as UP Pilots. She also looks forward to making a home in Oregon.

New Studies Abroad Director: Eduardo Contreras, Jr.

contrerasEduardo Contreras, Jr. has been appointed director of Studies Abroad, according to Thomas Green, provost. He will be assuming his responsibilities on July 1, 2015.

Contreras comes to The Bluff from Harvard University, where he recently completed his doctor of education degree. He also holds an Ed.M. in higher education from the Graduate School of Education at Harvard, an M.A. in Asian cultures and languages, and a B.A. in history (with high honors) from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He will have a concurrent faculty appointment in the School of Education.

Recently, Contreras has been teaching in the Higher Education Institutes at Harvard, serving as the study abroad program consultant in the Harvard Europe Program, and providing mentorship in the Office of Minority Education at MIT. Before moving to Massachusetts for graduate studies, he was a program coordinator in the study abroad office, international advisor in the Center for Global Educational Opportunities, and a research associate in the South Asia Institute, all at University of Texas at Austin.

Contreras is fluent in Spanish, and can also speak, read, and write in Hindi/Urdu, and read and write in Sanskrit. He is the author of numerous articles and chapters on international education and he has also offered many presentations and invited lectures on the topic.

For more information, contact the provost’s office at 7105 or staten@up.edu.

UP Ranked 14th Nationally In Studies Abroad

hThe University is ranked 14th nationally among its peer institutions in students studying abroad for a long-term duration, defined as more than one academic semester. The rankings are part of the “Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange,” conducted by the Institute of International Education. The University had 40 students study abroad long-term in 2012-13, placing the school 14th overall and in the top 15 of the list for 14 consecutive years.

The full Open Doors Report from the IIE is available at http://tinyurl.com/p78j4xf.

Besides the Salzburg program, the University offers multiple opportunities for students to explore the world and immerse themselves in new cultures, including London, Australia, Tokyo, Rome, Chile, Spain and Ireland and 25 locations worldwide through IES (Institute for the International Education of Students).

For more information contact studies abroad at 7857 or wheeler@up.edu.