From an African drumming circle and a foreign language café to a karaoke night in Chinatown and a documentary screening, GW’s International Education Week 2010, which will be held from Nov. 15 to 19, will feature a wide range of events.
The week, which is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and Department of Education, was first held in 2000 and is celebrated in more than 100 countries, according to its website.
Its iteration at GW is a microcosm of the university’s regular focus on international programming rather than a departure from the norm, according to Caroline Donovan White, director of international programs and education at the Elliott School of International Affairs.
“International Education Week gives the GW and higher education communities a snapshot of our scholarship, programs and student activities that happen during a given week in November,” says Ms. Donovan White, M.A. ’99. “But really these events and activities are representative of the international education opportunities that GW has all year round.”
According to Ms. Donovan White, students have been very involved in planning International Education Week. Students from the International Education Association, a student group affiliated with the master’s program in international education at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, where Ms. Donovan White is a lecturer, compiled and designed the calendar on the IEW website.
An impressive array of GW offices also collaborated on the week of programming, according to Ms. Donovan White, including the Office for Study Abroad, International Services Office, Multicultural Student Services Center, the Elliott School, the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, the School of Business, the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the GW Career Center and the Office of International Programs.
“A university like GW brings many perspectives and a depth of knowledge to international issues,” says Donna Scarboro, associate vice president for international programs. “With faculty and students who know the world through their research, teaching and service, and who maintain an enduring commitment to their international work, we view International Education Week as a natural extension of who we are.”