Friday, November 11, 2011
PRINCESS ANNE, MD – (Nov. 10, 2011)-The Center for International Education at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will lead the university in observing National International Education Week, Nov. 13-19. An ethnic festival and debate are open to the campus community and the general public.
Representing more than 50 countries, international students from the university will host the festival Thurs., Nov. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Services Center ballroom. The event features an exhibition of cultural artifacts, demonstrations of dancing and modeling in traditional country attire, and a sampling of authentic foods.
Guest speaker Jacklyn Claxton will present “The Role of the Private Sector in the Feed the Future Initiative and African Agriculture.” Claxton, a UMES agricultural trade specialist, works under an agreement with the USDA. She is assigned to USAID. Claxton received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and two master’s degrees as a David L. Boren Graduate Fellow in Kenya.
The university’s International Student and the Student Government associations are hosting a debate Nov. 15 on the topic “Should Study Abroad be Considered as an Institutional Requirement for Graduation?” The debate takes places at 7 p.m. in rotunda of the Student Services Center.
“International Education Week gives us the opportunity to celebrate connections with people far and near,” said Dr. Sarah Acquah, director of the Center for International Education at the university. “The current economic dilemma reflects the urgency of providing our youth the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the competitive global economy.”
UMES has nearly 200 international students. Some of the countries they represent are: Antigua, Argentina, Bolivia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Canada, Cameroon, Chad, China, Congo, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Ghana, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Korea, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobacco and Togo.
“I have had the opportunity to create relationships with students and staff from different parts of the globe,” said Daniel Muchai, a UMES senior who grew up in Nairobi, Kenya. “This has allowed me to be more aware of the importance of diversity, which will help me to succeed after graduation.”
International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education designed to promote Global Education in the U.S. and abroad to encourage global competency and competitiveness. This year’s theme is: “International Education: Inspiring Students Locally to Succeed Globally.”
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Gail Stephens, assistant director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-651-7580, gcstephens@umes.edu.
