International Education Week

During my time at the University of Oregon I worked as the Program Manager for an international lounge called the Mills International Center. I absolutely loved my job, the staff members, and the vast networking that I was able to do during my two years at the Mills Center. The experience that I gained from working with an amazing staff and team really set me up well for the work that I am doing here at Amideast, and has helped ease the transition as I began to receive more familiar tasks in coordination with the needs of Amideast.

I was overjoyed when my supervisor began to talk about International Edcuation Week and asked if I would like to take on this large project. At the Mills Center I successfully planned the week-long series of events two years in a row with the help of an amazing staff that really made the week a fantastic experience. Events ranged from informational and academic presentations to cultural discussions, fine arts displays, and informal concerts featuring music and dance from the geographic regional theme.

Here's a quote from the International Education Week (IEW) website http://iew.state.gov/index.cfm :

"International Education Week 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 in the United States."

This totally fits with Amideast's motto, so I was thrilled to work on a project that was familiar and challenging at the same time. The catch with the request was I had only three weeks to plan the events, and the only records for reference were from last year's activities. So, I dove right in to the process of planning the theme for the week, structuring the events with presentations and fun activities, reserving the rooms throughout the Amideast complex, ordering advertising space in local newspapers, and working with Amideast professional staff to help me navigate the logistics of really getting the word out on these events. I have learned that an event planner is never alone is his/her work because there are always people and resources to assist in the process.

Normally, International Education Week (IEW) happens this year from 15 - 19, but in Tunisia the academic break falls exactly during this week, so we pushed the events back a week. Afterall, it is the students that we want to target for our events, so we have got to make sure that they are going to be available to attend. Each day is broken up by a different theme related to the services offered through Amideast and the programs that we encourage students to take advantage of during their high school and college years. Here is the schedule of events that will take place next week at Amideast:

International Education Week 2010

Monday Nov 22 – Exchange Program Day

4:00 – 5:00: Presentation of study abroad programs available to Tunisian high school and university students for study in the United States
5:00 – 6:00: Exchange Program Alumni Social Hour (meet students who participated in these very programs)

Tuesday Nov 23 – American University Admissions Day

3:00 – 4:00: Presentation on three branches of university-level study in Humanities, Engineering, and Business (Amideast Villa)
4:00 – 5:00: Workshop on How to Write a College-level Essay and Statement of Purpose
5:00 – 6:00: Presentation by the US Embassy on the Process of Obtaining a US Visa for study in the US

Mecredi Nov 24 – Extracurricular Activities Day

4:00 – 5:30: Presentation on extra curricular activities that contribute to a diverse experience at an American University (Topics include student groups
(Fraternities, Sororities, Campus Government), clubs for international students, Music and Dance Groups, and Toastmasters (public speaking))
6:00 – 8:00: Film screening followed by discussion

Thursday Nov 25 – Thanksgiving Day

4:00 – 4:45: Presentation on the history of Thanksgiving and the modern day traditions in America
4:45 – 5:30: Interactive Thanksgiving Day quiz

Friday Nov 26 – Career Day

3:00 – 4:00: Workshop on How to Compose an American CV/resume and the Process of Obtaining Letters of Recommendation
4:00 – 5:00: Interactive Session on Professional Job Interviews
5:30 – 7:30: Panel Presentation “The Effect of a Study Abroad Experience on a Professional Career”, bi-lingual in English and French (Amideast Main building)

I am very excited to see how everything turns out and to see a project from start to finish here at Amideast. The event that I am most eager to attend and experience is the bi-lingual presentation on Friday. My vision was a presentation for both students and their parents that shows generationally the impact of a study abroad experience on an individual's personal and professional life, and ultimately motivate the student to participate in a study abroad experience. Its going to be a long week, but I am looking forward to seeing the results of my work over these past few weeks.