A Guest of the Sultanate

Thomas Neil '14 got his wish, spending the summer immersed in the Arabic language and Omani history and culture.

As a guest of the Sultanate of Oman's Ministry of Education, Neil spent five days a week in immersive Arabic courses. His instructors included a Bedouin, who invited the class to his hometown and a camel race, and an Omani of Zanzibari origin. "My classes in Grinnell are more based around literature, which is fantastic, but this was a class built around current events, politics, and what was going on in the region while we were there," said Neil.

Each year, the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center in Washington D.C. awards scholarships to a group of Americans who travel to Oman and participate in the two-month-long program. Assistant Professor Mervat Youssef encouraged Neil to apply, knowing he wanted to travel to the Middle East and already had ties to Oman through a past language assistant.

When Neil started, he discovered another Grinnellian in the program - Laura Goffman '09, a doctoral candidate in history at Georgetown University. Unsurprisingly, he said, "We hit it off."

Everyone in the group knew some Arabic, he said, and many were more fluent than he was. Neil was majoring in German and political science at the time, and many of the others, including Goffman, specialized in Arabic and the region.

They took courses in Modern Standard Arabic, media Arabic, and the Omani dialect, with plenty of opportunities to practice as they traveled. "There was lots of forced down time with taxi drivers; that's where the real conversations came out," said Neil.

Omanis place emphasis on the family, he said, adding "You're never alone. You always have people over. You're always with friends; you're always with family. Americans were perceived as a far more individualistic culture."

His adventures included meeting several sheiks and a central bank economist, playing soccer with local youths, riding in an SUV alongside a camel race, and traveling the country.

The most beautiful spots?

• The Wadi Shab river valley: "The river valleys along the coast were absolutely stunning - out of a fantasy."


• Jebel Akhdar, the green mountain: "Old orchards, and unbelievable views. The day we spent at the green mountain was my favorite of the entire trip."

Neil said he's relishing his current course with Nizar Al-Seoudi, a new assistant professor of Arabic from Jordan.

He also plans to apply for a Fulbright scholarship in Oman. "I'd like to return to the south. The south is where our [past Arabic language] assistant, Ali, comes from. It's a different region culturally."

Source: Grinnell

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Denise Spangler

Focus on Faculty

Denise Spangler, the Bebe Aderhold Professor in Early Childhood Education and head of the department of mathematics and science education, strives to create a classroom environment that is challenging yet nurturing.

Where did you earn degrees and what are your current responsibilities at UGA?

I have a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in mathematics from Illinois State University. My doctoral degree is from the University of Georgia in mathematics education. I am currently a professor of mathematics education and head of the department of mathematics and science education in the College of Education.

When did you come to UGA and what brought you here?

I came to UGA in 1991 to go to graduate school because my master's thesis adviser had gotten her doctorate here and told me this was the best place in the country to study mathematics education. I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to experience UGA from both sides of the desk.

What are your favorite courses and why?

My favorite courses to teach are mathematics methods courses for early childhood education majors. It is so important that children receive good mathematics instruction in the elementary grades, and I love working with future teachers to try to make that happen. So often my students have had negative experiences with mathematics in their past schooling, but by learning why certain things work the way they do in math (such as why you invert and multiply to divide fractions) and understanding how to help children learn these ideas in a meaningful way, many of my students have a complete change of attitude about mathematics. They often start their teacher education program scared of teaching math but leave the program excited about it.

What interests you about your field?

Mathematics plays a gatekeeper role in so many ways in our society, and I am intrigued by the various ways we can change that and help people see themselves as more competent mathematically. There are many ways to do that, such as curriculum development and out-of-school activities, but the approach I take is to help future teachers see themselves and their students as mathematically capable. Because I work with future elementary school teachers, I am interested in stopping the problem before it starts.

What are some highlights of your career at UGA?

The biggest highlight of my career is just being here. The fact that I get to count my former professors as my colleagues and friends is a great honor.

How does your research or scholarship inspire your teaching, and vice versa?

Because I conduct research on the very thing I teach, my teaching and research are inextricably intertwined and inspire each other. I am constantly challenged to use what I learn from my research to improve my teaching and to take an inquisitive approach to my teaching to better understand my students.

What do you hope students gain from their classroom experience with you?

I strive to create a classroom environment that is at the same time challenging and nurturing because I want students to learn to articulate what they think about a topic (whether it is research, assessment, teaching, national standards or some other topic of study), why they think this, what others (peers and scholars) think about the same topic and why, and the similarities and points of departure between their views and the views of others. In other words, I want students to have informed ideas to take with them and to know how to continue to refine those ideas and how to evaluate new ideas.

Describe your ideal student.

The ideal student has genuine intellectual curiosity, which means she/he is open-minded and reflective, willing to listen to and seriously consider other points of view, willing to share his/her point of view, and open to reshaping his/her views when warranted. I cannot possibly teach future teachers everything they will need in order to teach math in pre-K through fifth grade, so it is essential that they be genuinely curious so that they will continue to learn throughout their careers and so that they will willingly delve into students' thinking.

Favorite place to be/thing to do on campus is...

I love to walk the D.W. Brooks Mall. When I first came to UGA it was a street. Now that it is a green space, it is a beautiful place to walk (with a stop at the Creamery) and enjoy the campus.

Beyond the UGA campus, I like to...

Exercise, read and travel.

Community/civic involvement includes....

I am currently serving my third term on the Clarke County School District Board of Education. I have learned so much about what it takes to run a school district and have met so many wonderful people along the way.

Favorite book/movie (and why)?

My favorite book of recent years is "Memoirs of an Unexpected Life," the autobiography of Queen Noor of Jordan. She was born Lisa Halaby in the U.S., was in the first class of women admitted to Princeton, where she studied architecture, and then worked abroad in Australia and Iran. She left Iran when the shah was deposed and on her way back to New York to go to graduate school, passed through Jordan, met King Hussein and eventually married him. The story of how a strong, independent American woman became a queen in an Islamic country and how she used her talents to advance the plight of women there, while adhering to Islamic customs, is fascinating to me, particularly in these times when there is so much international attention focused on the Middle East.

Proudest moment at UGA?

My proudest moments at UGA are hooding doctoral students at graduation and when I hear from former students. Our students are doing many great things in the world of education around the globe, which gives me confidence and hope for the future.

Source: Uga

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Scholarships

INSEAD offers merit-based scholarships to offset tuition fees for GEMBA candidates whose profiles will help further the programme's objectives as a vehicle for promoting international leadership and business practice. You can only apply for a scholarship once you have been accepted to the programme.

The scholarships available for the GEMBA are listed below:

• 
  INSEAD GEMBA Scholarships for Women
  
  

  One of INSEAD's GEMBA missions is to increase the flow of women business executives into key educational gateways and business networks. This is achieved with monetary and mentoring support.

  
  
  
  


• 
  INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for National Diversity
  
  

  Candidates eligible for the National Diversity scholarship must be executives based in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Greater China, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America.

  
  
  
  


• 
  INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for Cross-Cultural Understanding
  
  

  INSEAD also offers scholarships to candidates that have developed multicultural management capabilities through language study and extended periods away from their home culture.

  
  
  
  


• 
  INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for candidates active in Public Service
  
  

  Candidates working for NGO, Government, Not-for-profit and educational institutions are eligible for this scholarship. The scholarship is designed to assist public service candidates, especially those in leadership positions:

  
  

  
  

  • to stimulate the transfer of management know-how to their institutions
  
  
  • to heighten the awareness of other GEMBA participants to the non-profit world
  
  
  • to complement their expertise with best managerial practice
  
  
  
  


• 
  INSEAD GEMBA Alumni Scholarship for Social Entrepreneurs
  
  

  INSEAD and its GEMBA alumni are offering a Social Entrepreneurs Scholarship for Social Entrepreneurs who address pressing social problems with innovative and sustainable business solutions.

  
  
  
  


• 
  INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for Innovation
  
  

  Innovation creates new knowledge and technology that is central to value creation. INSEAD's mission and values include understanding, recognising and developing innovation, through teaching and research. This scholarship is open to all candidates.

  
  
  
  

Scholarship application guide

These scholarships are granted under various criteria, to candidates who demonstrate a financial need. Scholarships will be awarded by a committee composed of INSEAD GEMBA faculty and admission staff. No appeal process is offered.

If for some reason you do not join the original GEMBA class for which you have been admitted and you start your INSEAD GEMBA with a future class, your scholarship application(s) will not be transferred automatically. You will have to re-apply for scholarships offered that year and compete against the new cohort.

The EMBA Scholarship Committee can withdraw the scholarship award if your company offers you sponsorship for more than 50% of the tuition fees.

For all INSEAD scholarships we require applicants to provide accurate details about their financial situation. Please fill in the financial information form included in the scholarship application form.

Scholarship application forms

INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for Women INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for National Diversity INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for Cross-Cultural Understanding INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for candidates active in Public Service INSEAD GEMBA Alumni Scholarship for Social Entrepreneurs

INSEAD GEMBA Scholarship for Innovation

Please send the completed scholarship application form(s) to the Scholarship Committee at EMBA.ScholarshipCommittee@insead.edu

You can submit your application up to one week prior to the start of the programme. It will be reviewed within 2 to 3 weeks. Awards are limited, we encourage early applications.

Source: Insead

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SHSS Faculty Interviewed by CBS 4 regarding the Congressional Debate on Syria | NSU News Center

Dustin Berna, Ph.D., faculty in the Department of Conflict Analysis and Resolution (DCAR) in NSU's School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS), was interviewed by CBS 4 Miami regarding the Congressional debate on whether or not to permit US military action in Syria. Berna, an assistant professor of Conflict Resolution and Political Science, is an expert on terrorism, Middle Eastern politics, and Islamic Fundamentalism.

According to Berna, the situation will not be easy: "It's not that simple because other countries are involved. You have the Iranians backing the Shea Government. You have the Saudi Arabians backing the opposition. You have Islamic fundamentalism in there." For more information please go to the local CBS website at: http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/09/02/s-florida-delegation-preps-for-syria-congressional-debate/

Berna has conducted a study examining the causes and electoral success of Islamic fundamentalist groups. He has collected and coded every Islamic fundamentalist group that is or has been in operation in the Islamic world since 1970. He is currently working on The Encyclopedia of Fundamentalist Movements and Islamic Extremism. Berna is also the faculty advisor to the Middle East and Islamic World Awareness Group, the Asian Working Group, and the International Diplomacy Working Group at SHSS.

Source: Nova

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News Archive from Wednesday, February 13, 2013 - Veteran Posse Scholars to Enter This Fall - - News - Alumnae/i Hub - Vassar College

News & Features

Veteran Posse Scholars to Enter This Fall

It's official! Eleven military veterans will enroll this fall, as members of Vassar's Class of 2017, through a new partnership with the acclaimed Posse Foundation. For more than two decades, the foundation has helped top colleges enroll thousands of talented public high school graduates who might have been overlooked by traditional admissions processes and helped the students to attain academic success by placing them in supportive, multicultural teams or "posses"-usually of 10 students. Even the White House has praised the collaboration.

A team of administrators, including President Hill, Dean of Admissions David Borus, Dean of the Faculty Jonathan Chenette, and Dean of Freshmen Benjamin Lotto, interviewed 25 applicants for the Vassar posse-five more than initially planned-with the intention of admitting 10 as students. But, as President Hill says, "so outstanding were the candidates" that they ultimately chose 11. The eight men and three women, ages 26 to 35, who have served in the Army, the Marine Corps, and the Air Force in the United States and Middle East, "will bring a new and important perspective to life on the Vassar campus," she says.

President Hill initiated the partnership with the Posse Foundation in 2012, after noting the low number of recent veterans who have applied to top colleges and universities in the U.S. Vassar will be the first college to participate in the Veterans Posse Scholar program.

The foundation's partner schools award Posse Scholars four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarships. Similarly, through the Veterans Posse Program, each Veterans Posse Scholar will attend tuition-free, through a combination of the college's scholarship aid and G.I. Bill benefits, and the students will continue to receive support through graduation.

-Elizabeth Randolph

Photo © Vassar College-John Abbot Photography

Posted by Office of Communications Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Source: Vassar

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