interest and inspire you. It

will open up a whole new

world!

Momar Ndiaye,

Director, Office of Interna-

tional Studies and Pro-

grams

Illinois State University

boasts a large number of

international education op-

portunities for students,

faculty, staff, and commu-

nity members. These in-

clude study abroad pro-

grams, faculty exchanges,

professional training cours-

es, cultural programming

and academic lectures and

seminars.

This newsletter

edition highlights the work

of OISP’s Unit for Interna-

tional Linkages, which

plays an active role in ex-

panding the scope of inter-

national education on cam-

pus. Under the leadership

of Professors T.Y. Wang

and Issam Nassar, UIL is

working to expand aca-

demic exchange programs

with universities across the

world. The unit also coor-

dinates a popular weekly

seminar series.

I encourage you to

read on and find out more

about UIL and other excit-

ing international education

initiatives, then get actively

involved in programs that

The International

Studies and Programs Of-

fice (OISP) coordinates 77

overseas programs, includ-

ing 36 two-way exchanges

and 41 one-way study pro-

grams. Most programs are

summer or semester-long

programs and are open to

students across different

majors. Faculty exchange

possibilities exist between

Illinois State and universi-

ties in Australia, Canada,

England, France, Germany,

Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Pe-

ru, Turkey, and Thailand.

Those study abroad pro-

grams and faculty exchang-

es are an integral part of

the University’s long-

standing commitment to

international education.

International edu-

cation programs are main-

tained through formal

agreements to exchange

both students and faculty,

pursue collaborative re-

search and facilitate other

mutually beneficial pro-

jects between universities.

OISP’s Unit for Interna-

tional Linkages (UIL) is

working to promote Illinois

State’s reputation through-

out the world and expand

the number of available

exchange program options.

The unit also organizes a

popular international semi-

nar series which offers a

discussion forum on global

issues to the campus and

(Continued on page 2)

From the Director

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

New Study

Abroad Pro-

grams

2

Summer

Development

Training Pro-

gram

3

Japanese

Teachers in

Training

4

Boyd Schol-

arship Fully

Endowed

6

Advisor to

Retire

6

Links to Universities Abroad Expand

I L L I N O I S S T A T E

U N I V E R S I T Y International Studies

S U M M E R &

F A L L 2 0 1 1

July 7— MDI

summer pro-

gram begins

July 31—Betsy

Drillon set to

retire

August 15—

international

student orien-

tation begins

October 1—

most applica-

tions for

Spring 2012

Study Abroad

due

N E W S L E T T E R Spring 2011

P A G E 2

ISU Students Abroad

112 in Fall 2010

187 in Spring 2011

260 in Summer 2011

103 in Fall 2011

Links, continued...

New Study Abroad Programs The popularity of Study

Abroad programs at Illi-

nois State continues to

grow. More and more

students see the academic

advantages and intellec-

tual and personal enrich-

ment that come from

having an international

education experience.

Staff members in OISP’s

Study Abroad area have

been very busy this se-

mester promoting over-

seas study opportunities

and advising students

who are preparing to em-

bark on programs in Eu-

rope, Asia, South Ameri-

ca and Australia.

Study Abroad

staff members have al-

ready received more than

100 applications for fall

2011 programs. They are

also processing 260 ap-

plications for summer

programs. Short-term

summer programs that

feature language, history

and culture studies con-

tinue to be strong favor-

ites among Illinois State

students. The Italian his-

tory and culture pro-

grams at La Scuola Lo-

renzo de’ Medici are ex-

cellent examples. That

institution offers pro-

grams and study tours in

Florence, Rome and Tus-

cania.

New Study

Abroad summer pro-

grams this year include

an Eastern European the-

atre program in Prague, a

European history tour

and a family and con-

sumer science program in

France and Spain. This

coming fall, Illinois State

will send its first student

to Beijing-Normal Uni-

versity for a Mandarin

studies program. Fall

will also see the first Illi-

nois State students taking

part in a criminal justice

sciences program at

Glasgow Caledonian

University in Scotland, a

business program at Wa-

terford University in Ire-

land, and an internship

program through Eötvös

Loránd University

(ELTE) in Budapest,

Hungary.

Students also

have the opportunity to

“study abroad” at nearly

200 universities in the

continental United States,

Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto

Rico, the U.S. Virgin

Islands, Guam and Cana-

da through the National

Student Exchange pro-

gram. The program al-

lows students to pay in-

state tuition to attend an-

other institution for a

semester or a full aca-

demic year.

To learn more

about Study Abroad and

National Student Ex-

change programs availa-

ble for students, visit in-

ternationalstudies.illino

isstate.edu/

study_abroad_nse

the Middle East, Europe

and South America.

Those ties have resulted

in the establishment of

new faculty and student

exchange programs that

have greatly enhanced

international education

opportunities at Illinois

State and partner institu-

tions in other nations.

“The benefits of

study abroad extend be-

yond building students’

resumes,” said Wang. “It

can expand their horizons

because exchanges con-

tribute to broadening the

world understanding of

those in the host cultures

and those who come to

visit. Likewise, faculty

and staff who participate

in international exchang-

es enjoy professional de-

velopment experiences as

they interact with inter-

(Continued on page 3)

local community.

The Unit for In-

ternational Linkages was

established in 2005 and is

directed by Politics and

Government Professor

T.Y. Wang, in collabora-

tion with Associate Pro-

fessor of History Issam

Nassar. Since its incep-

tion, UIL has established

and strengthened ties

with universities in Asia,

(Continued from page 1)

Students

studying in

Grenada,

Spain par-

ticipate in

an excur-

sion to

Morocco.

Students enjoy some

free time at a new pro-

gram site in The Neth-

erlands.

P A G E 3

The annual July

training sessions typically

attract 50 – 75 participants

between the Anglophone and

Francophone programs. Par-

ticipants are primarily from

African, Asian and Caribbe-

an nations. MDI programs

have shown steady growth

since their inception in 2001.

That growth can be directly

attributed to MDI’s respon-

siveness to real world devel-

opment training needs, its

flexible training programs

and its experienced instruc-

tors. Courses consist of lec-

ture and workshops that uti-

lize computer applications

and case studies. Partici-

pants put their course work

skills into practice through

individual class projects

based on the needs of their

home countries. The July

training program also in-

cludes site visits to local gov-

ernment offices and busi-

nesses as well as cultural vis-

its to Chicago, St. Louis and

Springfield.

Participants’ travel

and training costs are paid by

their home governments,

sponsoring organizations and

various international devel-

opment agencies including

the United States Agency for

International Development

(USAID), the World Health

Organization (WHO) and the

World Bank.

MDI also conducts

independent study training

sessions for individuals and

small groups throughout the

year, both on campus and in

other nations. MDI staff

members Alberto Pena, OISP

associate director and MDI

Anglophone coordinator, and

Abdourahmane Thiam, MDI

Francophone coordinator,

also work throughout the

year to market MDI pro-

grams, communicate with

prospective participants and

investigate opportunities to

expand training session of-

ferings overseas. For more

information about the pro-

grams offered by MDI visit

www.internationalstudies.il

stu.edu/mdi

Dozens of govern-

ment and private sector offi-

cials from developing nations

will be at Illinois State Uni-

versity July 7 -30 to learn

more about development pro-

ject management. The train-

ing sessions, presented by

OISP’s Management Devel-

opment International (MDI)

program, support vital infra-

structure work, public health

initiatives, education pro-

grams and other development

projects in nations across the

globe.

In order to meet the

needs of nations working to

improve the lives of citizens,

the MDI programs focus on

the effective implementation,

management and evaluation

of large-scale development

projects, human resources

management and the finan-

cial management of develop-

ment projects. The classes

are offered in both English

and French and are taught by

MDI staff members, Illinois

State faculty and visiting

scholars.

Summer Development Training Program

MDI training

supports vital

infrastructure

work, public

health

initiatives,

education

programs and

other

development

project in

nations across

the globe.

national professionals in their

fields who offer different

viewpoints.”

UIL is currently

working on partnerships with

two European universities.

During May 2010, Wang and

Rajeev Goel, a professor in

the Department of Econom-

ics, visited the University of

Passau in Germany. The two

met with economics faculty

(Continued from page 2)

(Continued on page 5)

MDI faculty and participants discuss important development

issues in Fall 2010.

P A G E 4

“The homestay

portion of the

program is always a

highlight for the

students. … it was

especially important

this year becuaseof

the tragedy in Japan

during the students’

visit here.”

Japanese Teachers in Training A group of 10

students from Hokkaido

University of Education

in Asahikawa, Japan

spent four weeks in

Bloomington-Normal

during February and

March learning about the

American education sys-

tem, enhancing their

English language skills

and experiencing life

with American host fami-

lies as part of Illinois

State University’s Ameri-

can Studies Program.

The students,

who are training to be

teachers in Japan, visited

District 87 and Unit 5

elementary and second-

ary schools to observe

American teaching styles

and to interact with

American students. The

Hokkaido students also

attended language classes

at the University’s Eng-

lish Language Institute

(ELI). Visits to cultural

and historic sites in Chi-

cago, Springfield and St.

Louis were also part of

the month-long experi-

ence. During their stay

in Bloomington-Normal,

the Hokkaido students

lived with local host fam-

ilies.

At the end of

their time here, the stu-

dents went home to pro-

found changes in their

native country. During

their stay in Bloomington

-Normal, a magnitude 9.0

earthquake and a massive

tsunami devastated a

large area of central Ja-

pan, resulting in exten-

sive damage and the

death of thousands.

Through phone calls,

emails and social media

messages, the students

learned that their families

were safe.

“The homestay

portion of the program is

always a highlight for the

students,” said OISP As-

sociate Director Sarah

Jome. “I think it was

especially important this

year because of the trage-

dy in Japan during the

students’ visit here. The

students were able to

contact their families and

friends back home and

they had the comfort of a

home setting here during

a very scary time.”

Students from

Hokkaido University

have been participating

in the American Studies

program since the 1990s.

As part of an exchange

program with Hokkaido

University, American

students travel to Japan

every summer for a

month-long study experi-

ence focused on educa-

tion in a multicultural

context. American Stud-

ies programs are also

conducted during fall

semesters for students

from Paderborn Universi-

ty in Germany. The pro-

gram for the German stu-

dents focuses more heav-

ily on American history,

politics and culture.

Homestays with local

families are also an inte-

gral part of that program. Members of the

ISU community who are

interested in hosting stu-

dents in their homes for

these programs are en-

couraged to contact Sa-

rah Jome at

sjjome@ilstu.edu

Students enjoy a meal with a host father.

P A G E 5

tion of higher education to be

established in the Palestinian

territories and offers a wide

array of undergraduate and

graduate programs.

Officials from King

Mongkut's University of

Technology Thonburi

(KMUTT) in Thailand and

Chungbuk National Universi-

ty in South Korea visited Illi-

nois State during 2010 to

tour the campus and meet

with faculty members and

University administrators.

Proposed programs with

those schools are currently

under review. Work by UIL

in recent years has also

helped to facilitate academic

exchange programs with Bei-

jing Normal University,

Tongji University in Shang-

hai and Universidad Nacion-

al Tecnológica del Cono Sur

de Lima and Universidad del

Pacifico in Peru.

The Unit for Internation-

al Linkages also helps to

connect international stu-

dents and visiting scholars

with the campus and sur-

rounding community through

a variety of academic and

intercultural programming.

The unit’s most publicly visi-

ble work is the popular Inter-

national Studies Seminar Se-

ries, a weekly speakers pro-

gram that offers information

on global politics, culture,

arts and education. During

the fall 2010 and spring 2011

semesters, Illinois State fac-

ulty members and visiting

scholars spoke on a wide va-

riety of topics including the

current issues in Iraq, US-

China relations, Cold War

members and university ad-

ministrators as part of a site

visit for an exchange pro-

gram. The University of Pas-

sau is considered to be one of

the best universities in Ger-

many for the study of eco-

nomics, law, and internation-

al cultural and business stud-

ies. A formal exchange

agreement has been signed

by both universities.

Wang also accompa-

nied School of Information

Technology (ITK) Director

Joaquin Vila and ITK Profes-

sor Tibor Gyires on an offi-

cial visit to Eötvös Loránd

University (ELTE) in Hunga-

ry in June 2010. The delega-

tion met with ELTE adminis-

trators to discuss internship

opportunities for Illinois

State students with compa-

nies in Budapest. ELTE,

one of the oldest universities

in Hungary, was established

in 1635 and currently enrolls

around 32,000 students. A

memorandum of understand-

ing was signed by adminis-

trators from both universities

and a proposed internship

agreement is currently in the

signing process.

In order to expand

international education ex-

change opportunities with

schools in the Middle East,

Nassar visited Birzeit Uni-

versity in the West Bank this

past December. The visit

continued the discussion of a

proposed exchange program

that was initiated in 2007.

An agreement is currently

under negotiation. Birzeit

University is the first institu-

(Continued from page 3)

cinema in Germany, violence

in Mexico, Islamic law in

Egypt, battlefield experienc-

es in Afghanistan and current

political developments in

Thailand. The seminars, co-

sponsored by the Women’s

and Gender Studies Program,

attract an average of 30-50

students, faculty and commu-

nity members each week.

“The objective of the

International Seminar Series

is to provide a forum to the

campus community on inter-

national issues and con-

cerns,” Wang said. “To at-

tract an audience with di-

verse interests, the program

intentionally invites speakers

with various backgrounds,

including actors, artists, jour-

nalists, historians, political

scientists, sociologists, and

US military personnel. The

high attendance rate each

week demonstrates the suc-

cess of the program.”

For more infor-

mation, visit the Unit for In-

ternational Linkages

webpage at

www.internationalstudies.il

stu.edu/

international_linkages or

contact T.Y. Wang at ty-

wang@ilstu.edu or Issam

Nassar at irnassa@ilstu.edu

Links, continued...

Drs. Wang

and Nassar

work togeth-

er to pro-

mote ISU

l i n k a g e s

abroad.

“The benefits

of study abroad

extend beyond

building stu-

dents’ re-

sumes ,” said

Wang. “It can

expand their

horizons be-

cause exchang-

es contribute to

broadening the

world under-

standing of

those in the

host cultures

and those who

come to visit.”

oping countries worldwide or

from emerging nations of East-

ern Europe and Central Asia.

The first Boyd Memorial

Scholarship was awarded dur-

ing the spring semester of 2009

to Jaehun Lim of South Korea.

Thanks to donations

by nearly 250 individuals and

organizations, the Marilyn M.

Boyd Memorial Scholarship

for International Students has

reached endowed status, ensur-

ing that it will continue to sup-

port the educational goals of

students from around the

world. The scholarship was

established in 2007 by Lisa

and Benjamin Boyd in

memory of their mother, Mari-

lyn Boyd, who served as the

program coordinator for Illi-

nois State's International

House program for almost 25

years until her death in 2007.

The annual Boyd Me-

morial Scholarship is given to

an outstanding International

House student, with preference

given to students from devel-

The second recipient

of the Boyd Scholarship was

Joanne Nayagam of Malaysia,

who received the award in

2010. Nayagam is completing

a Bachelor's degree in actuarial

science and will graduate in

this May. She is an active

member of the United Interna-

tional Association registered

student organization and the

Actuarial Science Club, has

served as Global Review presi-

dent, an International Assis-

tant, an I-House Ambassador,

and has been involved with the

International Friends commu-

nity organization. Nayagam

plans to return to Malaysia to

work after graduation.

Office of International Studies & Programs

Campus Box 6120

308 Fell Hall

Normal, IL 61790-6120

Phone: 309-438-5276

Fax: 309-438-3987

E-mail: oisp@ilstu.edu

www.InternationalStudies.ilstu.edu

Betsy Drillon, International

Student Advisor, is set to re-

tire after 31 years with the

University. Betsy received

her bachelor’s degree from

Illinois State where she also

did graduate studies. She also worked in Uni-

versity Housing Services, the Music Depart-

ment, the President’s Office and the Under-

graduate Studies Office prior to coming to the

Office of International Studies and Programs in

1999. A retirement reception will be given in

Betsy’s honor in July (details are forthcoming).

Illinois State University

Boyd Scholarship Fully Endowed

Marilyn Boyd