Training the next generation of
Afghanistan's teachers
Over the last three decades, UNO's Center for
Afghanistan Studies has designed and managed many academic, cultural and
educational programs in and for Afghanistan. Now, as a nascent democracy begins
to take hold in that country, the Center continues to invest itself in
developing Afghanistan's human resources.
The Afghanistan Teacher Education Project
(ATEP), funded by a U.S. Department of State grant, instructs small cohorts of
female teachers in the art of American pedagogy, 21st century classroom
technology and English.
Since 2002, UNO has brought
49 teachers to the United States for training. The Afghan teachers have been
either primary school or English language teachers. The latest group, comprised
of educational administrators, arrived at UNO in mid-March this year.
ATEP participants are put through an intensive
six- to eight-week training process, but classroom instruction isn't their only
education. Afghan teachers also experience American culture by living with host
families and through an opportunity to travel to Nebraska's Scottsbluff and
Gering, both of which are sister cities to Bamiyan, Afghanistan. While there
they interact with elementary teachers and students in the classroom.
The teachers also travel to the Black Hills
and visit Mt. Rushmore. Each group has visited the White House—one of them
meeting President Bush and three meeting First Lady Laura Bush.
Participants return to Afghanistan and train
fellow teachers. Through this and other education training programs for
Afghans, UNO has trained more than 5,000 teachers, 75 percent of whom are
women.
UNO's Center for Afghanistan Studies received
another grant from the U.S. Department of State in 2003 to assist in the
reintroduction of the Fulbright Scholarship Program in Afghanistan, where it
had been defunct for 25 years.
Members of the Center flew to Kabul and
conducted the selection process for the program. Of the 143 applicants, 20 were
selected and 16 made it to the United States. Of these, four spent time
studying English at UNO, two of whom remain to complete the Fulbright program's
academic component.
Photo: First Lady Laura Bush has met with three groups of
UNO-trained teachers from Afghanistan.
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UNO is one of 12 universities participating in
the first-ever U.S. government scholarship program for undergraduate students
from the Middle East and North Africa.
The Partnership Learning for Undergraduate
Study (PLUS) is a U.S. Department of State-sponsored program for academically
talented students who have demonstrated leadership abilities and are committed
to returning to their country to make a difference.
In its inaugural year the PLUS program has
provided 71 students from 12 countries with scholarships to study at
universities across the nation. UNO has seven of these students, hailing from
Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia. PLUS students at UNO have adjusted to
a life and culture vastly different from their own while diligently pursuing
degrees in their field of professional study. The first group of students is
scheduled to graduate in 2006. UNO also is designated as the host institution
for a mid-program workshop for all 71 students this August. Students will stay
on campus for a week building leadership and conflict management skills.
In 2005, the PLUS program will expand to
include students from countries in South Asia, like Afghanistan and Nepal. UNO
has been selected to host students for the 2005 cycle and will welcome new PLUS
students this August.
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Having a 'major' impact
The International Studies major (INST)
provides a foundation for international professional careers and graduate
school.
The major continues to be popular, boasting a
current enrollment of 179 students. All students who major in international
studies choose at least one of the following specializations: International
Management and Business, International Non-profit Management, Global Strategic
Studies, or Area Studies.
Since 1976 the major has produced nearly 500
graduates. Alumni are in a variety of career fields, including working for the
United Nations, the U.S. Department of State, the World Bank, international
businesses, non-profit organizations and various educational and governmental
agencies. Alumni include:
Lori Arias, assistant director, UNO International
Student Services.
Joseph J. Chapuran, international development director, State of
Nebraska
Ann Gentle, premium operations manager, Automotive Team,
Union Pacific Railroad
Jody Manning, chief-of-staff, Holocaust-related Issues,
U.S. Department of State
Sara Pirtle, coordinator of International Studies and
Programs, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Ed Quinn, international logistics/sales administration
manager, Transgenomic Incorporated
Gerry Reimer, financial controller, Omnium Worldwide
Paul Stultz, district counsel, U.S. Bureau of Citizenship
and Immigration Services
Elizabeth Tiehen, press assistant to U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel.
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In 1968, just 30 international students were
enrolled at the University of Nebraska of Omaha. How times have changed.
During the 2003-04 academic year, 1,216
students from 101 countries studied at UNO, more than at any time in the
university's 97-year history. That's due largely to enrollment increases during
the past 10 years, when the number of international students at UNO has
increased more than 80 percent.
The enrollment puts
UNO 23rd nationally among similar institutions for number of international
students.
Such ranking, though, isn't a mere number; it
has tangible results for Omaha and the state.
UNO's international students brought more than
$20 million to the Omaha economy last year alone, doing so through tuition,
fees, living and personal expenses. Statewide, according to a 2004 report from
the Institute of International Education, international students contributed
nearly $75 million to the Nebraska economy.
More than being an economic factor for Omaha
and the state, international students provide American students the opportunity
to meet the world while still at home. While walking to class, eating lunch or
working with others, students might hear any of the nearly 200 languages that
UNO's international students speak. These students provide invaluable diversity
and bring an effective pluralism to both the campus and Omaha community.
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Since 1963, the Nene Field Ambassador scholarship
program has sent UNO students abroad to more than 30 countries, from Egypt and
Chile to Germany and Kenya.
The scholarship funds a student's program at
one of UNO's 26 sibling institutions worldwide. Originally named "UNO Outbound
Ambassador Program," the scholarship was renamed in 1994 to reflect the
generous support of Nene Field, whose interest, time and financial gifts have
made the program possible.
This past summer, Quinče Butler represented
UNO as the 40th ambassador for the program. A junior majoring in international
studies, Butler studied at Université Laval in Quebec.
The experience, she says, has permanently
changed her perspective of her opportunities in the world. "I never realized
how easy it is to travel internationally," Butler says, "or how much a person
could get from experiencing different cultures."
The Nene Field scholarship is unique in that
the recipient's responsibilities do not end with the completion of foreign
study. Returning students have an obligation to promote and advertise the
program at UNO and to help prepare the next student for his or her trip abroad.
This added responsibility engenders a special opportunity for each recipient to
contribute to the UNO community and to future internationalization efforts.
"Nene's gift and ongoing commitment to
one-on-one exchange allow UNO to cultivate relations with our international
partners and with the communities in which the universities and colleges
exist," says Tom Gouttierre, dean of International Studies and Programs. "Many
people around the world know of UNO and Omaha because of the Nene Field
Ambassador Program."
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