A focus on education and collaboration
This week we had the deep privilege of hosting a cultural activity with IREX Community Solutions Program Fellows from all across the world, focused on the power of children’s literature to inspire and empower - Miruna and Beth shared incredible books from Singapore and Michigan. As the pandemic continues, it is such a joy to be able to use zoom to virtually, meaningfully connect and explore leadership, friendship, storytelling and so much more. If you follow us on social media (FB: GlobaltiesKzoo Twitter: GlobaltiesKzoo Instagram: GlobaltiesKzoo Linked In: GlobaltiesKzoo) you can keep up with amazing programming like this (which we will soon cover in depth on our social media feeds) that we have on offer, and find ways to get involved!
Great podcast exploring how we share Michigan with the world!
Click on the image to listen now!
Thanks so much to the Michigan Opportunity Podcast of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and host Ed Clemente for recording this terrific interview featuring our own Executive Director, Jodi Michaels, and the President of Global Ties Detroit, Marian Reich, as our sister organizations celebrate a collective 100 years of bringing the world to Michigan (and Michigan to the world) in 2021/2022. It was so fun to collaborate in sharing our stories!
There are so many terrific takeaways from this podcast that delves into what makes citizen diplomacy and international exchange so impactful.
“It’s the intangibles. It’s the time that you spend outside the professional meeting. It’s the hallway. It’s the dinner table. That homestay … the dinner … is at the core of where the magic happens. It’s where those relationships really get solidified.”
Do you want to be part of making the magic happen? Visit our website to volunteer or donate, and check out the full podcast here.
Opportunities: Upcoming Hospitality Offerings. Be a virtual host!
Global Ties Kalamazoo celebrates 50 years of bringing the world to Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo to the world this year. 🌎
Would you like to be part of the community welcoming international visitors to our virtual hospitality opportunities in December? Visit https://www.globaltieskzoo.org/volunteer to let us know you’re interested. Hospitality over zoom can be so rewarding!
Here are your options:
Friday, December 10 from 2:00-3:30 PM, IVLP visitors from New Zealand exploring Sustainable Housing and Smart Cities.
Saturday, December 11 from 10:00-11:30 AM, IVLP visitors from Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, United Arab Emirates. They are exploring Water Resource Management. Language interpretation available.
Celebrating International Education Week all Month
Do you follow us on social media? If you do, you will have seen #ThankfulThursday posts all month celebrating some of our board members. We’re so grateful for all the incredible people who serve on our board and are impacting our community through their work in education. Here are a few highlights:
Sarah is pictured here with her family.
Sarah Mansberger, serves as Executive Director of Workforce + Community Initiatives at Kalamazoo RESA. We asked her about the challenges educators face that she wishes more people knew about. Here’s what she said:
“Educators of all stripes work hard to thread the needle between the many formal requirements of the job and the emergent, deeply human needs that present themselves each and every day. Thank every educator you know – most especially those delivering direct instruction – for all they are carrying right now.”
Dr. Daniela Schröter, who began teaching German at Michigan State University as part of an exchange program and has gone on to teach a wide range of topics and people including teaching US history, German and English for students, asylum seekers, and immigrants in Germany, offering intercultural business communication instruction for students and professionals, and offering professional development in evaluation across the globe including Kenya, Ivory Coast, Thailand, China, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and many other places. She’s currently an associate professor at Western Michigan University specialized in evaluation theory, methodology, and capacity building, working with organizations to leverage value and impacts of learning and development programs.
Dr. Schröter said being part of Global Ties Kalamazoo allows her to maintain and nourish her interest in international exchange and capacity building:
Daniela is pictured here looking on as her daughter Lilly gets a piggy back ride from exchange visitor Johanna, in pre-Covid time.
“As a citizen of the world, I believe that learning from and with people from across the globe is essential for furthering sustainable development, peace, and social justice for all.”
Dr. Thomas Kostrzewa (aka “Dr. K”), who in addition to his incredibly impactful work as a Lee Honors College faculty fellow and as a professor at Western Michigan University for the last 33 years, also serves as the President of the Board of Directors at Global Ties Kalamazoo.
Tom’s family has participated in Global Ties Kalamazoo for much of the organization’s history (since his 40 year old son was an infant). His children grew up with international visitors in their home and at their dinner table regularly throughout their lives. We talk a lot about “kitchen table diplomacy”, and, appropriately, Dr. K is pictured here below with a group of IVLP visitors in his home the night before the declaration of the pandemic, on March 10, 2020.
"It has been wonderful working with Tom as board chair these past two years,” said Global Ties Kalamazoo Executive Director Jodi Michaels. “His passion for the power of exchange is both deep and infectious."
Would you like to help Sarah, Daniela, Tom, Jodi, and the rest of the Global Ties Kalamazoo (and West Michigan) community bring the world to our region (and our region to the world)? We’re seeking board members! Email info@globaltieskzoo.org if you’re interested!
Connecting Educators across and up and down the Americas
Continuing on the theme of #internationaleducationweek, we were delighted to be part of a 100,000 Strong in the Americas - Expanding Sustainable Education Partnerships - IVLP project this month, with national partner Meridian International Center.
We were delighted to have Margaret Wiedenhoeft, Executive Director of the Center of International Programs at Kalamazoo College join us for an IVLP panel discussion with international educators from across the country, hosted by Meridian. The discussion revolved around ways to generate student interest in international education experiences. Some of the themes included how language learning prepares students to go abroad and how to address gender gaps in student interest when they emerge.
At our Citizen Exchange Circle (CEC) last Wednesday, we were joined by Susan Pozo, Director of Global and International Studies at Western Michigan University and Tom Kostrzewa, a professor in the program and our board president, as well as Lynn Zhou from the Visiting International Professional Program at MSU. Our visitors from Brazil, Chile, Peru and El Salvador shared their universities’ internationalization efforts, followed by a deep discussion on ways to build better partnerships with US institutions AND amongst each other. Attendees pictured below.
The Thanksgiving Holiday, and #GivingTuesday are soon upon us. Please consider Global Ties Kalamazoo among those you might support this giving season, and enjoy the holiday kick off safely with family and friends as the global pandemic continues!
