Welcome Back!!! Below are a few volunteer, event, and internship opportunities to keep in mind as you are heading back to campus. All internships, events or volunteer opportunities earn World Studies Passport PointsWorld Studies News and Opportunities
World Studies Passport Events
Foreign Language Conversation Groups

Graduating this Semester?
If you have digital photos of your time here at VCU that you would be willing to share for our Diploma Ceremony slide show, please forward them to us: Tony Brinckwirth (abrinckwirth@vcu.edu) or Virginia Casanova (casanovavl@vcu.edu).

Volunteers Needed
Robert J. Grey, Jr. Esq. (VCU alumnus and Partner at Hunton & Williams in Richmond) will be speaking at the Student Commons on Monday, Nov. 9 at 5:00 pm. Volunteers are needed to help at the event itself or to staff tables at the Commons promoting the event on Tues, Nov. 3 - Thurs., Nov. 5. If interested, please send your name, the days and times you are available, and any questions you might have for Mr. Grey to csmcmullan@vcu.edu. All volunteers will participate in a drawing for a Starbucks gift certificate. Mr. Grey has written extensively on such topics as Race & Gender in the Legal Profession, Jury Service, Brown v. Board of Education, Richmond Then & Now (Oliver Hill & Lewis Powell as "beacons of hope and rational thinking for their community and the country").

World Studies Student Research Conference
The Deadline for submitting proposals has been extended to Monday, Nov. 9. Please submit proposals to wsrc@vcu.edu.

World Studies Scholarships
The new forms for 2010-11 World Studies Scholarships are now available online at www.worldstudies.vcu.edu. The deadline for application is February 10, 2010.

Mentoring Opportunity
Brookland Middle School in Henrico County is looking for student mentors for their some of their Spanish-speaking students. Brookland is one of the few schools in Henrico County with a very diverse population, servicing most of the students who come from other countries through ESL instruction, many from Spanish speaking countries. The school would like to work more closely with their Spanish-speaking students through mentoring relationships. If you are fluent in Spanish and are interested in this type of mentoring opportunity, please contact Ms. Nicole Smith at Nesmith@henrico.k12.va.us or 804-261-5007.

Shanghai Expo 2010 USA Pavilion Student Ambasadorships
Wonderful opportunity to serve as a student ambassador at next year's Shanghai Expo. The deadline for application has been extended to Nov. 15, 2009. For more information, please click here.

World Studies Passport Events
Any event included in the SWS-gRAM has been preapproved and will qualify for World Studies Passport Points.  Please bring in a record of having attended the event (ticket stub, borchure, etc.) to the SWS Advising Office to receive Passport stamps.

Discovering Many Faiths.  The Interfaith Council of Greater Richmond and the Office of the Chaplaincy at U of R offer this series of panel discussions for gaining insights and appreciation for diverse faiths.  The next event will discuss Unity and will be held on Thursday, November 5 from 6:30-9:00 pm at U of R Keller Hall Reception Room.  For more information, please see the attached flier, DMF Brochure.

A Musical Benefit for the Richmond Center for Christian Study.  Friday, November 6, 7:00-10:00 pm.  St. Giles Presbyterian Church presents this musical benefit featuring Tommy Witten on piano and free dance lessons in Swing, Waltz, and Fox Trot.  Location is St. Giles Presbyterian Church, 5200 Grove Avenue, (map & parking).  Come and enjoy food and fellowship, and dancing if you like, and learn more about the mission and upcoming events of the new Richmond Center for Christian Study.  Registration:  For individuals, $15 in advance or $20 at the door, For couples, $20 in advance or $25 at the door, Registration for students is $5 less.  To register in advance online, use PayPal or your credit card by November 4 by clicking one of the following:  individual registration (students click here),  couples registration (students click here).  To register in advance by check, make your check payable to Richmond Center for Christian Study, write "dance benefit" in the memo line, and mail your check by November 2 to the following address:  Richmond Center for Christian Study, 3000 Grove Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221.  * For child care, email acooke@stgiles.org ($5 per child).

Albert Schweitzer – Called to Africa. Saturday, November 7, 2:30-5:00 pm at VCU Commons Theater. Public viewing of a one-hour documentary about the life and accomplishments of the great humanitarian, Albert Schweitzer; film followed by live commentary by award-winning filmmaker, Martin Doblmeier, the documentary’s writer and director, who will share insights into the development of the project, and Dr. Michel Aboutanos, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, VCU Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Injury Prevention Program and International Trauma System Development Program Division of Trauma/Critical Care at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, who will address the current challenges and opportunities for global humanitarian outreach. Discussion followed by audience question-and-answer period. Free and open to the public. For more information, please see attached flier or contact Sandy Willis, 740-5240 or sandywillis@gmail.com.

Chinese Language Studies Event (China Experience of a VCU student)
Tired of listening to teachers all the time? Want to hear about the experience from a fellow student which can help spark an interest in learning Chinese: Nov 11 2009, Cesar I Sertzen a senior student at VCU will give a presentation on his Chinese studying experience in Beijing China. Mr. Sertzen has studied Chinese at VCU for a semester and then joined the “Study Abroad Program” and studied Chinese in Beijing for a year and received certificate of Intermediate level HSK ( Test of Standard Mandarin Chinese Proficiency for non-native speakers).

Project Homeless Connect.  November 19, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Greater Richmond Convention Center.  Volunteers needed for this “one day, one stop” event connecting individuals experiencing homelessness with on-site medical care, employment services, housing assessments, and a variety of social service benefits.  To volunteer, please see the attached flier or register online at www.homewardva.org.

Sigma Delta Pi, VCU's chapter of the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, is now accepting applications for inductions to be held in November.  Interested students who are Spanish majors OR minors, have a love of Spanish language/culture/music/food should apply.  The specific requirements are:  3 completed semesters of college, 3 years (18 semester hours) of college-level Spanish including at least 3 hours of a third year Hispanic Lit or Culture/Civ course, and a GPA of 3.2 or greater.  This organization offers study abroad scholarships, excellent networking, SWS Passport Points, as well as being a great resume builder.  Events with food.  Please send an e-mail expressing interest or any questions to the Secretary, Kayla Perdue, at perduekn@gmail.com.

Shanghai Expo 2010 USA Pavilion Student Ambasadorships.  In cooperation with the USA Pavilion, the USC U.S.-China Institute will select 160 undergraduate and graduate students to serve as student ambassadors at next year's Shanghai Expo. These students will work with the millions of visitors, including the many business and government delegations who will visit and discuss the displays addressing the technologies and strategies needed to address the challenges associated with building better cities and improving lives. These student ambassadors will also assist with the hundreds of talks, screenings, panel discussions, and performances that will be offered at the USA Pavilion.   All application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted online on or before Oct. 30, 2009. Students will be notified of selection decisions in December.  Please see the attached flier for details on applying.

World Studies Student Research Conference, Friday, Nov. 20
The 2009 World Studies Student Research Conference will be held on Friday, Nov. 20 in the Richmond Salons of the Student Commons. Students may receive Passport Points for presenting papers or volunteering during the conference.  See the attached Call for Papers for more details.  Plan to participate -- great resume builder!

Italian Conversation Group
The next Italian conversation group meeting will be Tuesday, Nov. 10th, at 7pm. They will meet outside the Starbucks in Cabell Library, next to the staircase leading to the second floor. All skill levels and abilities are welcome. For more information, please contact Mr. Austen Givens at givensad2@vcu.edu.

French Conversation Group
The VCU French Conversation Group meets from 4PM-5PM every Wed and Thurs in Hibbs B041. Students of all levels are welcome. For more information, please contact Julia Martin at martinjt4@mymail.vcu.edu.

Spanish Conversation Group
Students of every level of Spanish are invited to attend the new Spanish Conversation Group to practice listening and speaking in Spanish.  The group will be meeting every Monday and Wednesday throughout the semester from 6-7 pm in the basement of HIBBS (B041).  For more information, please contact Stefani Delo at delosl@mymail.vcu.edu. 

Maymont Mansion Tours in Spanish
Great opportunity to practice your Spanish.  Visite la Casa de Maymont con guía que habla español - Visit Maymont Mansion with a guide who speaks Spanish. Helen Warriner-Burke, a Maymont volunteer and rector of Longwood University, is offering the tours as a service to our Spanish-speaking guests. Spanish tours will be offered on the following days at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30pm:  October 23, November 10.  General daily admission to Maymont Mansion is free. However, a $5 donation is suggested. The mansion is located at Maymont’s Hampton Street entrance at 1700 Hampton Street; free parking is available. For more information, call Maymont at 804-358-7166, ext. 329.

Youth Leaders for Literacy Grants
Youth Service America is partnering with the National Education Association to once again offer Youth Leaders for Literacy grants to children and youth, ages 5-25, who offer innovative ways to increase literacy skills and appreciation for reading among their peers. Youth can submit their applications through October 30, 2009.  Youth Leaders for Literacy will award 30 young people from across the U.S. each with $500 grants and $500 in books from the Pearson Foundation. Successful projects will be youth-led and address an established literacy need in the applicant's school or community. The projects will follow the framework of YSA's Semester of Service initiative, launching on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in January and culminating on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25. An activity should also occur during the NEA's Read Across America Day on March 2.  Access the application at: http://tinyurl.com/neaysayll

Multidisciplinary Service Project in Ghana, West Africa
The VCU School of Social Work will offer an opportunity to participate in an international multidisciplinary service project with our NGO partner, Sovereign Global Mission (SGM) during the Winter semester break.  SGM is a non profit organization founded in 1998 by Eric Annan and his wife, Felicia Annan, to address the needs of the growing population of homeless and street children in Ghana.   For the past six years, the School of Social Work has partnered with SGM in development projects that include a feeding program, construction of a Child Development Center, a Child Sponsorship Program and outreach to homeless children and families.   This year’s service project seeks to draw on the skills of nursing, art education, social work and occupational therapy in a collaborative approach to development in one rural African community.   The work will include conducting health screenings, providing medical supplies and assistance to children, delivering education and counseling services and some hands-on construction work on the Child Development Center.   Our service trips operate under the auspices of Peacework, Inc. a 501c3 organization. The trip will take place during the semester break, from December 28, 2009 – January 15, 2010.   Costs are approximately $2,600 – 2,700 including air fare, accommodations, excursions and food.    Not included are fees for passports, visas, immunizations.  A deposit of $300 is due September 30, 2009.  Interested participants must interview and are required to participate in three orientation sessions during the fall semester.  For more information please contact Randi Buerlein at rwbuerle@vcu.edu  or Ananda Newmark at anewmark@vcu.edu

Internship Opportunities for Fall 2009
There are several new internship opportunities this fall for those looking to get outside the classroom and engage in a very different type of learning experience.

• New Communities Internship: This is the only internship course that is open for registration (INTL 493-004 / FRLG 490-004). It has a lecture component to it and seeks to place students as teaching assistants in area K-12 English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms. It's a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in teaching as a career. This semester, the internship will be open to any Spanish, French or German majors who would be interested in working as an assistant in an area K-12 foreign language classroom. Language majors need to have completed at least 6 credits at the 300 level in their respective language to be eligible.
  
  
• Casa Milagro Foundation / Tropical Adventures: Tropical Adventures is a non-profit organization based in the beautiful town of Paraiso in Costa Rica which apecializes in placing volunteers in community, wildlife and teaching projects in under-resourced parts of Costa Rica. They are looking for interns to work as part of their small, close-knit team in several different capacities. For more information, please contact Lisette Beljon, Marketing Coordinator, intern@tropicaladventures.com or 1-800-832-9419.
  
  
• Foreign Language Teaching: We have two preschool or early elementary schools looking for Spanish or other foreign language students to help with teaching language skills to students. Little Scholars would like an intern to assist in their enrichment and tutoring programs for Spanish throughout the Richmond area. For more information, please contact Stephanie Jefferson at sjefferson@littlescholarsllc.com or 241-6006. Westminster Canterbury Child Development Center is looking for a student to help develop and implement a highly specialized foreign language education program for children aged 1-12. For more information, please contact Roshon Casey at roshon_casey@wescanric.org or 200-1170.
  
  For information on other internship opportunities, please see the World Studies website at http://www.has.vcu.edu/wld/experiential-learning/internships.html. To make an appointment to meet with the Internship Coordinator to apply for internship credits, please call the World Studies Advising Office at 827-1111.
  
  Multidisciplinary Service Project in Ghana, West Africa
  The VCU School of Social Work will offer an opportunity to participate in an international multidisciplinary service project with our NGO partner, Sovereign Global Mission (SGM) during the Winter semester break. SGM is a non profit organization founded in 1998 by Eric Annan and his wife, Felicia Annan, to address the needs of the growing population of homeless and street children in Ghana. For the past six years, the School of Social Work has partnered with SGM in development projects that include a feeding program, construction of a Child Development Center, a Child Sponsorship Program and outreach to homeless children and families. This year’s service project seeks to draw on the skills of nursing, art education, social work and occupational therapy in a collaborative approach to development in one rural African community. The work will include conducting health screenings, providing medical supplies and assistance to children, delivering education and counseling services and some hands-on construction work on the Child Development Center. Our service trips operate under the auspices of Peacework, Inc. a 501c3 organization. The trip will take place during the semester break, from December 28, 2009 – January 15, 2010. Costs are approximately $2,600 – 2,700 including air fare, accommodations, excursions and food. Not included are fees for passports, visas, immunizations. A deposit of $300 is due September 30, 2009. Interested participants must interview and are required to participate in three orientation sessions during the fall semester. An Information Session will be held August 30 at noon in the Raleigh Building. For more information please contact Randi Buerlein at rwbuerle@vcu.edu or Ananda Newmark at anewmark@vcu.edu.