Archive for About

Friday, May 8th, 2015

OpenIDEO – Accepting Ideas for Refugee Education Challenge

Refugee Education Challenge is now accepting ideas to improve education opportunities for children in refugee camps.

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“Now is the chance to share an idea you have for how to improve education for refugees. We’ve partnered with UNCHR and UNICEF – so even if you aren’t able implement your idea yourself, there’s an opportunity you to submit a winning idea that could be implemented through partnerships with organizations already working with UNICEF and UNHCR.

Winning ideas on our shortlist will attend a design support bootcamp hosted by IDEO.org designers, where participants will learn how to apply human-centered design to their challenge idea. A handful of these ideas will be selected to receive a share of $500,000 in funding and design support.”

Design Principles for Refugee Education:

  • Focus on what we can do now
  • Design for gender equality
  • Keep resource limitations in mind
  • Design for uncertainty
  • Take an inclusive approach
  • Be culturally sensitive

Click to find out more about OpenIDEO and to submit an idea!

Monday, May 4th, 2015

Mark Your Calendars: East Asia Presentations this Thursday!

Presentations at Irvine Auditorium this Thursday, May 7th, 6:30-8:30pm, Reception 8:30-9:30pm!

east asia

The students that went on the first ever two-country program through MIIS Immersive Learning Programs, the East Asia: China and Japan trip, will be presenting this Thursday at Irvine, with a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception to follow. The presentations will be very interesting as this program included a semester long seminar which concluded in robust papers, and the feedback from the journey has been very interesting!

The East Asia Practicum was an investigative tour of Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China, where participants met with and interviewed policymakers, former politicians, and renowned scholars. With unique research topics looking into the the international relations of the region, students were able to seek first-hand information on the dynamics of the two major players: Japan and China. The rise in status of either nation will set the political and economic tone for the region. By experiencing and researching within each nation, students will be able to provide original ideas on the current state of Sino-Japanese relations and the future of region.

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/466841256799447/

Monday, April 27th, 2015

Immersive Learners Champion Seven Countries through Nine Programs

I sat down with Maritza Munzón (MPA/IEM ’15), and Rafael Hernandez (MPA ’15) at a local coffee shop last week to interview them about MIIS’s Immersive Learning Programs. Maritza has traveled on five trips to six countries through MIIS (Peru, Cuba, Kenya, Mindanao, and East Asia), and Rafael has gone to four (Peru, Cuba, Rwanda, and East Asia). Both had a lot to say, much more than I can fit into this interview; I can’t encourage you enough to talk with your peers about their experiences abroad.

Q: What made you choose the immersive learning programs you chose?

Maritza: For me it’s always about “why not?” It is always a question of “if I don’t go, will I regret it?” And the answer is almost always “Yes”. So I do everything I can to take advantage of the opportunity to travel. MarRafFurthermore, because I am in the IEM degree program and want to conduct these trips myself one day, the best way to learn how to do this is to go on as many as I can!

Rafael: I was eager to begin traveling right away when I got here. That was the reason I picked this school over many other options – the traveling component. Right off the bat I could go on this Peru trip, that had a practical application of policy analysis, – and so I went.

M: I don’t think many people have traveled the way we travel here at MIIS.

There is only so much reading you can do about culture, practice, and so on, but you need to embed it in your muscle memory to learn and understand.

Q: Have you gone on any trips together?

Both went to Peru (but in different communities), as well as Cuba, and East Asia.

M: Peru started my obsession with these trips; the experience got my feet wet and then I wasn’t scared, anymore, to do the others.

Q: Are there any programs you especially wish you could have gone on?

R: I would have liked to go to the Philippines.

M: I would have done the El Salvador trip if I had the time. But I am always torn between what is familiar and what is less accessible. El Salvador is within my reach because of language, so I decided to take the leap and go on trips that I was less likely to do on my own:  Kenya, East Asia, and the Philippines.

Q: How did the programs and learning styles compare?

Both: Cuba was more like learning tourism, while Peru and East Asia where more research based: we did academic research in Asia, and field research in Peru.

M: I was a guinea pig for many of the trips – for example:  Kenya, Peru, and East Asia. Cuba was established. Being on a program in its first incarnation is a valuable experience for someone learning about how these programs are conducted.

R: I learned a lot about different types of intelligence and understanding. You know there is the computer competency type, where you either know it or you don’t. And if you don’t, you can ask help from someone who does – and there are no ego problems associated with that. Cultural competency, on the other hand, and especially at this school, is more complicated in that way. Then there is emotional intelligence (EQ) versus the IQ. When you go to speak to someone in a village, everyone on these trips is so concerned about being politically correct, which makes them all self-conscious. I found that the best way to take to people is honestly and openly.

Q: Since you have gone on so many of these programs, do you have any constructive feedback?

R: Like I said, these trips are one of the reasons why I chose this school. And we are so grateful for these experiences.

M: Growing up the way I did, I would have never been able to do this on my own. And I am grateful, and the best way I can give back is by applying my IEM knowledge and skills and giving constructive feedback. I was able to design a pre-departure training for the Peru trip, which was very well received, but not yet implemented. Based on our experience in Peru, Cortney Copeland and I designed a pre-departure workshop and assessment for that trip through our IEM Design and Assessment Class. In the workshop we wanted students to bond with the people in their groups, learn each other’s working styles and strength, while also getting to practice giving the surveys and entering the data. There are always hiccups with international travel and our goal was to develop cohesive groups before departure to help student better work through some of those unpredictable moments. The assessment consisted of a simple survey that students took before and after the trip to better inform staff and faculty of what is working and what needs improvement.

One of my frustrations with the organization of these trips is that the system that puts these trips together does not value the experience that the students going already have. Because the information isn’t coming from a respected magazine or periodical, but from the mouth of a student, who has had the personal experience or cultural experience growing up – but they didn’t write a paper on it, so…. We don’t get a diploma for growing up bilingual or for living similar lives to that of the people we are studying.

R: So if professors and institutions have a way, for better or worse, of validating those experiences, for example, “here is Maritza, she grew up in a culture that…..” and by doing that, it validates the person, and symbolically validates the peers that have experienced this. People come back like “I was shocked to see this and that”, and that is the only thing that gets the spotlight. But there are people who have lived this their whole lives.

M: Out of the bad comes the good. MIIS is proud of its international diversity on campus, but now there are also conversation on national diversity and socioeconomic diversity as well, which is something that came out of a critique on one of these trips. We go on these trips, and learn, and some things are difficult, but the important thing is to take the bad with the good and make something out of it. For some of us, that meant creating the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which highlights domestic diversity on campus and is working on assessing the needs of all students, whether international students, first generation college students, student of color, LGBTQ, or second career seekers. We not only wanted to address diversity by identifying the needs of all students on campus but to make sure it is something that continues to be addressed in the institution after we are gone.

Professors should also make a point to make focus groups mandatory. A format of how to measure the trips as a whole, but also each trip individually, so it can be improved upon, but that responsibility also shouldn’t sit solely on the professor’s shoulders.

Q: Any advice for students who will travel on these programs in the future?

M: Some things you can’t prepare for. Keep an open mind, don’t sweat the small stuff. Like dirt, bugs-

R: – and cold showers –

M: – and so on because it distracts from the experience. Don’t fight the discomfort.

R: You don’t need language to communicate with people. You shouldn’t necessarily know a language perfectly – keep the willingness to go at the forefront. Don’t be catered to: we chose to go, to help. Be the one helping, not the helped. Own your decision to go.

Language should not be a barrier to communicating with people. In fact, I learned from my inability to speak the local language, which became a resource of information, connection, and interaction. When I ask you, “how do you say this?”, I become your student and switch the power dynamic. People love to teach you, to speak from authority. There is laughter, and it breaks the ice and opens new things. They think, “Here is a person who wants to know my language.” It helps equalizing the playing field.

Q: Is there something you never travel without?

M: I carry medicine for altitude sickness, headache, nausea, diarrhea, congestion, and allergies; but I also carry hydration salts and EmergenC to try and prevent getting sick as well. You never know how sick you are going to get and might not be able to get to a pharmacy right away or be able to communicate what you need so its good to carry some meds you trust. Oh! and Baby wipes.

R: Baby wipes! Pen and notepad.

*shows us his pen and notepad, which, sure enough, are in his back pocket*

M: That’s what I picked up, now I’ll do that.

R: I like to record sounds from the trips, it brings you back. *plays recording*

M: Learn how to say a greeting, and please and thank you in the local language.

R: So important!

____________________________________________________________

smaller headshotKatya Gamolsky (joint BA/MA ‘17) is a first year student who works for the Immersive Learning Programs Office. She recently went on the Los Angeles trip that focused on Homelessness, with Dr Iyer, and will be attending DPMI DC this summer. If you have any questions, comments, or would like to know more about our Immersive Learning Programs, please email her at immersive@miis.edu.

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

News about the East Asia Spring Break Journey!

 

 

News from the participants and professors was posted on the miis.edu front page.east asia

Monday, March 16th, 2015

Center for Social Impact Learning (CSIL) Launch Invitation

You are invited to join MIIS faculty, staff, students and alumni for the launch of the Center for Social Impact Learning on March 25th in Monterey, California!

CSIL

The Center for Social Impact Learning (CSIL) provides relevant learning and research programming for students interested in exploring and developing careers in social entrepreneurship and impact investment management.

 Register for this free event today! 

 

Wednesday, March 11th, 2015

What are you doing this summer?

We’ve got a new page to help you answer that question: go.miis.edu/summer

summer

Monday, February 23rd, 2015

New Internship Opportunity in Uganda!

Looking for a summer internship opportunity in Africa? Check out ISLA – and feel free to join tomorrow’s info session from 12pm-1pm in Morse B206! http://www.isla-serve.org/

*MPAs – this could count for DPMI Plus!

isla Uganda

Thursday, January 29th, 2015

Upcoming Info Sessions for IPSS, DPMI, and Tunisia

IPSS 2016

http://www.miis.edu/academics/monterey-abroad/service-semester

Info Session: Thursday, February 12, 2015, 12-1pm @MG100

Application Deadline: September 1st, 2015

 

DPMI, DPMI +

http://www.miis.edu/academics/short/development-management

Info Session: Thursday, Feb 26, 2015, 12-1pm @CF452

Application Deadline:

Summer 2015: Early Review – March 1st, 2015; General Application Deadline – April 1st, 2015

Winter 2016: Early Review – September 1st, 2015; General Application Deadline – October 31st, 2015

 

Tunisia’s Transition to Democracy – June 2015

http://www.globalmajority.org/, and more info here.

Info Session: Tuesday, February 10, 2015, 12-1pm @ MG100

Application Deadline: May 1st, 2015

 

Wednesday, January 28th, 2015

J-term for MIIS Students, Off and On Campus

For J-term 2015, we had 70 students go to five countries on four continents.peru photo

Sonia Esquibel, who was on the Peru Practicum on small-scale farming, sent me the wonderful photo of Team Peru (to the right).

She wrote the following about her journey, “I have really enjoyed working with students from MIIS, MIDD, AASD, and Professor Phil Murphy.  Surveying and interviewing rural farmers and working with quantitative and qualitative data have been great.  In terms of skill acquisition, this trip is amazing. I am super grateful for all of the Team Peru folk, thanks for all your patience and humor!”

Most of the Team Peru cohort came back this past Saturday, just two days before classes started.

Stephanie Nelson, was on the El Salvador Practicum on community development, wrote, “This place forces you to reexamine all that you hold within. It’s only when you look inside the eyes of another human being, that you begin to feel sense of raw commonality with that person and truly discover what it means to be standing in the intersection of pain, and hope.”

Judie Henderson, who attended the Design, Partnering, Management, and Innovation (DPMI) training at Partners in Health in Rwanda, wrote, “I am moved by the resilience of the Rwandan people.” She had much more to say, of course, and I urge those of you on campus to ask her about it if you are curious.

Dr. Jan Black led a group of students to Cuba through a Global Exchange-organized trip. Dr. Black commented on some of the shouts the group received in the streets expressing good will to Americans.

“It has been interesting to me to see that the media in the US has discussed this opening as such a major change to Cuba, but Cuba has been changing all along. Every year is different than the year before. Fortunately, there has been continuity too, and we’ve met with some of the folks who have helped Cuba keep moving ahead while keeping the best of what has been gained through the Revolution.  We met this time with a former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief of Mission to the United States who had been with the leadership since the Revolution, but the most exciting meeting always is with Connor Gorry, a MIIS alumna who is now a medical journalist and one of the foremost authorities on the Cuban healthcare system,” shared Dr. Black.

phillyThe Philippines Practicum on “Peacebuilding in Mindanao” kept  a very up-to-date blog here. One blogger said, “Earlier in the day we were in a southwestern region of Mindanao called the Sultan Kudarat province and  it became a very special learning experience.  We met with some of the     elected officials and village elders and they gave us a pretty thorough briefing on the state of affairs within their barangay. They appeared especially proud when they spoke of some of the new ideas that are being implemented to with the goal of empowering the local farmers with additional market options for their produce.”

 

Local Action in Monterey!

Those that stayed in Monterey were very busy as well.  Thirty-four classes and workshops were in session this January and I had the opportunity to talk to students from a few of them.

26 people from 11 countries attended DPMI Monterey, which lasted three weeks and ended last Friday. The group had the opportunity to work closely with local homeless service providers as part of one of their projects. Tom Gray said, “As a Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies student, despite the great reviews I had heard about DPMI, I had doubts about how10834880_1540130296237511_8138925882615918401_o (1) useful the program would be for my career prospects. However, after going through the program, I am now sure I made the right decision – DPMI teaches a range of different tools and techniques that I expect to be just as useful in the US government as they are in the development field. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their project design and evaluation skills, regardless of their intended career path.”

Students in the International Marine Law Seminar collectively shared that “The class was an ocean of knowledge in a short period of time, but the experience was extremely valuable (pun intended).” They also added that they were grateful to learn from someone as admired as IUCN High Seas Policy Advisor, Kristina Gjerde. The photo above is by Chelsea Jordan, and is of an elusive rainbow spout of a humpback whale that the group got to see on their whale-watching trip at the conclusion of their course. Apparently a whale breached mere yards from their boat, close enough to make the captain swear.

Frontier Market Scouts, also known as FMS, had six workshops In January. Erina McWilliam-Lopez, the Social Impact Programs Director, sent me the photo below and added, “We just finished the first official CSIL version of the FMS training in Monterey. The cohort of 32 were diverse not only in terms of nationalities but also in tFMS-Ladieserms of perspectives and skillsets. FMS participants enjoyed a surprise visit from impact investor Ron Cordes of the Cordes Foundation. Throughout the two-week training, the group experienced an accelerated learning curve during sessions focused on due diligence for impact investing, innovative business model design, organizational culture, and impact metrics systems scoping. But, they also found time for cooking an amazing pop-up Indian meal together, salsa dancing, and beautiful Big Sur hiking. It was a graceful mix of business with a touch of fun. “

About 30 students participated in Econ Bootcamp with Prof. Moyara Ruehsen and Jason Scorse. Chanel Bell said “It was a great opportunity for me to learn the fundamentals of economics. Micro provided me with a good understanding about how economics work in everyday life and macro gave me the basic understanding of how trade works between countries.”

Overall it was a very busy and productive J-term. If you have any quotes or photos from your J-term experience that you would like to share, please submit them to me, Katya Gamolsky at immersive@miis.edu.

Wednesday, January 21st, 2015

Global Health & Innovation Conference at Yale

Dear Colleagues,
 
You and your students and colleagues may be interested in attending or presenting at the upcoming 12th annual Global Health & Innovation Conference at Yale on March 28-29, 2015. We are also currently accepting social enterprise abstracts for presentation, as well as applications for the $10,000 and $5,000 GHIC Innovation Prize.
Global Health & Innovation Conference
Presented by Unite For Sight, 12th Annual Conference
Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

Saturday, March 28 – Sunday, March 29, 2015

http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference
“A Meeting of Minds”–CNN
The Global Health & Innovation Conference is the world’s largest global health conference and social entrepreneurship conference.  This must-attend, thought-leading conference annually convenes 2,200 leaders, changemakers, students, and professionals from all fields of global health, international development, and social entrepreneurship.  Register by January 20th to secure the lowest registration rate: http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference
Interested in presenting at the conference? Submit a social enterprise pitch abstract for consideration.  Present your early-stage idea, program, or organization to the audience, and then receive guidance, advice, and mentoring from an expert panel. The GHIC Innovation Prize offers two cash awards in the amounts of $10,000 and $5,000 to the two best social enterprise pitches.
Conference Schedule: Engage with 300 speakers in lectures, panels, workshops, and mentoring sessions. See the complete list of conference speakers as well as the conference schedule

Wednesday, January 21st, 2015

Remember the great IEP video from Follies?

Here it is:

Anything Is Possible When You Conserve Water

*by Stephanie Gentle

Wednesday, January 14th, 2015

Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education

When: March 2-4, 2015

Where: San Francisco

What: The Second Annual Summit on Improvement in Education

Who:  attendees come from across all aspects of the education field, from kindergarten to higher ed, practitioners to policymakers, funders to researchers.

For more information: http://carnegiefoundationsummit.org/program/about/

Questions? Contact 877-842-3110 or summitreg@carnegiefoundation.org

 

Tuesday, January 13th, 2015

1500 USD Sarah Meek Africa Travel Awards for MIIS Students

**MIIS students completing research in Africa in 2015 are encouraged to apply!

***Research could be completed as part of an internship or job as well as for-credit or not-for-credit.

 

Announcing the Sarah Meek Travel Grant for Research in Africa

Starting this January, four travel grants of $1500 each will be awarded for MIIS students conducting research on social change in Africa. The research can be either independent or part of established immersive learning programs such as IPSS, DPMI+, or Frontier Market Scouts. The research must be conducted in Africa for a duration of 3 months or more. Research proposals that involve 2 months in Africa and the remainder back in the US or outside Africa will also be considered.

To receive this grant students must submit a research design that focuses on a social condition in Africa of the applicant’s choosing; e.g., poverty, environment, crime, armed violence, gender equality, conflict, disease, education, refugees, etc., with the goal of making policy/program recommendations that can change that condition.

The application must include the following elements:

  1. Dates of research
  2. Location of research, to include a letter of support from an organization which is hosting or assisting you with your project.
  3. A two page statement that includes a complete research design, to include a preliminary literature review that shows a need for this research, the who, what, where, and how of the project, and its potential impact on the social condition.
  4. A description of the deliverable and date of presentation.

Applications must be received between now and 15 January. A committee of faculty judges will evaluate all applications and determine the four recipients of the award by 20 January. Awards will be given as reimbursement for travel to Africa in 2015.  If you have any questions or wish to discuss the eligibility of your planned research for this award, please make an appointment with Professor Ed Laurance at elaurance@miis.edu.  He can also be reached at 831-402-2631.

These awards are made possible by a continuing donation from the family of Sarah Meek, a MIIS alum of 1996 whose life was cut short while working to improve social conditions in Africa.

Tuesday, January 13th, 2015

Upcoming Deadlines for Summer Internship Opportunities in Spain, Argentina and Chile

Cultural Vistas is accepting applications for the Summer Internship Program in Spain and the Internship Programs in Argentina and Chile.
 
The application deadline for all three programs will be January 15, 2015.
 
Summer Internship Program in Spain
This program provides an opportunity for U.S. and Canadian students to gain international work experience, improve Spanish language skills, and experience Spanish culture firsthand. Participants complete unpaid three-month internships in companies across Spain. Internship placements are available in a variety of fields, including, but not limited to business, economics, engineering, finance, Spanish studies, international relations, IT, media/communications, non-profit sector and tourism.
 
For detailed information and application materials, please visit their website at:http://culturalvistas.org/programs-for-students-and-professionals/internships-abroad/summer-internship-program-in-spain
 
Internship Program in Argentina
This program provides unpaid internship opportunities for U.S. and Canadian students and young professionals in either Buenos Aires or Córdoba, Argentina. Two program options are available: a 4-week Spanish language course and an 8-week internship with an Argentinean company (Combination Language/Internship Option) or a 12-week internship with a host company (Internship Option). Internship placements are available in a variety of fields, including, but not limited to business, economics, engineering, finance, Spanish studies, international relations, IT, media/communications, non-profit sector and tourism.
 
For detailed information and application materials, please visit their website at:http://culturalvistas.org/programs-for-students-and-professionals/internships-abroad/internship-program-in-argentina
 
Internship Program in Chile
This program provides unpaid internship opportunities for U.S. and Canadian students and young professionals in Santiago de Chile. Two program options are available: a 4-week Spanish language course and an 8-week internship with a Chilean company (Combination Language/Internship Option) or a 12-week internship with a host company (Internship Option). Internship placements are available in a variety of fields, including, but not limited to business, economics, engineering, finance, Spanish studies, international relations, IT, media/communications, non-profit sector and tourism.
 
For detailed information and application materials, please visit their website at:http://culturalvistas.org/programs-for-students-and-professionals/internships-abroad/internship-program-in-chile
Cheers!

Monday, November 24th, 2014

Interview with Professor Akaha about the East Asia Spring Break Trip!

 Akaha1 Professor Tsuneo Akaha was born and raised in Japan,and has been at MIIS since 1989 (and is about to celebrate 25 years here!) Since then, he has been travelling back and forth over the Pacific, doing research, guest lectures, and of course, visiting family. This trip, the first of its kind, and done in partnership with Professor Wei Liang, emphasizes the importance of placing Japan-China relations in the context of the dynamic and changing region of East Asia.

Q: What is the overall purpose of this trip and seminar?

We aim to bring students as close as possible to the ground in terms of policy in Japan and China, which have more problems than the other regional powers in terms of challenges. For example, the territorial dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, which both countries claim; or Japanese leaders’ visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines 14 Class-A war criminals; and the two countries’ conflicting understandings of facts and the meaning of prewar and wartime history.

This course, including the field trip, will introduce our students to policy challenges from both inside each country and from outside (internationally). This will give the students a 2-level perspective. The Japanese and Chinese governments and other regional powers have their official positions and perspectives on these issues, but there are some divisions of opinion inside each country. This makes coordination of policy rather challenging, especially in Japan, because it’s a democracy.

Q: What do you mean by the “conflicting understanding of history” of the two countries?

The history that includes before, during, and after the second world war continues to color mutual perceptions and adds to the complexity of contemporary issues, and this is particularly true with respect  to territorial disputes and rising nationalism. From China’s perspective, the past history weighs much more heavily than from Japan’s perspective. Japan is more interested in a future-oriented relationship with China. From political and strategic perspectives, China wants to emphasize the past because it helps strengthen nationalism in the country, frustrate Japan’s effort to expand its international role (including security role), and also build a coalition with Korea against Japan (because Korea shares a similar history against Japan).

 Q: it is clear that history has quite an impact. Is there any room for cooperation?

Yes, indeed, as there are common challenges facing the two countries. For example, I would say, environmental deterioration and resource depletion are common concerns, particularly because both countries are heavily dependent on imported energy supplies (although this also means that the two countries are competing). Another concern is terrorism and political stability in the region. For example, the nuclear and missile development in North Korea is a potential source of instability the region.

Additionally, policymakers in both Beijing and Tokyo are struggling with the question of how to deal with the changing balance of power in the region, due to China’s rise and influence in power.

Q: Does the US play a role in this?

Yes, the US plays a very important role, for strategic, political, and economic reasons. China and the US are locked in a competition for regional leadership. Japan also wants to play a leading role in the region, and the US is her closest ally. So, where the US stands on regional issues and even on China-Japan relations – matters a lot. China is now Japans most important trading partner, but their political relations are full of problems. Some call their relations “hot economics and cold politics.” There is also a tendency to divert public attention to foreign challenges, instead of looking in. This applies to both China and Japan. China has domestic woes, such as developmental and income gaps, and serious environmental problems. And Japan is struggling to get out of its sluggish economic performance, which has lasted over the last two decades.  Each country finds the other an easy target for criticism.

Q: Please tell me what the students will get out of the seminar and the field trip?

Well, prior to the trip the students will select a topic of particular interest to them and develop a research yasukuni012proposal.  They will use the field trip to gather information and after they return, the research will culminate in a research paper. During the trip, they will be listening to local experts’ lectures, discussing regional issues with students at universities in Tokyo and Beijing, and conducting interviews with government officials and others. Among other places we will be visiting Waseda University, International Christian University, and the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo; and also Peking University, University of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing.  We will also visit some historic and cultural sites, such as the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo and the Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

This is the first time we are organizing this trip and both Professor Liang and I are very excited about it, especially because we will be visiting some familiar places in the two cities including our respective alma mater.

—————————————————————————————

Link to website and information on the course: http://sites.miis.edu/eastasia/

Wednesday, November 12th, 2014

Management Intern Program – City of Phoenix, Arizona

Join one of the most respected local government management training programs in the United States! 

This one-year program offers:

  • Professional leadership development and mentorship in nationally acclaimed program
  • Multi-department rotations
  • Opportunity for a career in the nation’s largest Council-Manager local government
  • Full-time position with competitive salary and comprehensive benefit package

PhoenixPicture

If selected, you will learn about every facet of a large, urban, complex city operation from the ground up. During this exciting, and fast-paced year, you will:

  • work on a variety of assignments and projects that affect our community of 1.6 million residents;
  • gain exposure to innovative best practices in an our award-winning organization through your rotations in the City Manager’s Office and a department that provides direct service to the community;
  • participate in the process of setting city policy by staffing City Council meetings;
  • use research and writing skills by studying an issue, recommending solutions and drafting a management report;
  • work directly with residents and city staff on service delivery to the public.

Some of the projects completed by past participants include:

  • Providing staff support for the Pension Reform Task Force;
  • Conducting benchmark studies on weighted voting in regional governments;
  • Assisting in developing the city’s Sustainability Action Plan;
  • Analyzing best practices for apprehending real time graffiti vandals;
  • Developing a project-tracking database for the 2010 Census Complete Count Committee activities.”

– information retrieved from internship website

Requirements:

  • Have earned or completed all coursework for a master’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field by June 29, 2015

APPLY THROUGH JANUARY 06, 2015 

Online at: phoenix.gov/interns or Call: 602-262-4800

For more information, Visit City of Phoenix Management Intern Program

Wednesday, November 12th, 2014

Lets get Sprintensive.

 

 

IPS and MPA students

Join us tomorrow evening to learn more about the upcoming change to DPP and the alternative learning semester, Sprintensive!

Wine and Pizza reception will follow! 

Sprintensive

Wednesday, October 15th, 2014

USTR Representative to Speak at MIIS

 

 

Trade club brings MIIS Alum and Director of Europe and Middle East Affairs of the United States Trade Representative to campus.

Trade club blog

Friday, October 10th, 2014

Hult Prize at MIIS Competition

Hultprize_logo

The Hult Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative and Monterey Institute of International Studies are dedicated to launching the world’s next wave of social entrepreneurs with the 2015 Hult Prize at MIIS competition.  The Hult Prize encourages the world’s brightest minds to compete in teams of 3 – 5 members to solve the planet’s biggest challenges with innovative ideas for sustainable start-up enterprises.  On November 21st, MIIS will select a winning team to advance to the regional finals.  Each regional winner will get to spend the summer inside the Hult Accelerator – an innovative incubator for social enterprise – and the champion receives $1,000,000 in start-up funding and a one year membership into The Clinton Global Initiative.  All you need to compete is an idea, a team, and a 5 minute pitch that addresses this year’s President’s Challenge:  Early Childhood Development in the Urban Slum and Beyond.

Get more information and register your team today at go.miis.edu/hultprize

Contact: Hprize@miis.edu

Monday, October 6th, 2014

Come learn about IEM organizations!

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