Archive for News

Thursday, March 12th, 2015

Follow a Current IPSS Fellow’s Blog

 

 

Tom Gray, is in the Nonproliferation & Terrorism Studies (NPTS) graduate program here at MIIS.  His final semester at MIIS he is working at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria as an IPSS fellow.  Follow his journey through his blog, Every Wich Way.

Tom’s Blog offers an insightful perspective of what it is like working for a large international organization in the nonproliferation domain.

Enjoy the Blog!

http://sites.miis.edu/everywichway/

 

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

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015

DPP Welcome Wine & Cheese Mixer

Development Practice and Policy: One Program, Two Degree Options 

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(Source: DPP Facebook Event Page

So, you’ve probably heard a lot of buzz about the DPP program – and now you can finally get the full scoop!

DPP will be hosting a wine & cheese mixer at the McCone Atrium (outside Irving Auditorium) on Wednesday, March 4th, at 5:00PM. If you are MPA, IPS, or IDP, you are now part of the larger umbrella of DPP. Join us at the mixer to hang out with DPP colleagues and faculty and hear more about the program!

Date: Wednesday, March 4th

Time: 5:00PM-7:00PM

Location: McCone Atrium (Outside Irving Auditorium)

RSVP on the Facebook Event! Or feel free to just show up!

And check out the MIIS DPP page for more information about the Program!

 

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, February 5th, 2015

Analyst Program with the World Bank Group

 

Check out this great opportunity with the World Bank Group!

 

Picture1

 

 

 

 

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.

Thursday, January 22nd, 2015

IPSS 2015 Placements Announced

 

The International Professional Service Semester (IPSS) is excited to announce the placement of 30 Middlebury Institute of International Studies students to the distinguished semester-long assignment with premier international organizations around the globe.  Since the IPSS program’s inception in 2002, more than 200 students have served in over 150 organizations. 2015 is another promising year for many students and we wish them the best of luck in their semester long assignments. Below is a list of current fellows, the organizations they will serve, position location, and major.

 

Good luck Fellows!

 

Fellow Organization Location Major
Arnold Africot Santa Lucia Preserve Monterey County IEP
Mary Elizabeth Miller FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Rome, Italy IEP
Jordan Sanchez Wild Coast San Diego, California IEP
Victoria Bell Marine Conservation Institute Washington D.C. IEP
Kelsey Richardson Secretariat of Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Apia, Samoa IEP
Burton Julius Gaiseb WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Windhoek, Namibia IEP
Frank Lin The World Bank Washington D.C. MPA
Julio Noguera Pact-Yangon Myanmar IPS
Sean Peck Consortium for Terrorism & Responses to Terrorism (START) University of Maryland NPTS
Thomas Gray IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Vienna, Austria NPTS
Ani Saakyan-Peck FINCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) Washington D.C. NPTS
Angel Quintanilla Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Livermore, CA NPTS
Lily Vaccaro VCNDP (Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation) Vienna, Austria NPTS
Cervando Banuelos CTBTO (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization) Vienna, Austria NPTS
Adam Proveaux U.S. State Department and the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Washington D.C. NPTS
Cassandra Peterson UNODA (United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs) New York City NPTS
Shant Krikorian U.S. State Department of Proliferation and Financing Washington D.C. NPTS
Charles Odorfer UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Istanbul, Turkey IPS
Joshua Fleming UNECLAC (United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) Washington D.C. IPS
Oscar Grijalva FINCEN Policy Division Washington D.C. IPS
Theresa Gauvreau U.S. State Department Washington D.C. IPS
Audrey Metcalf International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional office Bangkok, Thailand IPS
Kendra Haugh FINCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) Washington D.C. IPS
Kathryn Krueger UN Women Istanbul Turkey IPS
Gaelen Hayes Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development Calca, Peru IPS
Terri Pugh Ihangane Project Rwanda IPS
Benjamin Volscko NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Romania NPTS
John Gebbia Mercy Corp. Washington D.C. IPS
Aileen Yang Tesla Freemont, CA IPS

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!

Friday, January 9th, 2015

Look!

east asia snip

Friday, December 19th, 2014

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.

Click here to read more

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/

Thursday, November 20th, 2014

Hult Prize at MIIS – Tomorrow!

Join us tomorrow at 4:30 in the Irvine Auditorium as student teams present their social business ideas to tackle President Bill Clinton’s 2015 Challenge of Early Childhood Education in the Urban Slum and Beyond.  The event will be Emceed by Program Chair Jeff Dayton-Johnson and our panel of judges will include:

– Yuwei Shi (Dean, GSIPM)

– Jerry Hildebrand (Director of the Center for Social Impact Learning)

– Beryl Levinger (Distinguished Professor and Program Chair)

– Eric Stephenson (Portfolio Manager, The Cordes Foundation)

– David Dobrowski (Evaluations Officer, First 5 Monterey County)

Come out and support your classmates as they take on one of the world’s greatest challenges and look to become the official MIIS team in the Hult Prize Regional Final in the Spring.  We will have a hosted reception in the Irvine Atrium after the final presentation where the winning team will be announced.

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

Tuesday, November 11th, 2014

Hult Prize at MIIS – Team Registration

HultPrizeAt_LogoGuide_Third_option-path.P054

  The priority registration deadline for the inaugural 2015 Hult Prize at MIIS competition is this Friday, November 14th.  All you need to compete is a social business idea that tackles this year’s President’s Challenge, a team of 3 – 5 members and a 10 minute pitch.  The event will be hosted at the Irvine Auditorium on Friday, November 21st at 4:30.

  In partnership with President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative this innovative crowdsourcing platform identifies and launches disruptive and catalytic social ventures that aim to solve the planet’s most pressing challenges.  Student teams compete around the world for a chance to secure $1,000,000 in start-up funding to launch a sustainable social venture and spend the summer inside the Hult Business Accelerator – an innovative incubator for social enterprise – and a one year membership into The Clinton Global Initiative.  The 2015 Hult Prize will focus on Early Childhood Education in the Urban Slum and Beyond – a challenge personally selected by President Bill Clinton.

  The winning team from the Hult Prize at MIIS event will be fast tracked to compete at one of the six Hult Prize regional finals events in San Francisco, Boston, London, Dubai, Shanghai, or Rio de Janeiro.  Following the regional finals, one winning team from each host city will move into the summer Hult Accelerator, where participants will receive mentorship, advisory and strategic planning as they create prototypes and set-up to launch their new social business.  A final round of competition will be hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative at its annual meeting in September, where CGI delegates will select a winning team that will be awarded the million dollar prize by President Bill Clinton himself.  In the words of President Clinton, “The Hult Prize is a wonderful example of the creative cooperation needed to build a world with shared opportunity, shared responsibility, and shared prosperity, and each year I look forward to seeing the many outstanding ideas the competition produces.”

Click here to read more

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