(ARCHIVED) Invitation to Global Virtual Exchange Program (Thurs., April 10th)

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 08:36:06 -0400

Hello undergraduate majors and minors in sociology, anthropology, and public health!

We apologize for the last minute notice, but our department was recently invited to join an ongoing pilot program that may be of interest to you, which kicks off this Thursday, April 10th. The program is entitled "Youth Well-Being" and is funded by the prestigious Stevens Initiative, which is an international collaboration funded by the US Department of State, the Bezos Family Foundation, and the governments of Morocco and the UAE. The effort is named after the U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens who "devoted his life to building connections through open and respectful dialogue and person-to-person diplomacy... He served the majority of his Foreign Service career in the Middle East and North Africa, a region he grew to love, and eventually served as U.S. Ambassador to Libya." In other words, the goal of the Stevens Initiative is to build friendship, learning, and exchange between countries.

The program we are invited to join is a 4 week "virtual exchange" program between the USA and the UAE focused on the topic of "youth well-being." It will explore "American and UAE lifestyles, the multidimensional components of well-being, and how institutions — such as the economy, families, and communities — affect the global challenge of improving well-being." It is led by Khalifa University in the UAE and two USA institutions are invited to participate--UMBC and Miami University of Ohio. The program starts this Thursday (April 10th) with a synchronous 8:30-10am session to match up with the time that Miami University is available. The other sessions are asynchronous with one additional final synchronous session to wrap up (May 1st, also 8:30-10am). The style will include lectures, discussion, and activities. It is completely FREE to participate. Students who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion and access the Stevens Initiative Alumni Network, which is a vibrant international community. In addition to the learning and networking opportunities, this program is well-known and highly respected, so it makes a great resume-builder to be able to list this in your experience!

Because this is late notice, it is okay if you can't make the opening session live at 8:30am this Thursday, but it would be ideal if you can join for that.

Interested in this opportunity or have questions? Email Dr. Christine Mair ASAP at: christine_mair@umbc.edu

Program Details:

This 4-week mini program will focus on youth well-being, offering an engaging and interactive learning experience through three core modules. Participants will engage in 5 sessions across the four weeks, including 2 synchronous sessions (each lasting 1 hour and a half) and 3 asynchronous sessions (each lasting 2 hours). Each module includes virtual lectures and discussions, complemented by asynchronous activities such as video lectures and group work tasks which students can complete at their own pace within a week.
Schedule:
1st Session: April 10th, 8:30 am – 10:00 am (Synchronous meeting)
Module 1: April 11th - April 17th (Asynchronous module)
Module 2: April 18th - April 24th (Asynchronous module)
Module 3: April 25th - April 30th (Asynchronous module)
Final Session: May 1st, 8:30 am – 10:00 am (Synchronous meeting)