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Center for International Studies
Yamada International House
56 E. Union St.
Athens, Ohio 45701
Center for International Studies graduates celebrating at commencement
Celebrating 60 Years of International Studies at OHIO

Celebrating 60 Years of International Studies at OHIO

Center for International Studies 60th anniversary, with outline of globe

Since 1964, the Center for International Studies has brought the world to Athens — and Athens to the world. Join us as for a year of celebration.

60 Years Since the Center Was Founded ...

Ohio University established the Center for International Studies in 1964 on the broad belief that an appreciation of others' values and institutions increases mutual understanding, enriches individual lives, and prepares citizens and students for work in the global environment.

... and 60 Years of African Studies

The African Studies Program grew out of the excitement emanating from the decolonization of the continent in the mid-1960s and the awareness of the important role Africa could play in world affairs.

The Past 60 Years

In 1964, the Center for International Programs was established because of the increasing size and complexity of OHIO’s international commitments. The M.A. in African Studies was founded the same year, followed soon after by the M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies and the M.A. in Latin American Studies. The Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE) was established in 1968 to train international students in English. M.A. programs in International Administrative Studies and International Development Studies were created in 1977-1978.

The interdisciplinary undergraduate B.A. in International Studies was created in 1979 — the same year as Chubu University’s gift of 175 cherry blossom trees to recognize the university’s 175th year. In 1983, the Ohio Valley International Council (OVIC) was created to share international resources with the regional campuses and communities. The M.A. in Communication and Development Studies was established in 1986, one of the first in this emerging field. In 1998, the Global Learning Center (GLC) was established as a project-based certificate program featuring internships and study abroad. Yamada International House, originally known as Burson House, was renovated and expanded in 2004 by a generous bicentennial gift from Chubu University.

And the Next 60 Years

You — students, alumni, supporters and friends — help the OHIO Center for International Studies maintain national and international recognition for academic excellence and importance as a hub of research, teaching and community outreach.

The center invites you to participate in this anniversary and the next 60 years by donating to an Ohio University Foundation account to support student scholarships and experiential learning opportunities.

The center has designated two scholarship accounts for our anniversary celebrations:

  • CIS Global Learning Fund: This fund supports student participation and engagement in experiential learning activities such as study abroad, internships, and conference attendance, as well as the CIS Global Forum.
  • CIS Scholarship Support Fund: This fund supports undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in CIS programs.

Supporters are also invited to contribute to the funds associated with individual programs: African Studies Program, Latin American Studies Program, Southeast Asian Studies Program, and Communication and Development Studies Enhancement Fund, as well as the Flournoy International Outreach Fund to support OVIC.

To donate to any of these funds, use the "Give Now" button below and you will be redirected to a secure giving form. In the box that says "Designation: Make Your Selection," scroll to select the scholarship or fund of your choosing.

Give Now

Question about giving? Please contact Misti Smith, Associate Director of Development, by at smithm10@ohio.edu or 740-593-2554.

Center Celebrates Six Decades of Global Leadership, Alumni Impact

Highlighting the center’s enduring legacy of building international understanding and educating students to lead in an interconnected world.
Highlights

Global Bobcats Celebrate African and International Studies

Anniversary Video

Join Us!

Schedule of Events

The Center for International Studies is celebrating our 60th anniversary by honoring the past and envisioning the future. We invite Global Bobcats to celebrate with us, in Athens and all over the world.

We will host events including mentoring sessions bringing together past and current students, awards ceremonies honoring alumni achievements, celebrations of former program directors who built the center over decades, panels featuring scholars who have contributed to international studies at OHIO, and a common book project bringing together the entire academic community.

CIS Anniversary Celebration: Nov. 15-20

Join us for the 60th anniversary of the Center for International Studies! We have several special events planned to mark this occasion. Events marked with a star require prior registration.

Friday, Nov. 15 

CIS Welcome Reception at Jackie O's Pub 22 West Union Street, 6-8 p.m. 

 Join us at Jackie O's Brewpub (left of Jackie O’s Public House) for a special welcome reception. Reconnect with fellow alumni, enjoy local flavors, and rediscover your Bobcat spirit. Recommended attire: Bobcat casual.

Saturday, Nov. 16 

CIS Alumni Welcome Dinner at Zenner House, 30 Utah Place, 4-7 p.m.

This is our primary alumni celebration reception at historic Zenner House mansion, featuring lovely artwork, courtyards, pool, and pool house. Recommended attire: Business casual.

Sunday, Nov. 17 

CIS Echoes of Athens: Stories of Diversity and Discovery, Pickup at OU Inn, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

In partnership with Rural Action and Appalachian Understories, this day-long excursion highlights the legacies of Black Appalachians in Southeast Ohio — legacies that are often misrepresented and misunderstood. Participants will explore the regions in small vans, stopping at historical sites and centers that celebrate the contributions of multicultural and multiracial families to the development of the Ohio River Valley. Recommended attire: Bobcat casual.

CIS Bobcat Brunch, Baker Center 240-242, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Join us for a delightful brunch with alumni and friends on the second floor of Baker Center.

CIS International Student Film Festival, 6:30pm-9:00pm, Schoonover 145

The festival features several short films (produced by our students) about the international student experience. The event will culminate in a screening of Aftershock of a Trauma, a wonderful award-winning film directed by OHIO's own Zohal Nasrat about her experience watching her home country of Afghanistan fall to the Taliban just weeks after arriving at OU as a Fulbright student. Contact Brian Plow (Scripps) for more information. No registration required.

Monday, Nov. 18 

CIS Alumni Panels: Global Professional Development in the 21st Century, Baker & Bentley Hall, 9:40-10:35 a.m.

CIS alumni have applied their training in international studies and languages to achieve prominence and success across many career fields. In these panels, alumni reflect on current trends and new directions in their fields; skills and competencies necessary for success in their fields; and advice to undergraduate and graduate students for success in their fields. No registration required. 

  • International Health and Migration, Baker Center 230, 9:40-10:35am: Peter Stegman, Daniel McBrayer, Lyda Ngin
  • International Environment, Energy and Development, Baker Center 231, 9:40-10:35am: Robert Stuebing, Greg Wiitala, Katie Gardner, Djeynaba Ba
  • International Law, Human Rights, and Diplomacy, Bentley Hall 124, 9:40-10:35am: David Crane, Robin Renee Sanders, Yuko Morita

REA-KON Conservation Field Internship in Indonesia with CIS Alum Rob Stuebing, Baker 231, 10:45-11:40 a.m.

Each summer, OHIO undergraduate students participate in a funded two-month internship in East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia – one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Students learn about the challenges of conservation management in the palm oil plantations and engage with local communities. The Internship Program is ideal for field-ready students -- currently freshmen and sophomores -- from BIOS, PBIO, GEOG, and ANTH. Please contact Geoff Buckley (OHP) or Haley Duschinski (CIS) for more information. No registration required. 

CIS Alumni Panels: The Future of South and Southeast Asian Studies, Baker 231, 12:55-1:50 p.m.

CIS alumni in academia explore emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in South and Southeast Asian Studies, focusing on how the field can adapt to shifting global dynamics and remain relevant in shaping future research, pedagogy, and policy. No registration required.

  • Rebakah Daro, Assistant Teaching Professor in Integrated Social Sciences program and the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at University of Washington
  • Pronoy Rai, Associate Professor of Geography & CLAS Dean's Fellow at Portland State University
  • Bruce Douglas, Special Assistant to the President at St. John's College

CIS Alumni Panels: Global Professional Development in the 21st Century, Baker 231, 3:05-4:25 p.m.

CIS alumni have applied their training in international studies and languages to achieve prominence and success across many career fields. In these panels, alumni reflect on current trends and new directions in their fields; skills and competencies necessary for success in their fields; and advice to undergraduate and graduate students for success in their fields. No registration required. 

  • International Business, Finance and Marketing, Baker 231, Baker Center 231, 3:05-4:25: Ed Chow, Viktor Lavrenyuk, Yvonne Maffei

International Education Week Awards and Gala, Baker Center Ballroom, 5:30-8 p.m.

Join us for an elegant evening at the Annual International Education Week Awards Ceremony at Baker Ballroom. The Annual IEW Awards recognize and celebrate faculty and staff who have exemplified excellence in global engagement through teaching, research, and engagement. This year, the event will highlight and celebrate CIS’s legacy of global academic excellence — and our special alumni. In partnership with the Office of Global Affairs. Recommended attire: Formal.

Tuesday, Nov. 19 

US-Cambodia Partnerships in Higher Education, HYBRID Virtual + Yamada International House 009, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. 

Join us for a discussion among alumni, students and faculty from OHIO CIS and Cambodia University of Science and Technology (Cam Tech) for a discussion of the future of US-Cambodia partnerships in higher education. Hybrid at Yamada International House (OHIO) and Teams.

CIS Alumni Virtual Panel: The Peace Corps, Virtual Only, 12:30-1:50 p.m.

The Center for International Studies celebrates its long historical relationship with the Peace Corps! Join us for a panel discussion with CIS alumni who have served as Peace Corps volunteers, country directors, and administrators. Find out why the Peace Corps is right for you!

Wednesday, Nov. 20 

CIS Peace Corps Recruitment Table, Baker Center 4th Floor, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Stop by the Peace Corps Table outside 4th Floor of Baker Center to talk to Peace Corps Recruiter Erica Ward! Erica served in the Peace Corps in Malawi (2010-12) and Ethiopia (2018-20). She is visiting OHIO to share some of the many benefits of Peace Corps service to you as an individual and to communities around the world. The Peace Corps application deadline is April 1 for fall departures. No registration required. 

Immigrant Ohio: An Advocacy Dialogue, Baker Center 240/242, 3-6 p.m.

Immigrant Ohio: An Advocacy Dialogue will promote discussion and dialogue among colleagues from OHIO, OSU, and communities across Ohio about the realities, challenges, and opportunities facing refugees and immigrants in Ohio. Discussions will focus mainly on Southeast Ohio as well as immigration experiences and advocacy efforts in Columbus and Dayton. Sponsored by CIS, Department of Gography, and College of Arts and Sciences. No registration required.

  • Brad Jokisch, Professor of Geography, OHIO
  • Ousman Kobo, Director of the Center for African Studies, Ohio State University
  • Zach Reizes (OHIO International Studies 2019), Co-Founder of Athens United Immigrant Support Project (AUISP)
  • Kerri Shaw, Director of Community Health and Workforce Programs