Croft alumna Lacey Shaver (B.A. 2007) sent us the details about the following opportunity from the Andi Leadership Institute for Young Women, an organization she is involved with. It is open to all female Croft students and of particular interest to those studying the Middle East.The application deadline is May 11, 2018
The Andi Leadership Institute for Young Women has opened their application period for the August 2018 program. The program brings together eight young women—four from the United States and four from the Middle East—for three weeks of peacebuilding and conflict resolution training in Washington, DC.
About ALI: The Andi Leadership Institute for Young Women seeks to equip the next generation of young, female peacebuilders with conflict resolution and leadership skills during their formative years, providing them with greater access to peace negotiations and leadership positions in the future. Inspiration for the Institute comes from Andi Parhamovich, a young, motivated, female leader who was killed in Iraq in 2007 while working for the National Democratic Institute. The Andi Foundation was established in her honor in 2008 and offers financial assistance to young women who desire to work in the fields of politics, communications, and humanitarian work—areas to which Andi was particularly committed during her life and career.
About the program: The ALI Peacebuilding and Leadership program takes place in a three-week course in Washington, D.C., where young women learn how to engage in peace negotiations through conflict transformation exercises and dialogue. The curriculum is experiential, interactive, challenging, and reflective. Learning techniques include projects, experiments, substantive discussions, field trips, and case studies. During the course, the small group of carefully selected aspiring leaders from various countries develop advocacy, messaging, facilitation, and leadership skills. ALI works to mentor each participant after the course to advance their skills and support the implementation of their capstone projects.
The application requirements are as follows:
To get in touch with Lacy, contact William Mahoney.
Six Croft Students Awarded Taylor Medals
At the 2018 University Honors Convocation, on Thursday, April 5, 2018, six Croft students were awarded the Marcus Elvis Taylor Memorial Medal, the University's highest academic honor.
Ms. Tyler Caple, class of 2019
Mr. John Chapppell, class of 2019
Mr. Jacob Gambrell, class of 2019
Ms. Allie Gersdorf, class of 2018
Mr. Paul Hunt, class of 2019
Ms. Lauren Newman, class of 2019
They join members of the class of 2018 Mr. Matthew Forgette, Ms. Sydney Green, and Mr. Henry Stonnington, who were awarded the Taylor Medal in 2017. Congratulations to these hard working students!
Internship Opportunities from USAID
Croft alumna Jessica Bryant (B.A. 2007) notified us that her employer, the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) at the US Agency for International Development, is currently seeking interns through their institutional contractor, McFadden. There are multiple paid internship openings for the summer 2018 term (June–August) and fall 2018 term (September–December) to support USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA).
OTI was created in 1994 as a distinct operating unit within USAID to help local partners advance peace and democracy in priority conflict-prone countries. OTI works to provide fast, flexible, short-term assistance, targeted at key transition needs. OTI assists in securing peace by aiding indigenous, mostly non-governmental, civil society and media organizations, using such mechanisms as support for re-integration of ex-combatants into civilian society; development of initiatives to promote national reconciliation; identification of quick-impact community self-help projects to meet urgent economic needs; and aid to independent media outlets and community-based organizations to help promote informed debate and broaden public participation.
To apply: Include a cover letter with a brief overview of the area of interest; a brief overview of qualifications and experience related to the internship position the applicant is applying for; specify the dates and time period the applicant is available to work; list two references with contact information (email/telephone); and include a resume with any work experience and relevant coursework. Applicants may also contact William Mahoney to get in-touch with Jessica.
Grant Supports Student Internships in East Asia
The Freeman Foundation of Stowe, Vermont, has awarded a $100,000 grant to the University of Mississippi for an initiative to support student internships in East and Southeast Asia.
The program, UM Experiential Learning in East Asia, will allow 18 undergraduates to complete a summer internship of at least eight weeks in summer 2018. Each recipient will receive $5,000 from the Freeman Foundation grant and an additional $2,500 provided by the university’s Office of Global Engagement and the successful applicants’ respective UM school(s).
“The Croft Institute has been the campus leader in promoting engagement with East Asia for the last 20 years, and this generous grant by the Freeman Foundation will allow us to add another important dimension to those efforts,” said Oliver Dinius, executive director of the Croft Institute for International Studies.
Dinius will administer the program and is working with Joshua Howard, Croft associate professor of history, Minjoo Oh, associate professor of sociology; and Blair McElroy, the university’s senior international officer, to design the application process, select award recipients and assist students as they prepare for their internships.
The goal of the Freeman Foundation’s grant is to help students gain real-life experience while interacting regularly with local populations. Established in 1994 by the estate of AIG cofounder Mansfield Freeman, the foundation’s general mission is “to strengthen the bonds of friendship between this country and those of the Far East” and “to stimulate an exchange of ideas in economic and cultural fields which will help create mutual understanding.”
Headed by Mansfield’s grandson, Graeme Freeman, the foundation donates approximately $50 million annually to programs such as study abroad scholarships for Asian and American students and the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia, which has supported the Croft Institute’s efforts to strengthen teaching about East Asia in Mississippi for more than 15 years.
The grant will provide students with life-changing opportunities to work and experience life in East Asia, Howard said. Participating students will “be able to put their learning into practice – whether it’s in the field of engineering, accounting, language studies, just to name a few examples – and become global citizens in the process,” he said.
This grant will allow the Croft Institute and the other participating units on the Oxford campus to deliver on the university’s commitment to greater internationalization and support for experiential learning, two core goals set by Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter and Provost Noel Wilkin. Students chosen for UM Experiential Learning in East Asia will learn how a foreign culture affects the work environment and help prepare them to succeed.
“International experiences give students the skills they need in an increasingly global workplace, such as intercultural communication skills, self-awareness, knowledge of current events and their impact upon the world, and open-mindedness,” McElroy said.
Interested students should find their own internship and apply for the UM-administered funding with a specific proposal. The program welcomes proposals for internships in all parts of East Asia, although priority is given to sending students to countries that are at the heart of UM’s long-standing engagement with East Asia: China, Japan and South Korea.
Oh, a native of Korea, is excited about the potential of this grant reinforcing UM’s recent commitment to Korean studies.
“I hope that many students will take advantage of this opportunity to complete internships in Korea, deepening our engagement with one of the most culturally and economically dynamic places in the world,” she said.
The program is open to undergraduate students from all schools and majors on the Oxford campus. The only restriction is that they must be enrolled as full-time Ole Miss undergraduate students in the semester after completing their summer internship.
Individual awards are designed to offset costs that may otherwise discourage students from interning abroad, including airfare, accommodations and meals. The program will begin accepting applications in mid-October.
Interested students should visit http://www.croft.olemiss.edu/home/freeman-internships-in-east-asia for details about the application process and deadlines. For more information, contact William Mahoney, Croft’s coordinator for career planning, at mahoney@olemiss.edu.
Volunteer to Tutor English Language Learning Students at Oxford High School
Croft alumna Lacey Shaver (B.A. 2007) sent us the details about the following opportunity from the Andi Leadership Institute for Young Women, an organization she is involved with. It is open to all female Croft students and of particular interest to those studying the Middle East.The application deadline is May 11, 2018
The Andi Leadership Institute for Young Women has opened their application period for the August 2018 program. The program brings together eight young women—four from the United States and four from the Middle East—for three weeks of peacebuilding and conflict resolution training in Washington, DC.
Six Croft Students Awarded Taylor Medals
At the 2018 University Honors Convocation, on Thursday, April 5, 2018, six Croft students were awarded the Marcus Elvis Taylor Memorial Medal, the University's highest academic honor.
Job Opening: Associate Consultant for Data Analytics
Croft alumnus Josh Cox (B.A. 2010) informed us that his employer, Control Risks, is actively hiring an associate consultant for data analytics to work in its DC, Los Angeles, or New York offices. Control Risks is a risk consultancy that specializes in confidential clientele.
Job Opportunity: Manager, Business Advisory Services; The US-China Business Council
The US-China Business Council (USCBC) seeks a qualified individual to join the organization’s Business Advisory Services department (BAS) in Washington, DC. BAS is the information and advisory arm of USCBC and works closely with USCBC member companies on a wide range of China business and policy issues.
Internship Opportunities from USAID
Croft alumna Jessica Bryant (B.A. 2007) notified us that her employer, the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) at the US Agency for International Development, is currently seeking interns through their institutional contractor, McFadden. There are multiple paid internship openings for the summer 2018 term (June–August) and fall 2018 term (September–December) to support USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA).
Croft Junior Named 2018 Barksdale Award Winner
Croft junior Gabrielle Schust was named a 2018 Barksdale Award Winner by the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Gabbi, who is focusing on Latin America, Spanish, and international governance and politics, is planning to travel to England this summer to interview women in religious orders who provided medical care to the poor in the 1960's and 1970's. While studying abroad next year, she will interview women who do similar work in religious orders in Peru. Rates of poverty, maternal and fetal mortality, and life expectancy in the Andes today are quite similar to those in England before the advent of the National Health Service, offering Gabbi a fascinating basis of comparison. Barksdale Award Winners are given $5000 to support scholarly and creative endeavors.
Dr. Wilson Meets up with Second Croft Student in Japan
Another Croft student, sophomore Christian Wisneski, visited Hokkaido and met up with Dr. Wilson at the Sapporo Snow Festival. Christian is interning with a law office in Tokyo before starting his semester abroad at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto.
Croft Student and Professor Meet up in Japan
Croft Associate Professor of History and International Studies Noell Wilson recently met up with Croft junior Gwenafaye McCormick in Hokkaido, Japan. Gwenafaye is studying abroad for the 2017-2018 academic year at Waseda University in Tokyo, and was visiting Hokkaido for the Sapporo Snow Festival. Dr. Wilson is at Hokkaido University on a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award working on a book about American whalers in the North Pacific in the 19th century.
Croft Professor Contributes to Journal Published by the Vice-Presidency of Bolivia
Croft Instructional Assistant Professor of Sociology Miguel Centellas was invited to publish an essay for the October 2017 issue of La Migraña, the journal published by the vice-presidency of Bolivia. The article, written in Spanish, is a reflection on the election of Trump based on Dr. Centellas's discussions with his students about Latin American populism. The full issue is available online, and Dr. Centellas's essay starts on page 92.
Croft Alumna Recognized for Special Achievement by the F.B.I.
Croft alumna Erica McGraw (B.A. 2016) was given a citation for special achievement by the F.B.I., where she works as a Staff Operations Specialist. She was recognized for work that was instrumental in disrupting a subject who was recruiting individuals in preparation of an attack. Erica wrote she would be happy to talk to Croft students who are interested in the Bureau. Contact Dr. Schenck or Will Mahoney to connect with her. We're proud of Erica and all our alumni and alumnae who work in service of the common good in so many ways.
Volunteer to Tutor English Language Learning Students at Oxford High School
Croft senior Abby Bruce wrote that Oxford High School is looking for tutors for their English Language Learner (ELL) students, especially in algebra, geometry, English, biology, and world history. Volunteers who are interested in making a long term, consistent commitment to tutoring should fill out this interest form.
Congressional-Executive Commission on China Seeks Liu Xiaobo Fellows
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) is offering paid Fellowships to graduates of accredited Bachelor’s, Master’s, J.D. Programs, or current graduate-level students. Croft graduates are highly competitive for this position and have worked here in the past. The Fellowship listing was forwarded from an alumnus and is not yet posted on the CECC website—please contact William Mahoney for more information.
Multiple Internship Openings with the Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization focused on defense and security, regional study, and transnational challenges, has multiple internship openings in its Washington, D.C. office.
Video of Fall 2017 Alumni Panel
Those who missed the Croft Alumni Panel on November 10 and those who want to see it again can watch the video on YouTube at https://youtu.be/09npXdEA9Io.
Grant Supports Student Internships in East Asia
The Freeman Foundation of Stowe, Vermont, has awarded a $100,000 grant to the University of Mississippi for an initiative to support student internships in East and Southeast Asia.
