The
Value of Learning Off Campus
 On
Thursday, October 30, 41 Smith students will present perspectives
on their experiences last year during Junior Year Abroad,
internships and community service projects around the world.
How have those experiences merged with their formal classroom
education? What long-term impact will their experiences
have on their lives?
The third annual Smith Elects
the World conference will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. in
various Campus Center spaces. Meanwhile, here is a snapshot
preview of the presentations.
Children’s
Photovoice Project in Paraguay
Amelia Mitchell ’11--internship
"During the summer of 2008,
I was one of 100 undergraduate college students chosen
by the Davis Foundation to implement a project I had designed
to promote peace in the world, as part of their initiative
100 Projects for Peace. For my “Photovoice” project,
I worked with children from an indigenous community in a
rural part of Paraguay, whom I had met the previous year
while doing volunteer work. I taught the children of
the community how to use cameras to document, explain, celebrate,
and share their lives."
Problematizing the Museum Space: A Summer at the Corcoran
Kelly Montana ’09--Praxis
"I had the opportunity
to work as an Exhibitions Intern at the Corcoran Gallery
of Art in Washington, D.C. I will describe
exhibition projects I worked on, and highlight key pieces
from each exhibition."
Science and Splendor: Researching Historical Scientific
Instruments
Lyudmyla Kovalenko ‘09--JYA
"I conducted my Praxis-funded
internship in the museum and the cultural center of East
Germany, where I worked in the Mathematisch-Physikalischer
Salon and will use images
of scientific instruments to illustrate my story as
well as allow the audience to appreciate the grandeur of
the Royal Collection."
Penumbra Theater Company: Black Social Justice and Awareness
Kelsey Olwell ‘10--Praxis internship
"I did a Praxis internship
with the Penumbra Theater Company where I worked on the
August Wilson Oral History Project. The
Wilson project is of great significance to the Black community
and it affected me personally."
Urban planning in the Paris banlieues
Norabelle Greenberger ‘09--JYA internship
"While on Paris JYA, I
was an intern in a low-income housing office in the Paris
suburb of Romainville. French suburbs
are very different from our American idea of suburbia, and
I will discuss the work I did for the office, finishing the
semester with an urban study analyzing a component of a proposed
renovation project."
Reconnecting with Jewish Cultural Identity through Research
Ayla Schlosser ‘09--study abroad
"I will talk about my study
abroad experience in Barcelona and my feeling of isolation
as the only Jew in my program during the High Holy Days.
I will explain why, as a recipient of the Smith College Vale
Grant, I decided to research the pre-1492 Jews in Catalonia,
specifically Barcelona and Girona."
Health, Violence
and Development in Southern Sudan
Presenter: Emma Ensign ‘10--internship
"My presentation will be focused
on my independent travel and work in southern Sudan this
past summer. I primarily worked on a public health project
under the auspices of the Catholic Diocese of Torit in Eastern
Equatoria, one of the eight states in southern Sudan."
Kiva.org Microfinance in Cameroon
Lucy Gent ‘09--fellowship
"I will present my Fellowship
with Kiva.org doing microfinance in Cameroon during Summer
2008 and talk about the innovative online platform that Kiva.org
has created to raise funds from individuals."
Working
for Change with some "considerations":
A summer internship in Kabul
Shaharzad Akbar ‘09--Praxis
"I did a Praxis internship
this past summer at the Asia Foundation projects in Afghanistan.
I will also briefly talk about NGOs in post-conflict Afghanistan
and people's view to them."
Helping
Women Help Themselves: Sex Work, Health and Development
in Mahajanga, Madagascar
Rachel Pryzby ‘09--study/research abroad
"During my semester abroad
in Madagascar with the School for International Training,
I conducted a month-long research project looking at access
to health care and development opportunities for sex workers. I
will introduce contextual information about my academic
program and the study site, and a discuss my methodology
and findings."
Delivering in the Dominican
Natalie Krumdieck ‘09--Praxis
"I will describe Proyecto
ADAMES, the non-profit organization that I volunteered
with over the summer of 2007 for my Praxis internship,
and my daily duties as a labor doula."
Addressing
the Needs of Gitana Rumana Women and Their Children in
the Streets of Córdoba, Spain
Shana Dooley ‘09--study/research abroad
"I will begin my presentation
with an explanation of the objectives outlined by the Association
for the Social Defense of Adolescents and Minors (ADSAM),
and the specific projects I worked on with them in Córdoba,
Spain for my Praxis internship and Vale Grant experience."
Mali: A Look at Childhood Health Issues and Health Education
Jillian Merica ‘09--study abroad
"I will talk about the different
cultures of Mali, providing background
information on the health concerns in the country."
Refugee Resettlement Policies in Switzerland
Melanie Jaskolka ‘09--JYA
"I will present an overview
of the current political climate in Switzerland. Specifically,
I will discuss the attitude towards immigrants and refugees
as well as a recent xenophobic political campaign, which
motivated me to study refugee resettlement in Switzerland
for my Blumberg Traveling Fellowship."
Vietnam Medical Project- International Medical Options
MyDzung Chu ‘09--summer internships
"Through photographs and
personal account, my presentation will be a journey of
my trip back to the Kien Giang, Vietnam this summer on
a medical mission trip with the Vietnam Medical Project."
The
Map is Not the Territory
Elizabeth Crews ‘09--study abroad
"I will introduce my presentation
by describing the concluding event of my summer study at
Trinity College, Oxford University as a participant in
the University of Massachusetts Amherst Oxford Summer Seminar
program."
Art, Ritual, and Representation: Tsam Dance in Mongolian
Culture
Mikaela Mroczynski ‘09--JYA
"Drawing from six months of
ethnographic research done in Mongolia, I will present about
the experiences that shifted how I thought about my work
as a scholar and a student."
My AllAfrica Experience
Laura Ingabire ‘09--Praxis
"AllAfrica, the oldest
online news source, disseminates news from countries all
over Africa. It is invaluable as
news source and as a tool to encourage sustainable development
and to change the image of Africa."
Climate Change in the Land of the 24-hour Sun: Svalbard
Research Experience for Undergraduates
Maya Wei-Haas ’09--fellowship
"I
will discuss the climate change research I conducted in Svalbard,
Norway, as a participant in the National Science Foundation’s
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program."
Art
is power: Young people’s mural painting in
Nicaragua
Olivia Levins Holden ‘09--Praxis
"I will give a brief history
and context of the organization FUNARTE and their role
in the community of Esteli, Nicaragua, including their
mission and their work teaching children and youth to express
knowledge of their rights through murals painted in public
spaces around the city."
Target:Hunger: Transforming
Mason Square One Ripe Peach at a Time
Kathleen Daly AC--internship
"My
2008 summer internship, sponsored by the Food Bank of Western
Massachusetts/Target:Hunger Springfield and funded by Praxis,
allowed me to address this issue concretely through my work
with the Concerned Citizens of Mason Square Farmers Market
in Springfield, Mass."
Students Redesigning the Automotive Industry: The Vehicle
Design Summit 2.0
Sari Field ‘09--study/research abroad
"As an engineering student,
I participated in the Vehicle Design Summit in 2007 and
2008, culminating last summer when our Smith team built
the first prototype in Torino, Italy. I
will talk about my personal growth, the value added to my
curriculum, and what I could bring to the project because
of my education at Smith."
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