Recent News

SIS Holds Its Third Global Briefing of the Year

The School of International Studies welcomed Steve Forbes for its third Global Briefing of the year Thursday, January 15th. This is the 22^nd Global Briefing that SIS has held since launching the series in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Mr. Forbes, Chairman and CEO of Forbes Inc., and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine, spoke to approximately 1000 students, faculty and other guests with his presentation “The Political Aftermath of the Economic Crisis: Exploring the Challenges that Lie Ahead for a New President.” In addition to the School of International Studies, event sponsors were the Spears School of Business, OSU President’s Speaker Series and the SGA Speakers Board. Mr. Forbes was also inducted as the 21^st member of the School’s Henry G. Bennett Distinguished Fellows Program. For more about Mr. Forbes’ resume, click here.

Mr. Forbes addresses the audience of 1000 students, faculty and special guests who came to hear his Global Briefing at the Wes Watkins Center.

SIS Grad Program Associate Director in UPAEP

On February 26, 2009, Dr. Stephen Miller visited UPAEP campus in Puebla, Mexico to give a lecture on Marketing Strategies. Dr. Miller is Associate Director of the School of International Studies Graduate Program and Professor Emeritus in Marketing. More than 400 undergraduate students and several faculty members of the marketing department attended his presentation.

Dr. Miller also had the opportunity to interact with UPAEP alumni and staff and encourage them to take part in the OSU/UPAEP activities.

UPAEP is a private university located in Puebla, Mexico with strong ties to OSU. UPAEP features a small, but growing Division of Agriculture. Programs in development include student practical training at OSU, faculty exchange programs, jointly taught courses and other in partnership between OSU and UPAEP.

Dr. Miller also had the opportunity to interact with UPAEP alumni and staff and encourage them to take part in the OSU/UPAEP activities.

OSU Exchange Students at UDLAP, Spring 2009

During the Spring of 2009, Three OSU students are at the UDLAP in Mexico on a reciprocal exchange program. Abbie Field (Accounting/Spanish), Brianna Jett (Ag Economics) and Katy Kenslow (Marketing/Spanish) have spent the last 3 months in Puebla, Mexico, two hours south of Mexico City.

Brianna Jett on her experience in Mexico: “Being a fourth year Agricultural Economics student I decided to take advantage of OSU's international programs and study abroad at the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico. I have now been here 11 weeks and am enjoying my experience greatly. UDLA has an excellent Spanish second language program, but I am learning not only the language, but also about the history and culture of the area. Studying abroad in Mexico has been an excellent experience, and I would encourage more OSU students to take part in it.”

Abbie Field (Accounting/Spanish), Brianna Jett (Ag Economics) and Katy Kenslow (Marketing/Spanish) have spent the last 3 months in Puebla, Mexico.

The School of International Studies hosts Kenya’s Moi University for Luncheon

On Tuesday, December 2nd, the School of International Studies welcomed representatives from MOI University for a luncheon to discuss cooperation with the university. OSU’s Spears School of Business arranged their week-long visit to OSU and various departments on campus.

Last year, OSU and Moi University signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the universities to develop an exchange relationship. For the MOU signing, representatives of Moi’s agricultural college visited. This year, representatives from its MBA program visited.

The School of International Studies serves as a resource to assist OSU’s academic units as they establish partnerships with international universities. These partnerships are a continuing international legacy that OSU president Henry G. Bennett began in 1950. At one time, the New York Times listed OSU as the most internationally involved university in the US.

Pictured (l-r) are Laura Tidenberg (SIS student from Kenya), Robert Dooley (Assoc Dean, Spears School of Business), Charles Lagat (Coord, MOI Exec MBA Program), Phyllis Likimani (Junior in Int’l Bus.), James Hromas (Director, IEO), Lucy Kairo (MBA Coord, E.Africa School of Aviation) and Fred Waweru (SIS Student from Kenya and new president of SIS’s SAGA student group).

Director of International Education & Outreach Honored with National Award

Dr. James G. Hromas, director of OSU’s International Education and Outreach (IE&O) Department has received the 2008 Great Plains UCEA John L. Christopher Outstanding Leadership Award. The purpose of the John L. Christopher Outstanding Leadership Award is to provide recognition for outstanding leadership in the UCEA – University Continuing Education Association – at the regional level as exhibited by participation in regional activities and programs. Dr. Hromas accepted his award at the regional UCEA conference, October 15th in Kansas City.

Dr. Hromas has been a driving force within OSU Outreach and a catalyst for change bringing OSU to regional, national and international recognition through his outreach and international efforts. He chairs the Outreach and International Advisory Councils for OSU-Stillwater and has served on the UCEA board of directors – one term from 1999 to 2001 and a current term that began in 2007 – and the International Sister Cities Board of Directors – currently as the Secretary of the Board. Prior to being the director of IE&O and the School of International Studies, Dr. Hromas was director of Business Extension in the Spears School at OSU for 21 years. In September 2008, he celebrated 40 years of service with OSU Outreach that began with his time as a graduate assistant in Business Extension. To read Dr. Hromas’s nomination letter, click here.

Dr. James Hromas