Graduate School and International Programs

Surrounded by the flags of more than 100 nations, students and scholars from 73 countries gathered in the Kansas Union Ballroom on Oct. 22 for food and festivities during the "World at KU" reception. KU's international community came to the fourth annual gathering designed to recognize approximately 1,800 international students and scholars at KU this year.

"The international community is a vital part of what makes KU a great university. It would be hard to overestimate the contributions of visiting scholars and faculty to research and teaching, and the presence of international students helps domestic students understand that the world is bigger than just this state or this country. This reception is an effort to show our appreciation for what these people mean to KU," said Joe Potts, director of international student and scholar services.

Chancellor Robert Hemenway presented the International Student Organization Service Award to the International Student Association. The Bangladesh Student Association received an honorable mention. In addition to socializing, participants from countries such as Russia, South Africa, Iran, Japan, and India savored international desserts donated by Lawrence restaurants, and entered a drawing for door prizes donated by KU businesses.

Gaston Araoz, a junior from Bolivia, has attended World at KU each year since he arrived on campus.

"I feel honored and proud to represent my country on campus, and it's amazing how the university has organized this event to thank all international students for choosing KU," Araoz said. "This year I had the immense privilege to receive the International Student Organization Service Award as a representative of the International Student Association. I was also impressed by the number of American students that attended the event. What I really like about this event is that it gives us the opportunity to meet other international students as well as Americans. It makes you realize that you are not alone on this huge campus.,"

KU's International Student and Scholar Services, Office of International Programs, and Applied English Center sponsored the reception.

Philosophy graduate students and married couple gaining teaching experience while living abroad

Chris and Delilah Caldwell can look forward to gaining teaching experience while living abroad this year. The philosophy graduate students and married couple are teaching in the Humanities and Western Civilization Program based in Paris and Florence.

"We're philosophy students who love the humanities. Paris and Florence are important centers of western thought. We know we'll learn a lot there," said Chris.

Both Caldwells are teaching European Culture and Society, 1945- Present--Chris in the fall, Delilah in the spring. In addition to teaching, they both will finish their dissertations, intending to return to KU late in the fall semester to defend.

"Chris and Delilah have each done distinguished academic work in philosophy. They have excelled at all levels and in all contexts - two of the best philosophy graduate students in the department's history," said Tony Genova, chair of the philosophy department.

Finishing their dissertations is not the couple's only goal this year. They also want to expand their teaching skills. They have been GTAs since 1996. Both Chris and Delilah have taught in the philosophy department and in the Western Civilization program. Delilah also has taught in the English department.

"This experience will broaden our ability to teach humanities and help us in our pursuit of careers in higher education as faculty members. We couldn't have taught this class at KU so now we get this incredible opportunity to teach a different class abroad. It's a great way to end our time at KU," Delilah said.

The class will have special meaning being taught in Europe, so the Caldwells have designed the course with sections on Italian thinkers while the juniors and seniors in the program are in Italy. While in Paris, the students will study Sartre.

"We'll get to take the students where the intellectuals were, the places that were important to them," Delilah said.

"We were concerned to design a course that would really introduce our students to the context in which they're living for the semester: contemporary Europe, and especially France and Italy. EURS 302 has also opened up an exciting new opportunity for HWC graduate instructors, preparing and teaching the new course and experiencing a semester in Europe," said Jim Woelfel, director of the Western Civilization program.

Chris' field is ethical theory, so the time in France and Italy will allow him to incorporate different views of ethics as well as to see different systems. His dissertation title is "Motivating Ethical Pluralism." Delilah is studying epistemology, and she hopes to attend a conference in Spain while she's in Europe. Her dissertation is "Language and the Objectivity of Values."

The Caldwells are teaching one of four coursescontained in the Western Civilization Program Abroad. Matt Stein, a longtime volunteer discussion leader, will be the faculty director in the fall, and Professor Caroline Jewers will lead the program in the spring.

This is the first extended time abroad for both Caldwells so they are looking forward to being immersed in French and Italian cultures, traveling, and seeing art and architecture.

For more information, visit the Graduate School and Office of International Programs websites.