Last Month: Meet our Summer Interns, Board Member of the Month & International Delegation
Meet our Summer Interns!
Viviane recently joined the Council as our Global Exchange Intern. She will help coordinate the international professional exchange programs including the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Viviane is currently studying her master’s in political science at the University of Cincinnati. She is from Cote d’Ivoire and speaks fluent French. She has traveled to Senegal, Ghana, and France!
She is passionate about educating women in developing regions of the world. She volunteers at the Santa Maria Community Services, Inc. as an ESL teachers assistant.
Prateek recently joined the Council as our Global Programs Intern. He will help coordinate global education programs and the international professional exchange programs.
Prateek is currently a Junior at the University of Cincinnati where he is double majoring in International Affairs and Journalism and minoring in Communications and History. He is from Jaipur, India.
He has worked on a couple of documentary movies in India based on internally displaced people and he hopes to do work in the field of Immigration.
Matt recently joined the Council as our Global Exchange Intern for the summer semester of 2018. He will help coordinate the international professional exchange programs including the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Matt graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from Northern Kentucky University in 2015. While at NKU, Matt assisted the Office of Education Abroad and the International Students and Scholars Office with the arrival of all Korean exchange students. In addition to helping Korean exchange students, Matt was one of three presidents of the first NKU Korean Language and Culture Club where they introduced Korean Language and Culture to students through various media.
During his time at NKU, he also participated in two study abroad programs in Seoul, South Korea. Since then he has revisited Korea an additional 3 times and hopes to return soon.
Board Member of the Month | Oxana Prokhorova
Oxana grew up in Moscow, Russia and earned M.A. with Honors in Chinese Studies from Moscow State University. She also holds M.B.A. in International Business from Xavier University. She speaks, reads and writes Mandarin Chinese, English and Russian. She has been successfully working in International Trade and multi-cultural business consulting for almost 20 years.
As a Board Member of the World Affairs Council, Oxana brings a broad global perspective to our work as she sees the power in working together through educating our young people. Currently, Oxana serves as the Director of Global Engagement and Chair of the Honors Program at the University of Cincinnati.
Check out her latest blog | From Moscow to Russia Global Education Matters
World History Day at Oak Hills High School
On May 11 our Education and Development Coordinator, Ciarra Wooten and Board Chair, Rich Lauf visited Oak Hills High School for their World History Day.
Students examined various global hot topics and presented their research and offered solutions to these global issues. Topics included Women’s Rights, Global Warming, World Hunger, and Terrorism.
Rich spoke on the topic of refugee flows and how the first-hand stories he encountered at young age impacted his perspective on the world. He encouraged students to stay informed on global issues, keep an open mind, study foreign languages and get out in the world and travel.
Meet Bill Sena
Bill Sena, one of our newest Board Members stopped by our office the other day to chat and take us to lunch!
Bill is an active member of the Literary Club and a few small businesses. Bill is currently an investor in Tiger Muay Thai, the largest MMA training company in the world, located in Phuket. Since the early 1990’s he has invested in several Chinese companies and has visited China, as well as a number of other Asian countries, a dozen times over the past 20 – 25 years for both business and pleasure. He recently joined the board of directors to unravel his broad perspectives, as he speaks a little Italian, Spanish, and French, but no Chinese!
Bill Sena hosted our Ecuador delegates for a “Just Dinner!” Some of our staff joined as well, for a lovely evening of good food and conversation.
Indian Hill High School WON Third Place at National Competition
This year our local Indian Hill High School WON THIRD PLACE out of 45 teams at the 2018 Academic WorldQuest National Competition in Washington, DC.
We are so proud of these students! The competition was intense. They were tested on international relations, current events, and foreign policy issues.
The World Affairs Councils of America flagship youth education program is a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students. Academic World Quest tests players’ knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history, and world cultures.
World Leaders Visit Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky
In the month of May, the Council hosted one International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) with a total of 9 visitors from Ecuador.
Nine international delegates from Ecuador arrived late in the month to discuss Public Media in the U.S. During their time here, the delegates spoke with and took tours of many organizations in our local area. Thank you to Cincy Stories, DeanHouston, Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati Public Radio WVXU, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. They were able to enjoy a Cincinnati Red’s vs. Chicago Cubs game during their first day in Cincinnati!
Thank you to our Board Member, Bill Sena for hosting our delegates for dinner during their first evening in town.
A special thank you to our local hosts and volunteers, without you these memorable experiences couldn’t be possible. Your generosity in opening your homes to these international visitors will be fond memories of our area for years to come.
Our Upcoming Events
September 20 | Defining Leadership, Russia with Professor William Taubman, Bertrand Snell Professor of Political Science, Emeritus at Amherst College | SAVE THE DATE
Hosting Opportunities
July 11-18 | July 18-25 | Just Dinner Hosts Needed | Learn More
The World Affairs Council is working with the U.S. State Department to host students who have been selected for the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program with families in July.
The students will be participating in a program Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. As a host, you will spend time with them during the weeknights and weekends.
Upcoming International Events
June 14 | 5:30 – 7:30 PM | Stir! Multicultural Networking Reception | Learn More
June 23 | World Refugee Day Cup 2018 | Learn More
June 24 | Cincinnati Festival of Faiths | Learn More
