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World Conversations: What will your story be?
February 20, 2009
PLU’s Wang Center for International Programs
The Wang Center for International Programs at Pacific Lutheran University was founded in 2002 due to the generosity and vision of Drs. Peter (’60) and Grace Wang, and their commitment to emphasizing the critical role education can play in building a more peaceful and equitable world. Their generous philanthropy has greatly advanced PLU’s vision to enhance its stature as a globally-focused university. In concert with the university’s mission of empowering students for ‘lives of thoughtful inquiry, leadership, service and care—for other people, for their communities and for the earth,’ the Wang Center is dedicated to preparing students to be global citizens who actively participate in ‘building a just, healthy, sustainable and peaceful world.’
The symposium “World Conversations,” first held in 2007, is one of the Wang Center’s activities that support and strengthen the university’s globally-focused academic programs and offer public education programming. World Conversations is designed to give students returning from study away—semester programs as well as short-term courses conducted each January—an opportunity to share with the campus community what they learned and experienced. Through a series of concurrent sessions, it is an opportunity for students to share with each other, and especially including those who did not go away, what they learned about crossing cultural borders and understanding other perspectives and global issues.
World Conversations is also an occasion, through keynote addresses, to hear from members of the PLU faculty who are involved in significant research projects overseas or who have had unique international experiences. They too have much to teach us about our world. Further, through the Closing Plenary, we are stimulated to think seriously about a contemporary issue, this year focusing on genocide in Eastern Congo.
Please visit the Wang Center website to learn more about future programs and review archived material on past symposia, J-term course blogs, and student photo contest winners: www.plu.edu/wangcenter.
The symposium “World Conversations,” first held in 2007, is one of the Wang Center’s activities that support and strengthen the university’s globally-focused academic programs and offer public education programming. World Conversations is designed to give students returning from study away—semester programs as well as short-term courses conducted each January—an opportunity to share with the campus community what they learned and experienced. Through a series of concurrent sessions, it is an opportunity for students to share with each other, and especially including those who did not go away, what they learned about crossing cultural borders and understanding other perspectives and global issues.
World Conversations is also an occasion, through keynote addresses, to hear from members of the PLU faculty who are involved in significant research projects overseas or who have had unique international experiences. They too have much to teach us about our world. Further, through the Closing Plenary, we are stimulated to think seriously about a contemporary issue, this year focusing on genocide in Eastern Congo.
Please visit the Wang Center website to learn more about future programs and review archived material on past symposia, J-term course blogs, and student photo contest winners: www.plu.edu/wangcenter.