Global Perspectives Conversation Program

Mission

The Global Perspectives Conversation Program brings together UMB students and post-doctoral fellows to critically reflect on issues of global and local importance while exploring orientations to communication in facilitated interpersonal and interprofessional groups, deepening and expanding engagement across perspectives of professional, disciplinary, and individual identity. This collaboration responds to and participates in the ongoing development of justice and equity dimensions of the UMB Strategic Plan and supports dialogue guided by lived experience and intellectual inquiry.

Program Description

The program offers student and post-doctoral fellow participants a one-hour, facilitated weekly conversation to explore common interests; discuss concerns about U.S. academic and social life; and identify and deliberate matters of cultural, social, and political importance. Volunteer facilitators guide each group in understanding and practicing intercultural and interprofessional conversation norms; generating topics for conversation; and respecting differences and diverse identities represented by participants. Facilitators also identify and compose ongoing critical self-reflection in a shared blog, exploring and questioning the complexities of their roles and drawing from experience with participants and intercultural and interprofessional communication theory discussed in periodic training sessions with UMB Office of International Services and Writing Center staff.

*There is no academic credit for this program. This program is design to create space and time to practice intercultural skills while you make friends.

*Accepted facilitators who are students can apply the President’s Student Leadership Institute (PSLI) to receive credit (1 credit/per hour). For example, when you attend 1 hour facilitator training, you will gain 1 credit from our Global Perspective Conversation Program. For more information, contact Mio Kamijo at mkamijo@umaryland.edu.