Category: Events

MIIS events

Alumni Relations Launches New Alumni Website

Campus Invited to Open House

Alumni Relations is pleased to announce the launch of the new MIIS alumni website!
Check out the new site (some areas are still under construction) at http://alumni.miis.edu and please remember to pass the site address along to any alumni you may connect with over the summer.

To introduce the site to the campus community, please join us at the Kade Center’s TLC main area (2nd floor) on Wednesday, June 10th, from 3:30-5:00 p.m., for light refreshments and an overview of the site. It’s because of the hard work and effort of many staff that the site is complete, and we want to take a moment to thank these individuals for their support!

President Ramaswamy Goes Head-to-Head with David Letterman

One of the highlights of Commencement and Inauguration weekend was Sunder’s Top Ten list, which we share here:

The Top 10 reasons why I accepted the presidency at the Monterey Institute of International Studies

10. When I moved from Middlebury College to the Madras School of Economics in Madras, India, I was looking for another place that began with an “M”.
9.  The Board of Trustees offered free passes to the aquarium.
8.  I looove the smell of fog in the morning.
7.  No spring mud season – yeah !!
6.  Nobody says “no” to Clara Yu!
5.  I thought this was DLI…
4.  Monterey’s zip code 93940 is cooler and closer to 90210 than Middlebury’s 05753.
3.  I wanted to have a golf game.
2.  I wanted a real challenge, like being a college president during a historic economic meltdown.

And the number one reason for me to join the Monterey Institute…

1.    I always dreamed of one-upping Dave Letterman by having my Top 10 List translated into seven languages.

On a more serious academic note, Sunder’s remarks at the Inaugural Symposium are attached.

Staff Workshop on Diversity and Communication

Thanks to our connection with EdFund through the Financial Aid Office, we are able to offer a second staff development workshop entitled “Communicating In a Diverse World,” on Thursday, May 28th, from 1:30-3:30 pm in room B104 of the Morse Building.  In this engaging, two-hour workshop, you will take a fun and interactive look at how our understanding of diversity influences our communication.  Decode hidden assumptions, and learn the true impact of body language and stereotyping. Examine how you as a leader can help your team feel more comfortable with diversity, and establish a positive context for every interaction.

Here is some information on the workshop leader, Mark Gotsch:

Mark joined EdFund’s Professional Development training team in January 2004. Mark comes from a well-rounded public service background and has over 15 years experience as an instructor for community colleges, technical high schools, and has experience in program development and coordination. He has worked in radio and television and has appeared on Southern California cable TV news programs.  Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and a master’s of arts in Adult Education.

Please email Michael Ulibarri if you plan to attend.

Advancement Leads Off in “Running One MIIS” series

On May 5, Beth McDermott gave the first presentation in the “Running One MIIS” series of discussions on the impact of reorganization and integration. If you missed it, you can download her presentation.

Additional presentation will take place every other Tuesday at noon in the Board Room.  Please check here for a complete list of topics and dates.  Next up, on May 19: HR.

Korean Ministry Program Students Put On Mock Summit

On May 4-6, students enrolled in a special program with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea will put on a mock summit as a culmination of their year-long program. The program, which is designed to develop the English language skills required by diplomats, has involved participants in graduate-level and EAPP coursework along with classes set up through Custom Language Services that were tailored to their specific needs. EAPP students will act as members of the press in this simulation, which includes all the elements of diplomatic correspondence, protocol, and conflict resolution as the participants seek a negotiated resolution. The topic of this mock summit is the Six-Party Talks, with Korean Ministry students acting as officials from China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, North Korea, and the U.S. For details on the mock summit, please contact Lisa Donohoe at lisa.donohoe@miis.edu.

Commencement and Inauguration Plans Announced

Dear Members of the MIIS Community:

We are now just three weeks from one of the most exciting times of the year – commencement.  This event represents the culmination of years of work and study for hundreds of our students, and is a chance for family members and guests to celebrate with us this momentous time in our students’ lives.

This year’s spring commencement will include all of the customary celebrations – the garden party reception on Friday, May 15, the commencement ceremony itself on Saturday, May 16, and the commencement reception afterwards.  In addition, the commencement ceremony will include my formal inauguration as president of the Institute.

The decision to join the two events offers a wonderful opportunity to showcase the amazing work our students and faculty are doing both locally and around the globe for a wide audience encompassing the campus community, our Board of Trustees, and our friends and supporters.  The day before commencement, on May 15 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, we will convene an inaugural symposium titled “Being The Solution: Building Leadership From Monterey To Mumbai,” which will feature sessions and stations spotlighting a variety of student and faculty projects, accomplishments, and disciplines.  In that way, the symposium will provide rich context for family members and guests in particular to understand the scope and significance of our graduating students’ achievements.  All MIIS community members – students, family members and guests, alumni, faculty and staff — are invited to attend the symposium.

The schedule of events for May 15-16 is as follows:

Friday, May 15

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm   Inauguration Symposium – Irvine Auditorium
(Agenda attached)

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm   Graduation Garden Party –  Holland Center Courtyard

Saturday, May 16

1:00 pm – 3:30 pm   Commencement and Inauguration  – Colton Hall Lawn

3:30 pm – 5:30 pm   Commencement Reception – Samson Student Center

I look forward to sharing with you two days of celebration of the Institute, our important mission, and the students who are our reason for being here.

Best regards,
Sunder

Idea Fair

Please join us the afternoon of Thursday, April 16th for a poster session where participants in the latest pizza process will share their ideas with the larger MIIS community.

Ideas include:

  • Coopetition
  • Entrepreneurship Incubator
  • Reconnecting Alumni
  • The Feedback Loop
  • Rebranding of the MPA Program
  • OneMIIS in CS
  • MIIS Bookstore & Information Bar
  • Micro-solutions

Following the event, the community will be able to provide feedback to the groups to help them reshape and improve their ideas.

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2009
Time: 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Location: Holland Center
Croce’s Pizza Provided!

International Environmental Leaders Address Forest Conservation At MIIS

When: Saturday, April 25, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (reception following)

Where: Irvine Auditorium

Guest speakers including Dr. Dick Rice, chief economist of Conservation International; Chris LaFranchi, founder of Natural Equity; Stephan Schwartzman, the Director of the Tropical Forest Policy Program at Environmental Defense Fund; and Keegan Eisenstadt, CEO of ClearSky Climate Solutions LLC will participate in a series of panel discussions focused on the central role of forest conservation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Other conference themes will include biodiversity conservation, indigenous rights, carbon markets and climate change.

Running “One MIIS”

Following up on discussions at the community-wide retreats at the end of February, President Ramaswamy, Provost Sands, and the deans-designate who will assume office in June announced a series of task forces to ensure smooth implementation of a new, streamlined administrative model for the Institute.

The One MIIS Working Group is assigned the task of analyzing and making recommendations on organizational and infrastructural issues regarding

• the reorganization into two schools
• the transition to full integration with Middlebury in 2010

We plan to approach this task by holding Community Feedback Sessions on each of the following topics: Advancement, HR, Admissions, Communications, Student/Academic Info Systems, Technology, Physical and Financial Resources, and Maintenance of Accreditation. The administrator(s) responsible for each of these areas will prepare a draft report that analyzes current practices, raises unanswered questions, and outlines possible changes needed for a smooth rollout of the reorganization in Fall 2009, and for integration with Middlebury in June 2010. Each of these drafts will be the topic of a Community Feedback Session:

The schedule of Community Feedback Sessions is as follows:

May 5  –  Advancement
May 19  –  HR
June 2  –  Communications
June 16  –  Admissions
June 30  –  Maintenance of Accreditation
July 14  –  Technology
July 28  –  Physical and Financial Resources
August 11  –  Student/Academic Info Systems

(All sessions from 12:15 – 1:30, locations TBA.)

All members of the Institute community are invited to attend and participate in these sessions, providing feedback to improve the drafts before they are added to a master set of recommendations to be assembled by the middle of August. Since much of the work will be done during the summer, we will post all report drafts to the Reorganization website for comment by faculty and students who wish to participate virtually. We believe this process will not only produce better reorg implementation plans in all departments, but will also provide an opportunity for each of us to understand and appreciate the work of our colleagues in other departments, creating stronger bonds of collaboration across the Institute.

Questions?  Contact Amy McGill

MIIS Hosts Conference on Trade and the Environment

You are cordially invited to the Annual Trade Conference
TRADE AND THE ENVIRONMENT: The Value Proposition of Greening a Business

Keynote Speaker Ambassador Alan Wolff
“International Trade & Climate Change: Opportunities & Risks”

Panel Discussions covering (see descriptions below):
* The WTO & Global Environmental Policy
* Green Trends in Silicon Valley
* Greening Your Supply Chain
~
When: Friday, April 17 2009
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: Irvine Auditorium
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED BY April 10, 2009
www.miis.edu/tradeconference

“The Value Proposition of Greening a Business” is an interdisciplinary conference meant to engage the international business and MIIS academic communities in a conversation about international trade and the
environment. We will discuss the current economic and political implications of approaching business ventures from an environmentally conscious perspective. Recent trends to implement methods in sustainability, climate change, clean tech, green business, and corporate social responsibility at the international level will be the discussion buzzwords of the day.  This dynamic event aims to inform the MIIS
community and beyond of efforts being made to increase the visibility of the link between trade and environment issues. This event is co-sponsored by the International Trade and Commercial Diplomacy Club, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Net Impact Monterey Chapter, and the Monterey Bay International Trade Association.  Simultaneous interpretation will be delivered in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.

The WTO and Global Environmental Policy – This panel will address the current policy issues regarding international trade and the environment. Areas of discussion include: environmental standards, multilateral
agreements conflicting with the WTO, climate change and whether agricultural subsidies lead to sustainable agricultural production. Moderated by Nevin Rosaasen, MAITP

Green Trends in Silicon Valley – This panel will discuss how private, public, and non-profit organizations headquartered in the innovation hotbed of the U.S. are incorporating sustainability and corporate social
responsibility in their operations. Moderated by Elizabeth Rogers, MAIEP

Greening Your Supply Chain – This panel will discuss how businesses are addressing transparency and accountability measures within global and social-cultural standards when implementing socially responsible supply chains. Moderated by Clayton Snyder, MAIEP/MBA

HR Hosts Team Building Workshop

Thanks to our connection with EDFUND through the Financial Aid Office, we are able to offer a staff development workshop entitled “Building Teams for Your Future,” March 26, 1:30-3:30, CF 452.  This is a very timely offering, especially in light of the call that has just gone out for volunteers to form a Staff Advisory Team (deadline March 23).  The workshop will cover:

Defining teams
How teams benefit an organization
Being passionate about what we do
Defining the difference between teams and groups
Avoiding team mistakes
Developing team culture
Transforming your organization
Importance of attitude
Becoming multi-functional
Pulling it all together – building a bridge to success

Here is some information on the workshop leader:
Joel Kordis – Senior Professional Development Trainer, EDFUND

Beginning in 2001, Joel came to EDFUND with a well-rounded background in Financial Aid, Training, and Education and has over 20 years experience in both post-secondary and adult educational institutions. Academically, Joel holds degrees specializing in Leadership and Motivational Skills.  Some of the positions he has held include Academic Program Director, State Training Manager and Adjunct Assistant Professor. Joel is certified as a Facilitator for Development Dimensions International Learning Systems, and by the Bob Pike Group as a Master Trainer in Participant Centered Instruction.  While at EDFUND Joel has provided training events and graduation key note addresses to over 10,000 participants.

Unbook Club Update

The unbook club met at Maha’s restaurant on March 9th to discuss our latest concept/book, The Art of Possibility.  This book really struck a chord in the group and the conversations were lively and interesting.

The big idea of the book is to change your outlook to create opportunities.  The Zanders use stories to emphasize their concepts and illustrate that we can be the solution.  Concepts such as giving yourself or others an A, making a contribution, tell the we story, its all invented and living your passion are given life in this book along with ways in which you can incorporate them into your life.  One concept from the book, rule number six, made an impression.  What’s rule number six?  Don’t take yourself so seriously.  What are the other rules?  There are no other rules.

The unbook club group felt like they had only scratched the surface in analyzing this book and decided to keep reading it and discussing it at our next meeting, April 6th.  The group will be meeting in Kade at noon – everyone is welcome!

The Art of Possibility

Innovation Conversations – Every Tuesday at noon in Kade

Starting on March 17th, the pizza process will be hosting innovation conversations every Tuesday at noon in Kade 20 until the Idea Fair on April 16th.  The conversations will be an opportunity for pizza groups and innovators to develop their ideas with the help of some special guest participants.

Tuesday, March 17th – Lessons Learned from Last Year

Tuesday, March 24th – Project Logic/Start-up Tips

Tuesday, March 31st – Budgeting & Funding

Tuesday, April 7th – Branding & Marketing

Join us to learn more about how to shape the Institute and have a bit of fun while we’re doing it.  For more information and to RSVP, visit the Pizza Process Social Network or contact Lynn McDonald