Program Updates
Mahmoud Mohammadi Khomeini leads Informal Sessions on English Language
In January 20th, Mahmoud Mohammadi Khomeini of Iran began the first of a new series of sessions on English grammar, pronunciation, and other topics for members of the 2016–2017 cohort. Mahmoud a teacher trainer, curriculum coordinator, administrator, and marketing specialist at the Sokhane Ashna Language School, one of the most highly regarded private foreign-language academies in Iran.
It was a nice example of Fellows supporting one another to achieve their goals for the Fellowship year.
Welcome Back Luncheon 2017
On Friday, January 20th, Fellows and coordinators gathered at Bertucci's Pizzeria in Kenmore Square to mark the beginning of the Spring Term with a festive lunch. We were particularly happy to meet Josiane's son Julio and Edward's wife Tani and their toddler daughter Norah, who were visiting during the Winter Recess.
It was a warm and friendly, and tasty start to the second half of the Fellowship Year.
Fall Seminar Concludes with Festive Luncheon
On Friday, December 9th, the cohort and coordinators gathered for a final set of leadership development activities and a closing luncheon in the concluding session of fall semester seminar program. HHHP Director and Questrom Associate Professor Dr. Jack McCarthy led the Fellows in a series of reflections focused on past successes, present joys, and future hopes, and then we all enjoyed a wonderful meal of Turkish and Middle Eastern food—with lovely background music provided by Sevgim Çisel Çelik Keskin, our resident Fellow from Turkey!
Fellows Watch Men’s Ice Hockey Game from Pepsi Student Suite at Agganis Arena
On Saturday, December 3, BU alumnus and retiring Bank of America Senior Vice President Al Petras teamed up with Assistant Dean of Students Daryl DeLuca, Dean of Students Chief of Staff Dan Solworth, and others to provide this year's Humphrey Fellows with an extra special treat: fine dining in the elegantly appointed Francis D. Burke Club Room at Agganis Arena followed by the opportunity to watch the men's ice hockey team take on Providence College from the Pepsi Student Suite—the best seats in the whole arena.
BU has one of the most storied teams in NCAA Division I hockey, playing its first game in 1918, winning five national championships, and making twenty-two appearances in the Frozen Four.
This epic evening began with a meal that none of us will soon forget. It included an antipasto, assorted cured meats and cheeses, mixed olives, marinated artichoke hearts, grilled vegetables, panzanella salad, roasted salmon in cioppino sauce, tricolored tortellini in garlic alfredo sauce with grilled chicken, parmesan cheese, sautéed peas, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil, roasted broccolini, and long grain rice. After the game, coffee and tea were served along with assorted cannoli, artisanal Italian cookies, and fruit salad. In the suite the Fellows, were also treated to a wide assortment of appetizers, pizza, savory snacks, and Pepsi beverages.
The game itself was a nail-biter that ended in a tie score of 2-2. Some of our Fellows had never seen an ice hockey game, and the view we enjoyed from the Student Suite was truly one for the ages.
In addition, throughout the game Al Petras continued to introduce us to some of the most distinguished members of the BU ice hockey community.
We were particularly honored to meet former head coach Jack Parker—after whom the rink itself is named. Parker started his career at BU as a player (class of 1968) and eventually served as head coach for 40 years. With an overall coaching record of 897–472–115, he is one of just three college hockey coaches to win over 800 games, and he tops the list of most wins at a single institution.
The honors didn't end there. After the first period ended, we were all stunned by the visage of us on the jumbo-tron as the arena celebrated BU for being the only university to have hosted Humphrey Fellows since the Program's inception in 1978 and the fact that this year's cohort will take the total number of BU Humphrey Program alumni over the 500 mark.
It was an unforgettable night of quick and deep immersion into the culture of ice hockey—the most popular sport at BU.
BU Fellows Make First Visit to Boston Public Schools
On Friday, December 2nd, the 2016 cohort met with several officials at the headquarters of Boston Public Schools, the oldest public school system in the country.
Boston Public Schools (BPS) serves over 50,000 students—nearly half of whom are non-native English speakers—with an annual budget that exceeds $1 billion. The ways in which BPS handles English and global education, the allocation and management of such a large budget, and diversity issues such as gender equality make it an organization of universal interest to our Fellows specializing in banking & finance, education, and public policy.
Director of Global Education Brittany Wheaton Calloway, our host, presented an overview of BPS—its several different types of schools, the diversity of the BPS student body, and other introductory information. She also described the major initiatives in global education that her office oversees. Labada Mini of Mauritania, an English-language instructor who intends to shift into school administration and educational policy following the end of his Fellowship year, is currently pursuing a professional affiliation at BPS under Ms. Wheaton Calloway's guidance.
Senior Equity Manager Steven Chen then described the ways in which his office works to maintain BPS as an educational and working environment unimpeded by bias or discrimination, where individuals of all backgrounds and experiences are welcomed, included, encouraged, and supported to succeed and flourish.
Finally, Senior Financial Analyst Yvonne McCrae presented on how her office ensures that BPS's billion-dollar budget is equitably managed to yield the best results for all BPS students. BPS offers schools more autonomy around budgeting and hiring than any another large school district in the country; parents, students, school leaders, and teachers all contribute to the long-term goals for each school.
Following these presentations, Fellows and the presenters engaged in penetrating discussions about equity and finance at BPS. It was truly an exciting visit. Plans are already underway for individual followup visits and possibly a group school tour next semester.
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Welcomes Humphrey Fellows
On Monday, November 28th, we enjoyed a site visit at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, hosted by longtime supporters of the BU Humphrey Program Jeffrey C. Fuhrer, Executive Vice President and Senior Policy Advisor, and Albert Barnor, Community Development Manager. Mr. Fuhrer gave a broad overview of that the Fed does and then took a variety of questions ranging from how the Fed coped with the financial crisis of 2008 to thoughts on the future under the incoming Trump Administration.
This site visit was a singular highlight of the fall semester, especially for our Fellows who specialize in banking and finance—three of whom work for the reserve banks of their respective countries.
McCarthy Delivers Fourth Lecture on Leadership Development
On November 21st and 28th, HHHP Director Jack McCarthy gave his fourth lecture on leadership development for BU Fellows.
Prof. McCarthy emphasized the importance of "being clear on what's important, even when it's not popular" and cited examples of for-profit entities that have succeeded through acting on their principles and socially responsible mission statements, such as the following:
- Johnson & Johnson—and the leadership of James E. Burke during the Tylenol poisoning tragedy of 1982
- Steve Hacket, CEO of Steelcase and fire-retardant material in Steelcase's surface panel product line that helped save lives during the 9/11 terrorist attacks
- Alice Min Soo Chun, Co-Founder and CEO of Solight Design and the inventor of the SolarPuff
Prof. McCarty concluded the lecture with a broad outline of what successful leaders do:
- Craft a shared vision
- Shape culture
- Drive change
BU Humphrey Fellows Host International Symposium on Gender Equity & Inclusion during IEW at Questrom
On Friday, November 18th, the BU Humphrey Fellowship Program hosted an International Symposium on Gender Equity & Inclusion entitled Women in the Workforce: Perspectives of Emerging Global Leaders as a capstone event of International Education Week at BU. The symposium was held at the Questrom School of Business and showcased the global reach, leadership, and commitment to social justice of our Humphrey Fellows in concert with Questrom’s mission to enhance and increase value for the world. The event was organized by HHHP Assistant Director Cyrus Konstantinakos and moderated by HHHP Director and Questrom Associate Professor Dr. Jack McCarthy.
Each Fellows in our 2016–2017 cohort introduced specific challenges and opportunities for gender equality and women’s labor force participation in her or his respective country, as outlined below:
- Women in the Workforce in Bolivia
Valeria Rios Molina - Supporting Women Entrepreneurs to Access Credit in Cameroon
Josiane Sylvie Mbakop Noukeu - Women’s Participation in Politics in Fiji
LatuSera Kaukilakeba - Mauritanian Women: Progress and Challenges
Labada Mini - Women’s Economic Empowerment in Laos: Rural and Urban Dimensions
Pakaiphone Syphoxay - Women’s Economic Participation and Empowerment in Pakistan
Zamir Khan - Importance of Maritime Transportation in the Economy of Panama and the Pioneering Work of One Woman
Beatriz Gonzalez - Women's Labour Force Participation and the Feminist Movement in Turkey
Sevgim Çisel Çelik Keskin - Strides Toward the Gender Agenda in Zambia
Edward Kapili
The symposium concluded with a vibrant discussion about the challenges and opportunities of achieving gender equality in workforces worldwide. We were honored by the presence of stakeholders in the discussion about gender equality across the BU community including Diane Flynn, Director of National & International Scholarships, Amanda Miller, Managing Director of Strategy & Communications in the Office of Global Programs, Emily Sutliff, Senior Manager for Communications in the Office of Global Programs, Stephanie Watts, Associate Professor of Information Systems at the Questrom School of Business, Clarissa Kuo, Vice President of the gender equality-focused student organization Eye2Eye, and Catherine Chen, Executive Vice President of herNetwork, a BU student organization focused on women in business.
International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education designed to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.
President & CEO of National Peace Corps Association Glenn Blumhorst Visits BU HHHP
On Thursday, November 17th, President & CEO of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) Glenn Blumhorst visited our offices to meet with Fellows, describe the Peace Corps and NPCA, and explore opportunities for Humphrey Fellows to connect with NPCA's vast global network of alumni and supporters.
This was the second meeting in two months, as Fellows had met with Mr. Blumhorst in Washington, DC following the conclusion of the Humphrey Program's Global Leadership Forum.
It was Hubert Humphrey who conceived the Peace Corps and urged President Kennedy to sign the order that brought it to life. Speaking on television with Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt, Humphrey summarized his vision for the Peace Corps as follows:
“I think this will have a very healthy impact upon our political understanding of the world in which we live. We Americans are prone to read a pamphlet, or a headline, or an editorial about so-called “emerging nations” or “underdeveloped nations”—and this streak of compassion in you says, “Do something about it”; or somebody else says, “That’s not my business.” So we treat it superficially. But when you have a substantial number of young people that are really living with their neighbors in other parts of the world—not living above them, not living removed from them—but part of a family, so to speak—and right down at the basic, fundamental parts of community life, you are going to have an understanding of the world in which we live.
This is not a part of the Cold War; this is a part of the warm heart and the open mind.”
Humphrey Fellows become leaders in the countries where PCVs serve, but PCVs and Humphrey Fellows are largely unaware of one another.
Mr. Blumhorst proposed one easy way to start building connections: membership in the NPCA is free and open to anyone. Moreover, the NPCA has numerous subgroups of members dedicated to activities within individual countries, and so Humphrey Fellows can easily connect with people who have a vested interested in their respective countries.
We are grateful to Mr. Blumhorst for making the time to speak with us and look forward to continuing our communication.
Professor Emeritus Vivian Johnson gives 25th Consecutive Presentation to Fellows
On Monday, November 14th, Professor Emeritus of Education Vivian Johnson presented to the Fellows on "Education and Gender Equity in the U.S." in what was the 25th consecutive presentation that she has given to Humphrey Fellows at BU. Professor Johnson traced the history of gender issues and achievements in education back to the earliest European settlers in the U.S.—who lived not far from what is now BU's Charles River Campus, where she was presenting to us.
Professor Johnson wove many several milestones in her own life and career into her remarks, sharing with us private family photos in what turned out to be an intensely personal and illuminating presentation. She also described her most recent book, Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships, which has been translated into multiple languages and sold nearly 100,000 copies.
We are grateful for Professor John's long contribution to the Humphrey Program and look forward to her 26th year with us!