TheCISAChr nicle - Center for International Student Access

TheCISAChr nicle
February 20-March 4, 2012
IMPORTANT DATES
Feb. 1-29: Black History Month
Feb. 24: Last day to drop classes
(with tuition penalty)
**Your Student Success Advisors
have extended hours this week
to meet with you if you have any
concerns**
March 1-31: Women’s History
Month
March 1: ACCESS Program
Completion Application due (See
your UNIV 100 instructor for
more information)
March 8-10: Tentative dates for
Pearson Test of English (BRIDGE
students only)
March 10-18: Spring Break! (No
classes)
CISA took a bus full of students to go skiing on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Whitetail
Ski Resort in Pennsylvania. Many students on the trip were from countries that
rarely get snow and had never skied before, but luckily, everyone came back to
Mason in one piece! (See page 2 for more pictures!)
March 30: Mason-ELI English
Proficiency Exam (ACCESS
students only)
UPCOMING CISA & LCC EVENTS
Peer Educational Mentorship Program Information Session
Date: Sunday, February 26, 2012
*Refreshments will be served!*
Time: 6-7 p.m.
Location: Hampton Roads, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room
Come learn what it takes to become a Peer Educator for the Peer Educational Mentorship Program! Visit
http://cisa.gmu.edu/programs/peer-educator/ for more details about the benefits of participation.
LLC LLC Coffee Hour Series: Career Perspectives and Action
Date: Monday, February 27, 2012
*Refreshments will be served!*
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Location: Hampton Roads, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room
How do you make a career choice when there are hundreds of career choices out there and you don't really
know what you want to do yet? Developing a long-term perspective about your career requires
commitment, purpose and action! Come join the discussion on how to develop a long-term
perspective about your career goals.
Guest Facilitators:
 Elena Chiru, Career Counselor
 Anna Habib, CISA English Instructor
GETTING TO KNOW…
N’Zi Jacques Philippe Niamien
About the flag of Côte d’Ivoire:
The orange represents the color of
the land and the savannah, the white
is for peace, and the green is for the
hope of the country and also its
forests. The Côte d’Ivoire (also called
the Ivory Coast) became independent
from France on 7 August 1960. (The
flag is similar to the flag of Ireland,
except that the colors are reversed.)
Jacques Niamien, a native of the Côte d’Ivoire, came to Mason’s ELI a
little more than a year ago to improve his English proficiency. Since joining
the ACCESS Program, he says he enjoys the “rich, diverse experience of
getting to know people from different cultures… Being in the ACCESS
Program is like traveling every day without ever leaving your classroom,” he
said. For example, he was surprised to learn that people don’t kiss each other
on the cheek in China like they do in his home country. “The way people
greet each other can shed light on their culture,” he said.
Jacques has taken advantage of other opportunities to broaden his
horizons, as well; he was one of 22 students to go skiing this past weekend.
“It was my first time in snow because there’s no snow in my country…
I didn’t know how to control the speed,” he said. After an afternoon of
practicing, though, he was able to ski on his own. “The first time I took a
slope by myself, I felt really alive.”
After ACCESS, Jacques would like to major in biology and go to
medical school. “It’s not going to be easy, but that’s what I want for my life.”
“After leaving this program, I’m not going to be the same person,” he said.
The “Getting to know…” column will appear in each bi-weekly newsletter, featuring an ACCESS or BRIDGE student
from different countries represented this year by the Center for International Student Access. If you would like to
be featured, please email cisa@gmu.edu.
Graduate Student
Corner
Learn more about these graduate
events and more happening at
Mason: http://gradlife.onmason.com/
Feb 21-23:
Career Services Job and Internship Fair
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: JC Dewberry Hall
Feb 27:
Graduate Student Center Brown Bag
Lunch: Advice from the Experts on
conducting Thesis or Dissertation
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: JC Room 310
Mar. 5:
Vision Series Lecture:
“Why Creationism and Intelligent
Design Should Not Be Taught in the
Public Schools”
With James Trefil, Robinson Professor,
Physics
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Founders Hall (Arlington)
THINGS TO DO, SEE,
LEARN & ENJOY
FFF: FRIENDS, FOOD &
FILM
Date: February 23, 2012
Time: 2-4 p.m.
Location: Student Union
Building I, Room 1400
The Peer Empowerment
Program (PEP) will be showing
films every Thursday that
showcase various aspects of
African-American heritage life.
ACADEMIC SKILLS
WORKSHOPS
(All locations: Student Union
Building I, Room 3129)
Organizational Strategies
Date: February 23
Time: 1:30-2:45 p.m.
Exam Strategies
Date: February 24
Time: 10:30-11:45 a.m.
Time Management
Date: February 27
Time: 1:30-2:45 p.m.
Motivation & Goal Setting
Date: March 2
Time: 10:30-11:45 a.m.
CONCERT: SPRING
OPERA
Date: February 24, 2012
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Harris Theatre
Free tickets with Mason ID
ANNUAL MR. AND MRS.
BLACK GMU PAGEANT
Date: February 24, 2012
Time: 9 p.m.
Location: JC Dewberry Hall
Pageant will be followed by a
black-tie affair, the 2012 Black
Heritage Month Closing
Ceremony.
SOUL FOOD
Date: March 2
Time: 7 pm.
Location: JC Room C
A night of intercultural mix of
traditional African American
and Latin soul food and music.
MASON PLAYERS:
“THIS IS OUR YOUTH”
Date: March 1, 2, & 3
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Performing Arts
Building, Room 105
FREE MOVIE:
“IMMORTALS”
Date: March 2, 3, & 4
Time: Various
Location: Johnson Center
Cinema
BALLET FOLKLORICO
DE ANTIOQUIA,
COLUMBIA
Date: March 3
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Center for the Arts,
Concert Hall
Free tickets with Mason ID
ART EXHIBIT:
When The House Burns
Down: Deborah Lash
(Mason alumna)
Date: Until March 6
Times: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: JC, Gallery 123
The photography series follows
two children throughout the
summer in an empty world
devoid of people and
possessions, exploring the
texture of intimate
relationships.
FEATURED EVENTS
 DC TREASURES SERIES:
NEWSEUM + JAZZ NIGHT
Date: Friday, March 2
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Participants will meet in SUB I,
Patriots Lounge at 11:30 am.
Fee: $5.00 (snack & beverage will be
provided). Pay sign-up fee in OIPS
(SUB I, room 4300). Bring cash for
metro fare.
Questions? Email Birgit Debeerst at
bdebeers@gmu.edu
Sponsored by: The Office of International
Programs and Services
 INTERNATIONAL CAFE
Date: Wednesday, March 7
Time: Noon - 2:00 pm
Location: SUB I, Patriots Lounge
Immerse yourself in another culture
without leaving campus. Relax and
enjoy free teas, snacks and games
from around the world. If you would
like to help with this event, please
email Melissa Beard at
mbeard2@gmu.edu.
Sponsored by: University Life, The Peer
Empowerment Program and The Office of
International Programs and Services
 MONTICELLO DAY TRIP
Date: Friday, March 9
Time: 9:30 am - 7:00
pm. Participants will meet in front of
Finley building at 9:15 am. Bus will
leave sharply at 9:30 am.
Fee: $5.00 (snack & beverage will be
provided). Bring $2.00 for tips. Pay
sign-up fee in OIPS (SUB I, room
4300). Bring cash for snacks.
For more information about
Monticello, go to www.monticello.org
Sponsored by: University Life and The
Office of International Programs and Services