Center for International Studies, Ohio University

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Center for International Studies, Ohio University

The Center for International Studies is committed to understanding the world in all its complexity to promote responsible development, peace, and justice.

The Center for International Studies at Ohio University is committed to understanding the world in all its complexity while utilizing curriculum, research, outreach and service to promote an educated, just and prosperous world. Central to the Center’s mission is the advancement of diversity among faculty and students, programs and academic activities. This page works to unite current stud

ents, alumni, faculty and staff as they learn and strive to promote responsible development, peace and justice in our complex world. As a degree-granting unit at Ohio University, the Center offers graduate and undergraduate academic programs and supports curriculum development with an international focus. Undergraduate students may complete a degree or certificate with concentration on a world region (Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America or Southeast Asia). Graduate students may also concentrate on one of three major world regions (Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia) or, they may select from either of two programs with an international thematic focus including Communication and Development Studies and International Development Studies.

09/09/2026

Still wondering what you want to do with your degree and how to figure it out? 🤔

Join us for this week’s CIS Thursday Forum and get an introduction to Ohio University Career Services while exploring strategies to discover your options, identify what interests you, and narrow down the possibilities that are right for you.

🎤 Caleb Beasecker, OU Career Services
📅 September 10 | ⏰ 3:30–5 p.m.
📍 Schoonover Center 145

Come learn how to move from “What can I do?” to “What do I want to do?” and start building a career path that fits you.

09/08/2026

Looking to gain hands-on international experience while building your professional skills? 🌍

Applications are now open for SISAL International Internships for Summer 2027!

Spend your summer working with partner organizations around the world in areas including human rights, environmental sustainability and policy, wildlife conservation, language education, cultural arts, and more.

💰 $2,500 in funding is available from SISAL for each selected student.

📅 International Internship Open House

Wednesday, September 9 | 5 p.m.
Baker University Center 239

Come meet the SISAL team, explore available opportunities, and get answers to your questions about eligibility, preparation, funding, and the application process.

⏰ Priority application deadline: October 15, 2026

👉 Learn more about internship opportunities, eligibility, and how to apply: https://www.ohio.edu/cas/international-studies-languages/international-internships

Start planning now and make an international internship part of your OHIO experience! 🌎💚

09/04/2026

We kicked off the semester with our Fall Welcome Reception yesterday evening! Great food, good conversations, and plenty of fun made for a wonderful evening with our SISAL community. 💙

We were especially excited to welcome 44 students from Chubu University in Japan who joined us for the celebration!

Thank you to Provost John McCarthy, Dean Matthew Ando, and Interim Dean Aimee Edmondson for joining us and sharing a few words as we begin a new academic year.

Here’s to a fantastic Fall 2026! 🎉

09/02/2026

Welcome back, Bobcats! 🌎

Join us for the School of International Studies and Languages Fall Welcome Reception!

Come for the food, stay for the community, and celebrate the start of a new semester with us. 💙

📅 September 3 | ⏰ 5–7 p.m.
📍 Behind Yamada International House

All are welcome! 🍽️✨

09/01/2026

Still figuring out what you want to do after graduation? You’re not alone. 👀

Join us for this week's CIS Thursday Forum and explore how your interests, strengths, values, and passions can guide you toward meaningful career possibilities.

🎤 Anna-Kaye Rowe, OU Career Services & CIS alumna
📅 Sept. 3 | ⏰ 3:30–5 p.m.
📍 Schoonover Center 145

Come explore new possibilities, rethink your path, and leave with actionable next steps!

08/24/2026

What a joyful way to welcome our newest graduate students to the School of International Studies and Languages! 🎉🌎

Last Tuesday was filled with new connections, warm welcomes, inspiring conversations with OHIO alumni, group photos, delicious food, and opportunities to learn more about each graduate program. 💙💚

We’re so excited to welcome this wonderful new cohort to the SISAL community and can’t wait to see all that you accomplish! Here’s to new beginnings, lifelong connections, and an amazing journey ahead! ✨🎓

08/13/2026

As part of a generous gift from the President's Circle Fund to support international experiential learning through the School of International Studies and Languages, Lily Waskiewicz, Political Science, participated in the South Africa: Law, Justice, and Transitions to Democracy program over the summer.

📷 Here is what Lily had to say about the experience:

"Our experience in South Africa was both eye-opening and life-changing. I can't even begin to express how inspiring it is to learn about the anti-apartheid movement and its leaders, who spent their lives and risked their safety to fight for the freedom of their people. It has motivated me to stay the course—despite the difficult days, despite the stress—and continue working toward a career in human rights. It reminded me that there is no greater honor than serving your fellow citizens by improving their quality of life and protecting their right to dignity, security, and equal opportunity."

💚🌎✈️🤍

08/07/2026

Meet Yousthoninsakd Rith, another one of the Summer Research Scholars at Ohio University. CIS hosted three students from Camtech University in Cambodia.

"This summer at Ohio University, I worked on a project about AI security, where I explored how to get an AI system to go past its built-in safety rules, using a competition on Kaggle. I tested different ways of giving instructions to see which ones could successfully make the AI perform restricted actions. This project introduced me to a field I had never explored before as well as giving me a great time getting to work and learning from Professor Chang Liu.

Outside of research, the program was an amazing experience overall. I met people from different backgrounds, joined both social and professional activities and tried new things like kayaking and zip lining. Some of my favorite moments were us bonding over the World Cup and creating art at Passion Works. It wasn’t just about the research, but it was also about the friendships and memories that made my summer truly special."

💚🌎🤍

07/31/2026

Today, we remember and celebrate our colleague and friend, Jill McKinney, whose kindness, dedication, and warmth touched generations of students, faculty, staff, and visitors at Ohio University's Center for International Studies.

For more than 30 years, Jill served as the trusted assistant to three department directors, helping shape a welcoming community for countless international students and scholars. She had a remarkable gift for making people feel at home—whether by introducing friends from around the world to an unforgettable American Halloween (often as her signature snaggle-toothed witch!) or by sharing stories from her month-long medical mission to Kenya, which reflected her adventurous spirit and deep commitment to serving others.

Jill's legacy lives on in the friendships she built, the lives she touched, and the joy she brought to our department every day. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

Our thoughts are with Jill's family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing her.

07/23/2026

📷 Emma Ellifritz participated in the School of International Studies and Languages (SISAL) International Internship Pilot Program this summer.

With the help of a generous gift to SISAL from the President's Circle Fund, Bobcats were able to travel to Malaysia, Cambodia, Argentina, Greece, South Africa, and Thailand! We are excited to share their experiences.

🌟 Emma had this to share about her internship:

"During the month of June, I was privileged to participate in an internship program in Rosario, Argentina, where I studied Spanish and learned how to teach English as a Foreign Language. With the help of SISAL, the Department of Modern Languages, and the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio University, I was able to attend and student-teach at the Colegio San Bartolomé and the ISPI San Bartolomé.

There, I met amazing teachers and translators in training, as well as experienced staff and educators who mentored me throughout my stay in Rosario. As a student at ISPI San Bartolomé, I was given the opportunity to audit classes in translation, didactics, linguistics, contrastive analysis, and teaching methodology in both English and Spanish. I also led a weekly English conversation hour where university students could practice their speaking skills in English while also learning more about daily life and culture in the United States."

🤍✈️🌎💚

Address

56 E Union Street
Athens, OH
45701

Telephone

+17405931840

Website

https://www.ohio.edu/global/cis/index.cfm

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