Past Events
- 4130 Posvar Hall
- 4th Floor Posvar Hall
Join us in Posvar Hall for a one-of-a-kind block party, hosted by the centers on the fourth floor! Connect and learn about student clubs, organizations and discover new spaces to hang out between classes to support your academic journey, all with live music and free food! This interactive event offers the perfect opportunity to explore how our Centers can elevate your college experience and boost your success. Come and go, before, after or between classes during this three-hour block of fun!
- Thatiellen Ribeiro and Ruth Jimenez
- 4130 Posvar Hall
Thatiellen holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language from UFT (Federal university of Tocantins) and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Applied Linguistics at UnB (University of Brasília). She has extensive experience teaching second languages, including Portuguese as an additional language for Indigenous communities and non-Brazilian learners. Thatiellen has also worked with minority communities in Brazil, teaching English to young Black, Brown, and Indigenous students. She is currently serving as a Portuguese FLTA through the Fulbright Program at the University of Pittsburgh. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ruth Jimenez Nina is a Quechua linguist, researcher and a quechua activist from Bolivia. She holds a Master's in Indoamerican Linguistics from CIESAS México and studied Applied Linguistics to Language Teaching at San Simon University, where she has also taught since 2023. She has been a member of the Indigenous Research Center Taki Unquy in Cochabamba since 2019. Her work centers on sociolinguistics, language acquisition and teaching and anthropological linguistics. She has published academic and opinion papers in Bolivia and México. In 2020 she was the recipient of the French Institute of Andean Studies' Young Researcher Support Grant to study Bolivian quechua evidentiality. She also contributed as a linguist to the Simi Project (the first Bolivian Quechua App launched in 2024). She is currently a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant for the Quechua Program at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Susan Ngbabare
- Lincoln Elementary School, 2 Ralston Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15216
- 4130 Posvar Hall
- Alvaro Bernal
- Zoom
- Dr. Álvaro A. Bernal
- Zoom
Dr. Álvaro A. Bernal is a professor in the Foreign Language Department at UPJ, where he has served as a faculty member since 2006. He holds a PhD in Spanish from the University of Iowa, a Master’s degree in English Literature from Governors State University, a Master’s degree in Latin American Literature from the University of Northern Iowa, and a Master’s degree in Creative Writing in Spanish from Universidad Internacional de la Rioja, Spain. Dr. Bernal is the author of two theoretical books on Bogotá: · Percepciones e imágenes de Bogotá: Expresiones literarias urbanas (2010; second edition 2018) · Bogotá: Realidades, delirios y ficciones (2016) He has also published over 20 refereed articles focusing on Latin American literature and culture. Beyond his scholarly work, Dr. Bernal is passionate about fostering a global perspective among his students. He actively encourages participation in study abroad programs and engagement with the Spanish Club to deepen students’ understanding and appreciation of Hispanic language and culture.
- Loretta Fernández and Erika Abarca Millán
- 4130 Posvar Hall
Loretta Fernández holds a PhD in Language, Literacy, and Culture and is Associate Professor of Practice in World and Heritage Language Education in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Leading at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on world and language pedagogy, identity, and justice and equity in education. Her research interests include sociocultural theory, cognitive linguistics, systemic functional linguistics, multimodalities, Latinx student’s identity development, and qualitative research methods. Her work has been published in academic journals and volumes and presented in international and national conferences. She is currently the managing editor of Contingencies: A Journal of Global Pedagogy. Email: lof7@pitt.edu. She is also one of the Editors of the book Conceptual metaphor theory in world language education. Erika Abarca Millán is an educator and researcher with a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Pittsburgh. Her work focuses on critical discourse studies, equitable access to higher education, and teacher and student identity. With over 15 years of experience teaching English and Spanish in Chile and the U.S., she is currently a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Spanish and Portuguese. She also holds research positions as a Senior Research Associate at NYU’s Metro Center and as an Associate Researcher at the University of Chile’s Center for Advanced Research in Education.
- Ground Floor, Posvar Hall
- Various locations in Posvar
The University of Pittsburgh’s Continental Connection: Africa and the African Diaspora Research Conference and Celebration will be a dynamic gathering that brings together faculty and students from across the University—including the Department of Africana Studies, Center for African Studies, Center for Ethnic Studies, Center on Race and Social Problems, Center for Health Equity, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Social Work. Experience the power of connection as faculty and students share their research through captivating presentations and hands-on interactive poster sessions on September 18. This conference creates a vibrant space where scholarship transcends geographical boundaries, sparking meaningful collaborations and amplifying the vital voices and contributions of African and diaspora communities worldwide. Planned events will continue on September 19-20 with the Celebrate Africa & African Diaspora Festival hosted by the Center for African Studies.
- Dr. Vito Ruggiero
- 4130 Posvar Hall and Zoom
Vito Ruggiero is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellow at Ca' Foscari University in Venice. He is currently working on a European Commission-funded project entitled: "Drug Trafficking and Politics: Structuring and Adaptation of Organized Crime in Bolivia's Last Authoritarian Decade (1971–1982). He is the author of the book The Anti-Communist Dream: Italian Neo-Fascists in Latin America (Roma Tre University Press, 2023).
- Center for African Studies
- Posvar Patio African Festival
The Celebrate Africa Festival brings students, faculty, and staff together with the vibrant African diaspora community in Pittsburgh. There is food, song & dance, artisans, children's activities, and more! It is a wonderful opportunity to engage with the diversity of Africa and the Pittsburgh community, as well as network with local African organizations and businesses.
- Molly McSweeney
- Global Hub
Join us for a panel discussion to hear how experiential learning can help prepare you for a rapidly evolving workforce and equip you with critical skillsets to be an engaged global citizen ready to make a positive impact in the local community. Hear from professionals with a wealth of experience in career development, service learning, and global engagement, as well as from Pitt students themselves who have navigated these transformative experiences and are excited to share their stories with you, too. A networking opportunity will follow the panel discussion. Light refreshments will be served.
This event is part of the UCIS International Career Toolkit Series, and Pitt undergraduate students can earn Global Distinction credit for attending.
Panelists:
- Brandon Blache-Cohen, Executive Director of AllPeopleBeHappy (formerly Amizade)
- Katie Boyes, Undergraduate student, B.A. in Environmental Studies, Minor in Secondary Education, certificates in Global Studies & African Studies
- Rianne Elsadig, Masters student, MID in International Development, Social Policy concentration, certificates in Global Studies & African Studies
- Marie Newkirk, Assistant Director for Experiential Learning, Pitt Career Center
- Rachel Vandevort, Program Manager, Pitt Global Experiences Office
Moderator:
- Molly McSweeney, Assistant Director for Student and Community Engagement, Global Hub, University Center for International Studies
Co-Sponsors:
- University Center for International Studies
- Pitt Global Hub
- Pitt Global Experiences
- Pitt Career Center
- AllPeopleBeHappy
- David C. Frederick Honors College
- Office of PittServes
- Office of Engagement and Community Affairs
- Angelina Eger
- Global Hub
- Charity Randall Theatre
The University Center for International Studies cordially invites students graduating in Spring and Summer 2025 to celebrate their academic achievements and receive their credentials at the University Center for International Studies’ Graduation Ceremony in the Charity Randall Theater followed by a reception in the Schenley Plaza Tent. Graduating students should look for their personal email invitations from the University Center for International Studies to RSVP and contact their UCIS academic advisor with any questions about the event. For additional details, please contact Laura Daversa at Laura.Daversa@pitt.edu Reception to follow the ceremony at 2:30pm in the Schenley Plaza Tent.
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