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.

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

Join the Turkish Language Table in the Global Hub to learn about Turkish language, culture, and community.

There will be four meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 8-9 pm:
- September 17
- October 1 - Board Game Night!
- October 15
- November 12

Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!

Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.

Food, games, prizes & information about German degrees and associated certificates (CWES, Central European, European Union), study abroad, pop music, and art in Germany.

Please join us on October 2nd at 3pm at Hillman Library (K. Leroy Irvis Room, Ground Floor) for the opening of the photo exhibition "Standing for Freedom: Portraits of Scientists in Exile". Meet the creator Professor Pascale Laborier and hear her talk about the project. The talk will explore both the conception of the exhibition and the broader context of academic exile: how the loss of academic freedom often signals democratic decline, and how hosting programs both preserve individual academic lives and sustain intellectual traditions under threat. Attendees will discover the photographic approach used in the exhibition, where each subject was invited to select personal and symbolic objects representing their home, host country, and research, lending depth and transparency to their stories. The presentation will reflect on the intersections of research, art, and advocacy in representing and supporting scholars at risk, underscoring the ongoing importance of international solidarity for academic freedom.

Want to study abroad this summer? You could be selected for a scholarship of $5,000+! Learn more about the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership (VIH Program) by stopping by this info session. Qualified students will be female-identifying, have a QPA of 3.0 and be a current sophomore or junior with no prior travel experience beyond Canada. Come by even if you are thinking about it for next year!

Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!

Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.

Are you interested in living and working abroad?
Have you been studying Japanese and looking to apply your skills after graduation?
Do you want to make an impact on the lives of young people?
Would you like to find out where the ultimate ramen shop is found?

If any of these questions apply to you, then please join the Asian Studies Center and JET Alumni group in Pittsburgh for an information session to learn more about the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. This hybrid Information Session will be in room 4130 Posvar Hall, on the 4th floor of W. Wesley Posvar Hall on October 2, 2025 starting at 6:00pm. Learn about the requirements of the JET Program and learn from your future-JET Program sempai with our JET Alumni Panel.

Join the Asian Studies Center in celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival! Also known as the Moon Festival, this harvest festival is an important celebration of Chinese culture. Learn more about the history of the Mid-Autumn Festival and enjoy some light refreshments!

Russian program students: Are you looking to practice Russian? Stop by the Global Hub on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 pm, starting on October 6 and ending December 10, to meet with Russian tutors and prepare for tests, get help with homework, and more.

In this seminar, Honghong Tinn will introduce her new, open access book Island Tinkerers: Innovation and Transformation in the Making of Taiwan’s Computing Industry (MIT Press, 2025). Tinn's book tells the critical history of how hobbyists and enthusiasts in Taiwan, including engineers, technologists, technocrats, computer users, and engineers-turned-entrepreneurs, helped transform the country with their hands-on engagement with computers. It was through their creative and ingenious tinkering with computers that they were able to gain a better understanding of the technology, opening the door to future manufacturing endeavors that now include Acer, Foxconn, Asus, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

Honghong Tinn is Assistant Professor in the Program in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She is also an affiliated historian at the Charles Babbage Institute. She received her Ph.D. in Science & Technology Studies from Cornell University. Her research interests are in the areas of the history of electronic digital computing, Cold War, econometrics, and science, technology, and medicine in East Asia. Her work on these topics has appeared in Technology and Culture, Osiris, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, and East Asian Science, Technology and Society. She is the author of Island Tinkerers: Innovation and Transformation in the Making of Taiwan’s Computing Industry (MIT Press, 2025). She was on the Executive Council of the Society for the History of Technology (2017-2019), chaired the Society’s Internationalization Committee (2013-2014) and the International Small Grants Committee (2017-2019), and is an elected member of the Nominating Committee (2023-2025).

Victoria Harms, Associate Teaching Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University and author of the book The Making of Dissidents: Hungary’s Democratic Opposition and Its Western Friends, 1973-1998 (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2024) in conversation with Gregor Thum, Associate Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh. Introduction by Kati R. Csoman, Director of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs.

Co-sponsors to list are: Hungarian Room Committee of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs, the History Department, World History Center, European Studies Center, Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies.

Where: 4130 Posvar Hall

When: 4pm - 5pm October 6th

What: Interview followed by a Q&A segment

Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!

Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.

Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!

German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.

**UPDATE: On Tuesday, December 2, Global Distinction Drop-In Hours will be from 12-1 pm due to another event in the afternoon.**

Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!

Tuesdays, 4-5pm
Braun Room (12th Floor), Cathedral of Learning

Come to chat, practice, meet others who are interested in Hungarian and Hungary! All levels are welcome.

For more info, contact Dr. Viktoria Batista (vib21@pitt.edu)

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

Join the Ukrainian Culture Club's meeting in the Global Hub to learn about Ukrainian opportunities here at Pitt -- Language, Culture, Advocacy, Community, and More!

Russian program students: Are you looking to practice Russian? Stop by the Global Hub on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 pm, starting on October 6 and ending December 10, to meet with Russian tutors and prepare for tests, get help with homework, and more.

As of September 2025, relations between China and Taiwan remain in a state of ‘managed tension’. China has reiterated the ‘One China’ principle, defining Taiwan as an ‘inseparable territory’, and has intensified military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan independence forces. Since September, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has continuously violated Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), employing ‘gray zone’ tactics. The pace of air incursions, exceeding 300 per month as of August, has been sustained into September.

Ph.D. CHO HYEON GYU is a retired colonel and is currently a professor and Dean of international affairs of Shinhan University, the head of the China Center of the Korea Defense Diplomatic Association, and a policy advisor to the Ministry of National Defense. He is a recipient of the Order of Merit for National Security. He served as a visiting professor at Fu Dan University in China. He majored in Chinese at the Korea Military Academy and the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, holds a master's degree in international politics and complete a doctorate at Renmin University of China. He earned a doctorate in international politics from Dankook University(Dissertation topic : “A Study on the China's Military Reform in the Xi Jin Ping Era”).

Want to study abroad this summer? You could be selected for a scholarship of $5,000+! Learn more about the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership (VIH Program) by stopping by this info session. Qualified students will be female-identifying, have a QPA of 3.0 and be a current sophomore or junior with no prior travel experience beyond Canada. Come by even if you are thinking about it for next year!

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

This webinar will concentrate on UNESCO-recommended methodological strategies of including topics on traditional cultural heritage of Eastern Europe and Eurasia into the curricula, for courses spanning from language, arts, and geography, to mathematics and physics. Educators will come away with resources and strategies for integrating these themes into a variety of classroom settings.

This webinar is the first in a six-part webinar series, The Arts of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, designed to support K-14 educators in bringing the vibrant and diverse artistic traditions of Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia into the classroom. Each 90-minute session will spotlight a different art form—including music, dance, literature, visual arts, cultural artifacts, and theater/film—offering both historical and cultural context as well as practical classroom strategies.

Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!

Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!

Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.

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.

Are you a first-year Dietrich student interested in studying abroad? Come by 810 William Pitt Union on 10/9 at 4pm to speak with Global Experiences staff about our Summer 2026 A&S First Year Global Programs, running in May 2026!

Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!

Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.

This paper deals broadly with a history of music, technology, and changing ideas of race and ethnicity in the twentieth century. It focuses on Leningrad, where researchers in 1935 at the Institute of Anthropology, Archaeology, and Ethnography conducted recording experiments involving Georgian folk singers. Using the work of Maxim Gorky, Romain Rolland, and the hugely inflectional linguist Nikolai Marr, it shows how Georgian music inspired and challenged leading theories of language, nationality, and cultural evolution at a pivotal moment in Soviet history. Part of the Socialist Studies Seminar series.

Don’t have a chance to travel during fall break?  Join us to experience hospitality of the cultures of Eastern Europe and its surrounding regions through food, music and educational information! This event will bring together Pitt student organizations & academic units, the Nationality & Heritage Room committees, and other community members to learn about and celebrate the rich East European cultural history of the Pittsburgh region.  The first 100 Pitt students with a Pitt ID can get a free treat from Jak’s Bakery and Steel City Chimneys! 

Co-Sponsors: NRIEP, Slavic Department, Summer Language Institute, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Montenegrin Program; Hungarian Language Program; Modern Greek Language Program; Polish Language Program; Russian Language Program; Slovak Language Program;  BCMS Club; Polish Culture Club; Russian Club; Slovak Club; Ukrainian Club; Pitt GEO; REEES; GOSECA

Nationality and Heritage Room Committees: Czechoslovak, Hungarian, Romanian, and Yugoslav

Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!

Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.

Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!

German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.

**UPDATE: On Tuesday, December 2, Global Distinction Drop-In Hours will be from 12-1 pm due to another event in the afternoon.**

Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!

Tuesdays, 4-5pm
Braun Room (12th Floor), Cathedral of Learning

Come to chat, practice, meet others who are interested in Hungarian and Hungary! All levels are welcome.

For more info, contact Dr. Viktoria Batista (vib21@pitt.edu)

Learn about what events and certificates CLAS offers! Join us for games and free food!

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

*** We are at Capacity for this tour. Please consider the other events scheduled on Oct 15 and Oct 16, 2025

Urban Farms Tour included in this tour are as follows:

Hilltop Urban Farm
Farm Girl Eb
Freeman Family Farm (Lunch will be provided)
Millvale Community Farm
Oasis Farm & Fishery

Displacement disrupts our understandings of borders, identity, and home. We invite you to a dynamic, faculty-led roundtable that explores the pressing and complex themes of displacement, territoriality, and belonging through a multidisciplinary lens. Drawing on the lived experiences of Palestinian and Syrian refugees in Jordan, this discussion will delve into how these realities challenge traditional frameworks and open new avenues for research and teaching.

Together, we’ll critically examine the varied roles and responsibilities of the Global North and South in addressing the ongoing refugee crisis. The roundtable will also spotlight a range of innovative research methodologies for engaging with transnational, interdisciplinary issues.

Faculty participants will receive a complimentary copy of Displacing Territory: Syrian and Palestinian Refugees in Jordan.

Register Here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqum4WVIt0eVH8PjsM9RYc0ztFJyMg...

Russian program students: Are you looking to practice Russian? Stop by the Global Hub on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 pm, starting on October 6 and ending December 10, to meet with Russian tutors and prepare for tests, get help with homework, and more.

This event is part of a two-day series focusing on sustainability in Europe and Pittsburgh.

About the Keynote Speaker:
Jesko Hirschfeld studied economics at the universities of Bonn, Frankfurt am Main, and the Free University of Berlin. From 1996 to 1998, he worked as a scientific staff member for the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), and from 1998 to 2002, he worked on his doctorate with a scholarship by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the Research Training Group “Agriculture and Environment” at the University of Göttingen. Since 2002, he has been a research associate and later subject area manager for water and land management at the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) in Berlin in the research field “Environmental Economics and Policy.” From 2017 to 2020, in addition to his work at the IÖW, he was a visiting professor for landscape economics at the Technical University of Berlin. From 2022 to 2024, he taught as a visiting professor of environmental economics at Humboldt University in Berlin. He has worked on numerous inter- and transdisciplinary projects on natural climate protection, nature-based adaptation to climate change, land and water use, and integrated coastal zone management, focusing primarily on economic aspects and ecological-economic assessments. In recent years, he has focused on urban ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces, parks, and gardens.

Join the Global Studies Center on Wednesday, October 15 from 6:00-7:30 PM ET in 4130 or via Zoom for a presentation by Dr. Karen Culcasi on her book, Displacing Territory: Syrian and Palestinian Refugees in Jordan. Curriculum strategies and resources for K-12 classroom use will also be shared. A limited number of books will be mailed to registrants in advance of the workshop.

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

Join the Turkish Language Table in the Global Hub to learn about Turkish language, culture, and community.

There will be four meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 8-9 pm:
- September 17
- October 1 - Board Game Night!
- October 15
- November 12

Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!

Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.

Final Event of this two-day event

Part I: Panel Discussion
Moderator: Randall Halle, European Studies Center
Panelists:
Dr. Patrick Shirey — Geology and Environmental Science, University of Pittsburgh
Lisa Freeman — Freeman and Family Farm
State Representative Emily Kinkead, PA House District 20, Chair of the Legislative Hunger Caucus
Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld — Humboldt University of Berlin

Part II: Breakout / Discussion Groups
Group A: Urban Farming Challenges and Opportunities
Group B: Climate resilience strategies in cities
Group C: Ensuring nutrition security for vulnerable populations

**Lunch will be provided

Want to study abroad this summer? You could be selected for a scholarship of $5,000+! Learn more about the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership (VIH Program) by stopping by this info session. Qualified students will be female-identifying, have a QPA of 3.0 and be a current sophomore or junior with no prior travel experience beyond Canada. Come by even if you are thinking about it for next year!

Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!

Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.

Interested in studying, researching, or teaching abroad? Join American Councils for International Education to learn about opportunities across Eurasia, East Asia, and beyond. Programs emphasize advanced language study, area expertise, and cultural immersion.

Opportunities for faculty and undergraduate & graduate students:
- Explore summer, semester, and year-long options
- Learn about fellowship, scholarship, and financial aid opportunities
- Connect programs to UCIS global and area studies

Discover how you can build language skills, expand research, and engage globally with the support of Pitt's University Center for International Studies and American Councils.

Stop by the Global Hub for a food workshop put on by the Vietnamese Student Association!

Three translations enter. One translation leaves.

City of Asylum is back with its third official Translation Slam! The slam is a thrilling phenomenon in which renowned translators compete to see who can produce the best translation from the same source material. The source material is provided to the translators in advance, but the true battle of wits begins on stage at the slam, when the translators present and defend their work under the scrutiny of the author, the emcee, and the audience.

The magic of the slam lies in the truth that literary translation is an art form—not an exact science. Interpretations of a singular text are plentiful, and no two translators will interact with a text in exactly the same way. In this program, City of Asylum Writer-in-Residence and University of Pittsburgh Research Scholar Volodymyr Rafeyenko has supplied a 600-word essay in Ukrainian, which has been shared with literary translators Mark Andryczyk (who has worked on several of Volodymyr’s literary projects), Dominique Hoffman, and Halyna Hryn (who will both take in Volodymyr’s work with fresh eyes).

These experts in Ukrainian-to-English translation will prepare their interpretations ahead of time and then go head-to-head live at the slam, revealing their respective translations to the audience and to Volodymyr. At this point, our translators will defend their work under the scrutiny of the author, the audience, and our moderator, Rania Mamoun.

Their defenses and discussion will cover differences in word choice, the influence of translation on reader interpretation, their translation process and reasoning, and what’s lost and gained in the art of translation.

The slam will be followed by an audience Q&A. English/Ukrainian live interpretation will be provided by Myloslava Zavhorodnia. The event is free to attend both in person and via livestream.

Behind the pop art icon Andy Warhol stood Julia Warhola (born Závacka), a resilient immigrant whose creativity found voice in art and songs. Far from being merely “the artist’s mother,” she embodied the hopes, memories, and identities of thousands of Slavic women who built new lives in challenging industrial conditions of Pittsburgh in the beginning of twentieth century.
The talk focuses on Julia Warhola’s artistic contributions, particularly in music. Her rare recordings of folk songs embody feelings of displacement and adaptation, linking personal experience with the broader Rusyn tradition. These songs continue to inspire contemporary artists in her rodny kraj – Carpathian Rus’, bridging cultural past and present. As Andy himself once said, his mother was “so-o-o interesting.” Recordings invites us to hear Julia Warhola in her own right: as an immigrant woman, a creative artist, and a cultural bridge across the Atlantic.

Ms. Jana Tomková is the Ruth Crawford Mitchell Fellow at the University of Pittsburgh in fall 2025. From Slovakia, Ms. Tomková is a doctoral student of Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Her research focuses on the cultural life of Carpatho-Rusyns in the Czech Republic, particularly involving music, and how it contributes to the shaping of ethnic identity. She is undertaking a comparative study of the activities of Carpatho-Rusyns in the USA, Canada, and the Czech Republic during her fellowship.

Sponsored by the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs. Co-Sponsored by the Music Department and by the Czechoslovak Room Committee

Russian program students: Are you looking to practice Russian? Stop by the Global Hub on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 pm, starting on October 6 and ending December 10, to meet with Russian tutors and prepare for tests, get help with homework, and more.

Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!

Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.

Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!

German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.

Both the United States and Germany have a long history of residential care for children, but in the last fifty years have taken different directions on policy and practice.
This lunch and learn will include global information, but will focus on how the workforce in both countries are prepared for children who require out-of-home care.

About the Speakers:

Mary Rauktis, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh

Singrid James, Dept. of Social Work and Social Welfare
University of Kassel
SIGRID JAMES, PhD, MSW is professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Welfare at the University of Kassel in Germany. She received her social work education in the United States (PhD University of Southern California, 2003; MSW UCLA, 1990) and was tenured at Loma Linda University, Department of Social Work and Social Ecology, in California, USA (2004-2016). She has completed a Fellowship in Dissemination and Implementation Research at Washington University (2010-12) and received multiple research grants in the US and in Europe. She also was the Editor-in-Chief for the peer­reviewed journal Residential Treatment/or Children and Youth (2015-2018) and was among the top 100 contributors to social work journal scholarship (Hodge & Turner, 2022). Dr. James has been writing and researching in the area of residential care for over two decades and is part of the International Workgroup on Therapeutic Residential Care. Presently, her projects are focused on cross-national comparisons of residential care.

**UPDATE: On Tuesday, December 2, Global Distinction Drop-In Hours will be from 12-1 pm due to another event in the afternoon.**

Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!

Tuesdays, 4-5pm
Braun Room (12th Floor), Cathedral of Learning

Come to chat, practice, meet others who are interested in Hungarian and Hungary! All levels are welcome.

For more info, contact Dr. Viktoria Batista (vib21@pitt.edu)

Open to undergraduates from ANY major with Spanish proficiency and an interest in Latin American culture.

Join us in Costa Rica for rich cross-cultural travel and a unique research opportunity!

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

Russian program students: Are you looking to practice Russian? Stop by the Global Hub on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 pm, starting on October 6 and ending December 10, to meet with Russian tutors and prepare for tests, get help with homework, and more.

The Global Appalachia Reading Group examines the complex intersections of regional identity, global influence, and environmental justice as they pertain to Appalachia and its connections to the wider world. The Fall 2026 theme is "Place."

Session 1 Book, September 17, 2025: Appalachia in Regional Context: Place Matters, edited by Dwight B. Billings and Ann E. Kingsolver
Session 2 Book, October 22, 2025: Affrilachia by Frank X. Walker
Session 3 Book, November 19, 2025: Making Our Future: Visionary Folklore and Everyday Culture in Appalachia  by Emily Hilliard

Copies of the books will be available for those planning to attend the event. Please stop by the Global Studies Center (4100 Posvar Hall) to pick up your copy. If you need the books shipped, that can be arranged.

Note: We are able to fund and distribute books to registrants as funding allows. Registration will remain open after this amount is reached. Registrants will be notified if we are unable to provide them with the reading material.

Want to study abroad this summer? You could be selected for a scholarship of $5,000+! Learn more about the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership (VIH Program) by stopping by this info session. Qualified students will be female-identifying, have a QPA of 3.0 and be a current sophomore or junior with no prior travel experience beyond Canada. Come by even if you are thinking about it for next year!

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

Community outreach event with international potluck dinner, cultural tables, events, and crafts to promote Africa and African studies for teachers, students and their families.

Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!

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.

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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.

Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!

Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.

This session will focus on some of the ways the students and programs are connecting with communities both here in Pittsburgh and abroad through global programs. An interactive panel discussion will highlight the global and local partnerships that have brought some of these programs to fruition. Hear from students and administrators on ways you can get involved through programming as well as how you can highlight your experiential learning for future career opportunities.

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!

Practice Hindi and play games with the Less-Commonly-Taught-Languages Center and students! No knowledge of Hindi required.

There will be three meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 5-6 pm:
- September 25
- October 23
- November 20

This powerful exhibition features 36 striking images that trace the remarkable journeys of eight European photographers who, facing Nazi persecution in the 1930s and ’40s, used their cameras as tools of escape, survival, and reinvention.

Curated by:
Deborah Dash Moore
Jonathan Freedman Distinguished University Professor of History & Judaic Studies, University of Michigan
Louis Kaplan
Professor of History and Theory of Photography and New Media, University of Toronto

Exhibition will be on view from August 20, 2025-Jan 30, 2026

This professional development workshop series is designed for K-12 educators seeking to deepen their understanding of global issues through literature. This year, we will explore the theme of “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, environmental issues, human rights, and human conditions. By exploring compelling stories from diverse cultural perspectives, educators will gain insights into the complexities of this theme, its impact on individuals and communities, and how to engage students in meaningful discussions around these topics.

Each session features a carefully selected book, paired with historically contextualized presentations, interactive discussions, teaching strategies, and cross-disciplinary activities to inspire classroom implementation.

Sessions this year will take place virtually on Thursday evenings from 6:00-7:30 p.m. (ET). Three Act 48 credit hours (for PA educators) and a copy of the book are provided for each session.

The October 23 workshop will focus on the book, "Ashes of Rose," by Mary Jane Auch.

For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS

Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!

Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.

Stand in Solidarity for Human Rights: Write to Political Prisoners in Russia. People should not be imprisoned for their opinions, but more than 1,000 people in Russia are.
The People for Free Russia Coalition is partnering with the Pitt Amnesty International and Amnesty International Group 39 to send letters of support to Russians and Ukrainians repressed for speaking out. All letters are translated and delivered electronically, and participants may even receive responses.

Enjoy tea and dessert while connecting with a community that values human rights and human dignity.

Open to undergraduates from ANY major with Spanish proficiency and an interest in Latin American culture.

Join us in Costa Rica for rich cross-cultural travel and a unique research opportunity!

Are you interested in learning more about Pitt's Summer 2026 study abroad opportunities? Stop by the William Pitt Union Ballroom on Friday, October 24th between 11am and 2pm to speak with Pitt Global Experiences staff, program faculty, and past student participants about your interests and options!

*This event is open to all students*

As humans rely more and more on electronic devices to support their everyday activities, there are ever present warnings about the impacts such reliance has on human autonomy ranging from who owns and controls information networks, the inequitable impact of technology consumption on peoples and places, varying accessibility of technology around the globe, and the promises and limitations of technology in improving human health.

In Fall 2025, the focus will be on the impact technology has on the future of schooling and work. This will include a discussion as to how technology can improve the efficiency and safety of the workforce through automation while also creating further divides between those who have educational access and those who do not. The effects of technology on education and the common language of the world, including how it impacts native languages and cultures, will also be discussed

As humans rely more and more on electronic devices to support their everyday activities, there are ever present warnings about the impacts such reliance has on human autonomy ranging from who owns and controls information networks, the inequitable impact of technology consumption on peoples and places, varying accessibility of technology around the globe, and the promises and limitations of technology in improving human health.

In Fall 2025, the focus will be on the impact technology has on the future of schooling and work. This will include a discussion as to how technology can improve the efficiency and safety of the workforce through automation while also creating further divides between those who have educational access and those who do not. The effects of technology on education and the common language of the world, including how it impacts native languages and cultures, will also be discussed

Hear the thoughts of the Ukrainian People from Ukraine and in the Diaspora. Collaboration with local artists.

Information and tickets @ https://kyivdance.org/my-thoughts-production

Ukrainian Marketplace Opens 2pm

As humans rely more and more on electronic devices to support their everyday activities, there are ever present warnings about the impacts such reliance has on human autonomy ranging from who owns and controls information networks, the inequitable impact of technology consumption on peoples and places, varying accessibility of technology around the globe, and the promises and limitations of technology in improving human health.

In Fall 2025, the focus will be on the impact technology has on the future of schooling and work. This will include a discussion as to how technology can improve the efficiency and safety of the workforce through automation while also creating further divides between those who have educational access and those who do not. The effects of technology on education and the common language of the world, including how it impacts native languages and cultures, will also be discussed

Russian program students: Are you looking to practice Russian? Stop by the Global Hub on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 pm, starting on October 6 and ending December 10, to meet with Russian tutors and prepare for tests, get help with homework, and more.

Joséphine Lechartre, post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Interamerican Policy and Research at Tulane University, about her dissertation, “Genocide and Cultural Change: Civilian Survival Strategies and the Reinvention of Political Culture During Guatemala’s Mayan Genocide". She is the recipient of the 2025 Gabriel A. Almond Award by the American Political Science Association (APSA) for the best dissertation in comparative politics.

This charla will be moderated by
Raúl Sánchez-Urribari

Would you like to learn more about Pitt Global Experiences' Magic & Witchcraft Summer 2026 program? Come by 810 William Pitt Union, meet faculty leaders and staff, and ask your questions!

Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!

Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.

Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!

German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.

Through experiential learning, high school students engage directly with global issues by assuming the role of world leaders and negotiating responses to timely topics.

Tuesdays, 4-5pm
Braun Room (12th Floor), Cathedral of Learning

Come to chat, practice, meet others who are interested in Hungarian and Hungary! All levels are welcome.

For more info, contact Dr. Viktoria Batista (vib21@pitt.edu)

Come hear about one of Pitt’s most unique study away programs! During this 10-day, 3-credit summer program, students volunteer alongside members of the Oglala Lakota tribe while learning about Native American history and current events, environmental sustainability, and indigenous rights.
Light refreshments provided. Email mnk7@pitt.edu for more information

Are you interested in Pitt Global Experiences' Children's Experience of War and Trauma (Pittsburgh/London) Summer 2026 program? Come by 810 William Pitt Union, meet faculty leaders and staff, and get your questions answered!

Come and learn about undergraduate and graduate students about their global learning experiences abroad in the summer!

The Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs 2025 Scholarship Awardee Poster Showcase will be held on Tuesday, October 28 from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Connolly Ballroom in Alumni Hall. Come join the undergraduate and graduate students to learn about their global learning experiences abroad in the summer.

The NRIEP Scholarship Program is nearly sixty years old and supports study abroad, internships, independent research and experiential learning for Pitt students around the world.

In-Person event

Location

Alumni Hall Connolly Ballroom

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

Russian program students: Are you looking to practice Russian? Stop by the Global Hub on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 pm, starting on October 6 and ending December 10, to meet with Russian tutors and prepare for tests, get help with homework, and more.

Join us to snack and chat! Learn about courses in Spring!

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

UPDATE: On September 10 and November 5, the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.

The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.

Join the Spanish Club for a celebration of the Day of the Dead with crafts and a presentation as we learn more about Mexican culture!

Ofrenda/Altar Display

October 28 – November 4, 2025

Global Hub

No need to register. Stop by any time between October 28th-November 4th to see the display.

Guest speaker: Dr. Dominique M. Brown, Teaching Assistant Professor, Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies Program

Dr. Brown will share her Fulbright experience in Senegal, exploring intergenerational and racialized trauma alongside intergenerational healing practices in the Senegalese context. This is a conversation you won't want to miss!

CLAS Day of the dead and saints day Celebrations!

¡DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS Y DÍA DE LOS SANTOS FESTIVITIES!

Ofrenda/Altar Display

October 28 – November 4, 2025

Global Hub

All are welcome to take part in this beautiful tradition!

Help us celebrate the lives of departed loved ones—family, friends, or pets—by adding photos, mementos, artificial flowers, or small ofrendas to the community altar. You’re also invited to paint a Monarch butterfly with their name to honor their memory. The Ofrenda/Altar will be lovingly created by Lisa DiGioia Nutini (Mexico Lindo), and Luz Amanda Hank (CLAS).

Workshops on Wednesday, October 30, 2025

2:00-3:00 p.m.

Learn about the Day of the Dead Celebration: Lisa DiGioia Nutini, Mexico Lindo and Dr. Manuel Roman-Lacayo, Deputy Director, LASA

3:15-4:15 p.m. Learn how to make Papel Picado

4:25-6:00 p.m. Paint your own Alebrije

This event is organized by the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS), and co-sponsored by the Global Hub, the Latin American Cultural Center (LACC), the Hispanic Latino Professionals Association (HLPA) and the Center for Ethnic Studies Research (CESR).

Are you interested in our Governance & Policy Summer 2026 program? Come by 810 William Pitt Union, meet faculty leaders and staff, and get your questions answered!

Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!

Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.

Join the Persian Table for a poetry night where students can come in and listen to different poems and bring their own poems!

The rigor to assess fact from fiction. The courage to connect across differences. The power of a good question over a hot take. How can we incorporate the core principles of journalism into the 21st century classroom? NPR's Emily Kwong (host of Short Wave and Inheriting) offers insights from her 15-year career in public media, and reflects upon how academic spaces are strongholds for the free press.

Emily Kwong (she/her) is an NPR audio journalist working at the crossroads of sociopolitical history, family memory, and science.

Since 2021, Emily has also been the co-host of Short Wave, NPR's flagship science show sharing new discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines. Short Wave met a crucial need for science-based information during the Coronavirus pandemic and won the 2021 Ambie Award for Best Knowledge, Science or Tech Podcast. She is also the host and co-creator of Inheriting, a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families. The first season won the 2025 Ambie Award for Best Society and Culture Podcast, the Silver Signal Award for Best History Podcast, and the 2025 RFK Journalism Award in Radio. Emily got her start as a youth media instructor at WNYC’s Radio Rookies and a daily reporter at the community radio station KCAW in Sitka, Alaska. For four years, she chased stories up fishing boats and onto volcanoes, broadcasting to an island community.