April 28, 2009

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Communication workshops and screenings of the award-winning documentary "Lost Boys of Sudan" are among the events set for Intercultural Communication Week at Oregon State University, May 4-7.

The events aim to help the university and Corvallis communities prepare to welcome an increased number of international students in the next few years. INTO Oregon State University, a new initiative to increase international student enrollment, will recruit international students into a one-year "pathway" program that university officials estimate will enroll 500 to 650 participants annually within five years.

Janet Bennett, director of the Portland-based Intercultural Communication Institute, will offer a series of workshops Monday and Tuesday designed to enhance interactions with international students. The workshops will be tailored for teaching faculty, advisers, and customer service staff.

Three films will show on campus Wednesday and Thursday. All screenings will include a moderated discussion, and are free and open to the public. "Writing Across Borders," a documentary exploring how culture affects the writing experience of international students, begins at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, in the CH2M HILL Alumni Center, Room 114. An encore presentation begins at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 7, in the Memorial Union, Room 206. The OSU Center for Writing and Learning will host both screenings and lead the discussion.

"Lost Boys of Sudan," the award-winning 2003 documentary about the journey of teenage Sudanese refugees to the United States, shows at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, in the Kelley Engineering Center, Room 1001.

"In This World," a docudrama portraying the dangerous journey of Afghan refugees to Great Britain, begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, in the Kelley Engineering Center, Room 1001.

Intercultural Communication Week is sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs and International Programs. For the complete schedule of events, visit oregonstate.edu/international/icw.

Source:
Joe Hendricks, 541-737-6405
Susie Brubaker-Cole, 541-737-6164