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Posted: 2/19/20

TAMIU ‘Reading the Globe’ Students Award $5000 in ‘Glocal’ Donations to Charities

 

Reading the Globe logo
 

Student advocates in Texas A&M International University’s internationally recognized  “Reading The Globe” program have identified two charities to be recipients of “glocal”  award donations totaling $5000. 

 Dr. Conchita Hickey, TAMIU Dean Emerita and senior lecturer, said the students wanted to provide award donations that would have both global and local impact. 

“ ‘Reading the Globe’ is a cornerstone program at the University.  For the 12 years since its inception, students have travelled and visited 11+ countries. They frequently conduct fundraisers thereafter, building a fund that can be awarded in the future. Reflective of their global experience, they wanted to select a global charity.  In recognition of their home and love of community, they also wanted a local charity to share in the award.  Overarching both gifts is the 50thAnniversary of our international university and the opportunity to give in a way that recognizes both our international perspective and our pride of home…The combination is a ‘glocal’ gift,” Dr. Hickey explained.

The charities splitting the “glocal” award will be the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Sacred Heart Children’s Home. 

“The students were impressed by the Switzerland-based Campaign’s work  for a world free of landmines and cluster munitions.  Likewise, the needs of the children of Sacred Heart Children’s Home are close to our students’ heart and home,” she explained.

“Reading the Globe” recently celebrated its 12th anniversary at TAMIU. It provides freshmen students an international memoir as part of a  common read. Students engage with the work and discuss it in University seminars, and  the author comes to campus to address the entire freshman class. 

An essay competition follows with 15 Reading the Globe Ambassadors selected to travel to the author’s country for programming to prepare them to become responsible global citizens. It introduces narratives about events of the highest global importance, promotes discussions of international issues across the campus, and connects the broader world to the Laredo community.

Since its inception, more than 10,000 TAMIU freshmen have engaged with Reading the Globe to have a transformative international experience. Over 170 Ambassadors have traveled to Cambodia, Chile, China, eastern Europe, Ghana, India, South Africa, Poland, Russia and, most recently, Brazil. 

The  Reading the Globe Program was recently recognized by the Institute of International Education (IIE) 2020 IIE Andrew Heiskell Awards as an Honorable Mention in the Awards’ Internationalizing the Campus category. 

Reading the Globe students will be presenting on their 2020 trip to Brazil at the April Lamar Bruni Vergara Academic Conference at TAMIU.

For additional information about TAMIU’s Reading the Globe, click on https://www.tamiu.edu/spotlight/index.shtml, visit offices in the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center, room 223 or call 956.326.2134.

For more on the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, visit http://www.icbl.org.

 To learn more about Sacred Heart Children’s Home, visit their  Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sacred-Heart-Childrens-Home/116391585088622?hc_ref=ARTe1T5CVnfM1HT2lZp7cMyPAb9axShsKfvc_KTURKMLfUdjJj6q4IkMnWo-W7iUBtA&ref=nf_target&fref=tag

Reading the Globe students present one of their 'glocal' gifts to the Sacred Heart Children's Home. Front row from L to R: Dr. Hayley Kazen, Andrea Flores, Sister Maria Isidra Valdez, Sister Teresa Escamilla, Lourdes Marquez, Mary Joy Patricio and Dr. Conchita Hickey. Back row from L to R: Marcos Enriquez, Astrid Veliz, Mariana Ponce, Estefania Magallanes, Lesdy Posadas, Juan Manuel Sanchez.