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Lilly’s Passion for Korean “Trot” Music Paves Path to U Asia Campus

“When I listen to trot music, I get excited. I’m studying abroad to learn Korean”

(Trot music – a traditional Korean pop music style that is mainly enjoyed by middle-aged and older generations)

“My name is Lilly. I came to the University of Utah Asia Campus in Incheon to learn Korean. I like Trot songs.”

The blue-eyed American with immaculate Korean fluency is Lilly Ann Martinescu, 19, a student at the University of Utah Asia Campus located in Songdo International City, Incheon.

Lilly hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is mainly known in South Korea as the set of the global television phenomenon Breaking Bad. Her Korean is excellent. She speaks, writes, and understands most conversations accurately.

“The sentence ’I love you’ in Korean can be expressed in many different ways but convey the same meaning. That idea was really interesting to me.”

Born to an American mother and a father who immigrated from Romania to escape political pressure from the former Soviet Union, Lilly was homeschooled since the age of 12. Under the influence of her mother, who worked for a travel agency, she began studying languages from around the world. “I learned Romanian from my father, and I was able to learn Spanish naturally because my hometown borders Mexico,” says Lilly, “I also learned Japanese by watching Japanese animation and dramas, and I learned Korean for the first time as I fell in love with the charm of Korean pop.”

 “A lot of my friends like Korean pop artists like BTS, but I like Korean Trot music. I get excited when I listen to it. I’ve watched every single TV Trot contest.”

Lilly’s phone is filled with playlists that include songs by famous Korean Trot singers like Na Hoon-ah, Lim Young-Woong, Park Sang-Chul, Kim Na-hee, and Song Ga-In. As a communication major, Lilly is very interested in Korean media content. She currently receives scholarships working three days a week as a video production intern as well.

Lilly’s main reason for choosing to attend the University of Utah was because of the Asia campus in Korea. After learning that the U’s Global LEAP program allows first-year students to study in Korea for a semester, she submitted her application without hesitation. The added bonus of being able to take Chinese and Korean classes in addition to meeting various students from around the world at the Incheon Global Campus gave her even more reason to apply.

“I initially enrolled in the Salt Lake City campus, but I’m officially transferring to the Asia campus next semester. I want to continue studying in a global environment.”

From Kearns to Korea – Christina Nguyen’s once-in-a-lifetime experience at the U Asia Campus

Christina Nguyen ’25 is a recent graduate of Kearns High School in Salt Lake City, and is now a psychology major at the University of Utah. But unlike most of her peers who joined her in this year’s freshmen class at the U in Salt Lake City, Christina paved her own path by starting directly at the U’s Asia Campus in Incheon, South Korea in the fall of 2021.

During her time at Kearns High, Christina was not even considering studying abroad. However, when she happened upon the U Asia Campus through the U’s website, she knew the international experience was exactly what she wanted.

“I had been in Utah my whole life and I wanted to experience something different” says Christina, “being able to experience and live in another country is something most people don’t get to do. The U Asia Campus allows you to pursue a U.S. degree in South Korea, which really appealed to me.”

Other unique aspects of the U Asia Campus – smaller class sizes, weekly on-campus events and individual attention from faculty members – solidified her decision to begin her university career in South Korea. Added perks such as safety, ease of transportation and the country’s beautiful sights, Christina mentions, were pleasant surprises.

Christina admits studying in Korea came with its challenges as well. The culture shock of moving to a country halfway across the world, paired with the sudden push from the comfort of home to complete independence were difficult for Christina at first.

Even so, Christina was determined to make the most out of her experience at the U Asia Campus.
Seeing opportunities to be more involved in the campus community, she now works as a student ambassador for the admissions office, promoting the Asia Campus to prospective students. She also works as a floor representative in the Incheon Global Campus dormitories, coming up with events and offering support for her dorm’s residents.

Outside of school, Christina is learning as much about South Korea as possible. Trips to Busan, Jeju Island and Geojae Island are marked in her planner; and her hobbies range from shopping at Korea’s countless clothing stores, to learning traditional Korean calligraphy.

Now a seasoned international traveler, Christina has some words of advice for current high school and university students who are curious about learning abroad: “If you are interested in studying abroad, do it! You only live once and being able to live in and experience another country is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“My friend showed me a quote that said, ‘In the alphabets B-C-D, B stands for birth and D stands for death. In between is C, which stands for choice.’ I never wanted to live my life in regret so I chose the U Asia Campus, and I’ve never regretted my decision.”

NEW GLOBAL U LEADERS BRING FRESH EXPERTISE

Three new leaders will soon join the University of Utah’s Office for Global Engagement (OGE). The three will offer vision and oversight for outgoing student mobility; support for incoming international students and scholars; and program development and risk mitigation, respectively.

  • Alexandra Wallace will fill the role of Director for Learning Abroad in mid-May,
  • Anastasia Fynn will become the U’s new Director of International Student & Scholar Services in July, and,
  • Parker Pflaum will join the office as the new Associate Director for Global Engagement and Risk Management at the beginning of June.

“These are critical roles for our campus as we strive to meet this moment of engaging globally in a pandemic-impacted world,” said Brian Gibson, the U’s Chief Global Officer. “Each of these individuals was selected for the wealth of personal and professional experience, and deep regard for the importance of international education they offer.”

Gibson noted that the incoming directors’ efforts will focus on ushering in, “a new era of collaboration, both within OGE, as well as with other administrative offices and academic units at the U. Our campus will benefit greatly from their leadership as we seek to be even more globally-engaged as an institution.”

Learn more about each of the new directors:

Alexandra Wallace

Alexandra Wallace

Alexandra Wallace

Alexandra Wallace joins the University of Utah as the Director of Learning Abroad. Having initiated a variety of learning abroad programs throughout her career, in particular freshman year programs, her professional expertise will be critical as OGE works to reimagine and restructure the U’s approach to learning abroad.

Wallace will be responsible for providing leadership to the Learning Abroad team and serving as a campus advocate for academic programs abroad. She has been in the field of International Education for well over a decade, with a background in English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction in China, South Korea, and Costa Rica; F-1 student advising; and faculty-led program development and implementation.

Most recently, she served as the Manager of Global Faculty-Led Programs at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. There, Wallace worked to develop new programs with faculty, mapped out short-term and semester programs with providers, and tirelessly ensured students’ success abroad.

“I believe the world needs international education now more than ever. Our students can impact their communities by learning abroad and building bridges with others,” said Wallace. “I’m excited to join a team that strives to provide programming that creates a sustainable community that puts diversity, inclusion, and equity in its core values.”

Wallace traces her passion for international education back to her semester abroad as an undergraduate student in Nanjing, China. While in her master’s program, she also completed a month-long, faculty-led program in Costa Rica, where she received her TESOL certificate. Alexandra has a B.A. in International Relations and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Arkansas. She also holds an M.A. in International Education from SIT Graduate Institute.

In her free time, Wallace enjoys making tagines, shopping for antiques, and, of course, exploring the world.

Anastasia Fynn

Anastasia Fynn

Anastasia Fynn

As an international student and an immigrant from Ghana, Anastasia Fynn’s lived experience will inform her empathetic approach to leading the U’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services. “I am eager to leverage my deep understanding of international student life and immigration policies to help facilitate student resettlement and transition procedures,” said Fynn.

Fynn has a decade of experience in international education, and was most recently the Director for International Student & Scholar Office at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. She brings experience in providing strategic vision and leadership, ensuring immigration compliance, training and coaching, overseeing operations and workflow management, liaising with campus stakeholders and providing programmatic support for international students and scholars services.

Fynn is passionate about international student advocacy and believes there is a direct correlation between academic success and immigration compliance. To this end, she volunteers for several International Education organizations, such as the Association of International Education (NAFSA).

“I believe in an interdependent world, where it is essential for students, faculty, and staff to have the opportunity to become personally and intellectually familiar with the people, ideas and customs of other nations,” Fynn said. “Such interaction not only promotes a universal perspective and intellectual growth, but it also contributes to the cultural and economic well-being of the university.”

Fynn holds a B.A. in English and Political Science from the University of Ghana and an MBA in International Business from Strayer University. She enjoys cooking and sharing new recipes, travel, reading, watching jeopardy, and spending time with her family.

Parker Pflaum

Parker Pflaum

Parker Pflaum

Parker Pflaum has lived in numerous countries and personally contributed to multiple learning abroad programs—both as participant and planner. This background makes him intimately familiar with the inherent risks facing students who study abroad. Parker’s entrepreneurial background will be especially useful as OGE spearheads a number of new initiatives and programs.

“I’m looking forward to thoughtfully developing new opportunities—especially for underrepresented and diverse students—to participate in off-campus programs. I hope to help resolve any process barriers and roadblocks which prevent or discourage students from studying abroad,” said Pflaum. He will also be tasked with monitoring the U’s post-pandemic risk management processes to ensure participant health and wellbeing.

Pflaum was most recently Assistant Director of Study Away and Global Learning at Concordia College, where he led a team that increased study abroad participation to pre-pandemic levels, managed over 70 learning abroad programs, and built out several new programs and partnerships.

For nine years, Pflaum lived out of a backpack on the road, managing experiential and immersive cultural-exchange programs for Where There Be Dragons (an international school in Boulder, Colorado) in 15 developing countries. He holds an M.A. in East Asian Regional Studies from Harvard University and a B.A. in Chinese and History from the University of Florida.

Pflaum enjoys getting lost in cities, high and low brow reading, biking in urban areas, gardening, and walking really long distances.

U Asia Campus sees increase in students and programming

A growing community

The University of Utah Asia Campus, located in Incheon, South Korea increased its number of new students by 10 percent this spring semester compared to the 2021 spring semester. Despite the continuous effects of Covid-19, 128 new students entered this spring, bringing the campus’ total enrollment to 540 students, including 40 students who joined the Asia Campus from its counterpart in Salt Lake City. The U Asia campus was established in 2014 with just 13 students and has seen steady growth ever since.

“We are thrilled at the continued interest in the U Asia Campus. Students are the lifeblood of our community, and the increase in enrollment is evidence of our faculty and staff’s hard work and dedication.”  says, Dr. Greg Hill, chief administrative officer at the U Asia Campus.

 

The Business Administration department arrives in South Korea

The U Asia Campus is currently recruiting first-year students for the newly-launched Business Administration (BA) department and will welcome students from the Salt Lake City campus to take BA courses in Korea within the next few semesters. The department will offer two majors–Accounting and Information Systems.

“The Utah Asia Campus is excited to welcome the David Eccles School of Business programs. The Eccles School will be a welcome addition to our community, and its well-established, worldwide reputation will benefit U Asia Campus in many ways. We look forward to a great partnership,” says Hill.

Business Administration students can earn both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years. They also have the option to apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training) opportunities to work in the United States for three years after graduation. Students who enroll in the BA program through the U Asia Campus study at the Korea campus for the first two years of their program, and spend the third year at the U’s Salt Lake City campus. Students can choose between spending their fourth year at either campus. Students with master’s degree-linked courses will study at the Salt Lake City campus in the last year of their study.

According to the U.S. accounting media Public Accounting Report, the University of Utah accounting major ranks in the top 25 among all university accounting programs in the U.S. Graduates of the U’s Accounting and Information Systems programs have a 98% employment rate in the U.S. and an average starting salary of $56,000 for accounting majors and $63,000 for information system majors.

The BA department is the newest in a series of arrivals at the U Asia Campus. In Spring 2021, two new majors – Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) – were added to its curriculum, shortly followed by a game studies minor in Fall 2022. The new focus on business, STEM and gaming programs comes as exciting news for students with employment prospects in the near future, as students in the respective fields boast some of the highest employment rates in the United States and globally.

The University of Utah Asia Campus plans to continue growing both its community and its curriculum in order to offer the fullest American higher education experience to students in South Korea, and a memorable international experience for the U’s American students.

Miguel Rodriguez awarded Fulbright Scholarship

This story originally appeared in @theU.

Miguel Rodriguez, postdoc research associate in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, is ready to pack his bags for travel. Rodriguez has received a Fulbright Scholarship to do research for a year at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.

“Being awarded a Fulbright means getting the opportunity to absorb another culture’s way of thinking, including how science is thought about and practiced,” said Rodriguez. “I will also get the chance to represent and share my Black Puerto Rican American culture with the people around me. I hope that my work abroad will lead to future post-Fulbright collaborations with the colleagues I’ll meet at the Weizmann.”

The Fulbright Program is one of several U.S. cultural exchange programs between the United States and other countries. The program was founded by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946 and is considered to be one of the most widely recognized and prestigious scholarships in the world. The Weizmann Institute is a public research university, established in 1934. It differs from other Israeli universities in that it offers only postgraduate degrees in the natural and exact sciences.

At the Weizmann, Rodriguez will be analyzing a nationally used online tool for science teachers called Personalized Teaching and Learning (PeTeL). For the first part of his research, Rodriguez will do a social network analysis (SNA) on the interactions between teachers using PeTeL to find patterns and how teachers connect with each other. In the second part, he will choose several teachers to interview and then conduct a follow up qualitative analysis. Doing this will strengthen interpretations of the SNA results and provide insight to those outcomes.

Miguel Rodriguez

PHOTO CREDIT: Department of Physics & Astronomy
Miguel Rodriguez, postdoc research associate in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Interest in PER

Rodriguez became interested in Physics Education Research (PER) while working on his graduate studies in physics at the University of Oklahoma (OU). He found he had become more interested in teaching than in his solid-state physics research. His then advisor, Bruno Uchoa told him about PER and encouraged him to apply to a PER doctoral program. After leaving OU with a master’s degree in physics, he was accepted at Florida International University (FIU), which is where he began studying PER under the guidance of Geoff Potvin, associate professor of physics at FIU’s STEM Transformation Institute. Rodriguez received his Ph.D. from FIU in 2020.

In graduate school, he received encouragement and support from many academic advisors, especially Dr. Potvin. He has also been encouraged by his current postdoc advisor, Dr. Ramón Barthelemy, assistant professor in the U’s Department of Physics & Astronomy. His friends and family also have provided support. “The biggest obstacle I had to overcome in my academic career was finishing my dissertation during the first two months of the COVID pandemic,” he said. “The uncertainty and worry that came because of the pandemic was tough, but I still managed to work around 80 hours each week during those two months, until I finished my dissertation.”

Research paper accepted in Physics Education Research

Rodriguez is the lead author, along with Ramón Barthelemy and Melinda McCormick, of a paper accepted by Physics Education Research. In the article, Critical race and feminist standpoint theories in physics education research: A historical review and potential applications, the authors reviewed two theoretical frameworks: critical race theory (CRT) and feminist standpoint theory (FST). The paper guides the reader through the historical context that developed each theory, presents core tenets and major ideas of the theories, along with external critiques and where they stand today. The goal of the paper is to help readers further understand CRT and FST—what their role is in education—and how they may be used in physics education research. Simultaneously, the article serves to broaden perspectives of fundamental societal problems, such as racism and sexism.

Future research

Rodriguez would like to continue his research in three different areas: the first is to continue to study how students learn science so that students can more effectively transfer science to everyday life. “I think it’s important that we determine, as science educators, how to better instruct our larger society,” he said. His second avenue of research involves critically assessing the experiences of underrepresented groups. “Even though much progress in civil rights has been made, there are still many gaps. I want to help make physics education more equitable,” said Rodriguez. Lastly, he wants to contribute to building the artificial intelligence systems that will enhance education, designing modules for students to express their representations of physics and, eventually, assess students’ assignments using machine-learning algorithms.

When Rodriguez isn’t doing research, he’s passionate about seeing the world and exploring new cultures. His goal is to travel to as many countries as possible—currently, he’s visited 24 countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He practices a martial art known as Wing Chun. He’s played drums since he was three and saxophone since age eleven. He likes to dance to different kinds of music and styles, such as salsa and tango, hip hop, and electronic. Newly married, he also loves to spend time with his wife.

The J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program

As University officials vet candidates for various on-campus appointments, a common question arises, “Can I extend an offer to a visiting foreign scholar”? The answer to this question is yes! Although there are certain eligibility requirements that must be met, visiting on a J-1 visa is one of the options the University can use to host a foreign scholar for an appointment of research, teaching, collaboration, and/or observation.

Since 1951, the University of Utah has been a designated “sponsor” of a J-1 Exchange Visitor (EV) Program, also known as “BridgeUSA.” The EV Program was established by the U.S. Department State for the purpose of promoting the interchange of knowledge and skills among foreign and American scholars. It does so by providing foreign scholars, also known as “exchange visitors”, an opportunity to share ideas with their American colleagues, participate in educational and professional programs, confer on common problems and projects, promote professional relationships, and bring people together.

The U sponsors J-1 Exchange Visitors (EVs) in six categories: Research Scholar, Professor, Short-Term Scholar, Specialist, Student, and Student-Intern. EVs can have various backgrounds, such as experienced researcher or professor, current student, post doc, and medical doctors. They can also visit for various reasons, including academic appointments, internships required for graduation, as well as to demonstrate or learn a special skill. This “exchange” serves as both an opportunity for the U to further its mission, and at the same time to help develop a visiting scholar’s expertise and skills, something for them to take home and share with colleagues in their home country. Through such an exchange, the University can have a unique role not only in shaping a visiting scholar’s career and personal experience, but also in having a positive impact beyond our borders.  

As a reminder, an equally important objective of the EV Program is to promote cultural exchange and foreign diplomacy, and it is through these academic appointments that cultural exchange and foreign diplomacy can be accomplished. As participating hosts, we encourage academic departments to assist us in supporting and promoting these important objectives of the program.

Additionally, another advantage of this visa are the generous benefits provided to EV dependents (spouse or unmarried minor children) who are admitted to the U.S. in J-2 status. Dependents can study full-time or part-time, as well as seek employment, which can be located be on or off-campus. Although the employment option can be a significant benefit for dependents, it is not guaranteed. Employment authorization must be requested through USCIS and can take up to 3 months for adjudication, a benefit they are eligible to apply for only after arrival to the U.S.

For anyone interested in more information on hosting a visiting foreign scholar for an appointment at the U, please contact International Student and Scholar Services. We serve as the main resource for all exchange visitors and host academic departments, as well as act as a liaison to all applicable government agencies related to a visitor’s stay in J-1 visa status. We will assist in every step of the way!

U team travels to Pakistan to launch $19 million USAID initiative

University of Utah officials recently traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan to hold the first Stakeholders Meeting of the new Higher Education Systems Strengthening Activity (HESSA)—a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)—funded initiative aimed at advancing the country’s higher education system. A 5-year, $19 million grant was awarded to the U and partners by USAID to provide technical assistance for the project to advance the capacity of Pakistan’s higher education institutions and systems to develop employable graduates. Representatives from the U’s Office for Global Engagement, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and College of Education are leading the initiative. Other U.S. project partners include the University of Alabama and the Institute of International Education.

HESSA

Lt Gen (Retd) Javed Mahmood Bukhari (in mask), Rector of Pakistan’s National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) and Dr. Aslam Chaudhry, HESSA Chief of Party, cut a red ribbon to inaugurate the new HESSA office space at NUST in Islamabad. Project members from the University of Utah, University of Alabama, and Pakistan’s Higher Education realm look on.

These U.S. institutions will work closely with Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC). Together, they will provide training aimed at bolstering the administrative systems, curriculum and student life supports that will ultimately help students meet the needs of the contemporary workplace.

HESSA-trained member institutions will then promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education and strengthen the contributions of research universities to the country’s economy. “This important strategic initiative will increase access to and improve the quality of our higher education institutions in Pakistan,” said HESSA Chief of Party Aslam Chaudhry.

“The University of Utah is a global university with engagement in over 200 countries. This USAID grant builds on our existing relationships in Pakistan and will allow us to grow opportunities for Pakistani students and our educators,” said Taylor Randall, president of the University of Utah. “We look forward to working with our U.S. partners and Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission to strengthen Pakistan’s educational infrastructure and achieve its goal to provide students an excellent academic experience.”

The U has remained involved in Pakistan’s higher education development since the 2014 launch of the U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water—also a USAID-funded initiative, aimed at helping to train the next generation of the country’s water engineers. The reputation garnered during that project led to additional educational initiatives and capacity-building partnerships throughout the country.

“Expanding upon our long-standing higher education partnerships in Pakistan is an exciting endeavor that will foster the definition of academic rigor in the region,” said Michael Barber, chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and principal investigator, HESSA Project. “Our team enjoys exchanging knowledge and ideas to help international higher education institutions meet their evolving needs. In doing so, we learn so much about global challenges and opportunities that we can then bring back to Utah to share with our colleagues and students.”

The University of Utah is fast becoming known for international thought-leadership and the HESSA project is a continuation of that work. “Projects of this caliber make me very excited to be stepping into the role of Chief Global Officer at this time,” said Brian Gibson, who recently joined the U’s Office for Global Engagement. “We look forward to helping USAID deliver on its international development mission on behalf of the American people.”

University of Utah HESSA project management leadership:

Mike Barber
Department Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering
HESSA Project Director

Cheri Daily
Executive Director, Office for Global Engagement Global Program Development, Marketing & Communications
HESSA Project Manager

Frankie Santos Laanan
Associate Dean for Faculty and Student Affairs, College of Education
HESSA Component Lead: Leadership

Randy McCrillis
Dean of Students, The University of Utah Asia Campus
HESSA Component Lead: Student Success

Full HESSA administrative team.

Supplies Urgently Needed for Ukraine

Dr. Bogdana Schmidt

Dr. Bogdana Schmidt

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Dr. Bogdana Schmidt, a urologic oncologist at Huntsman Cancer Institute and University of Utah Health, has been seeking ways to give back and support her native country during this time of need. With the aid of the Office of Global Engagement, a supply drive is currently underway to provide much-needed humanitarian relief for Ukrainian refugees.

“As a cancer surgeon I spend every day fighting for human life–for someone to have another year with their family, attend another wedding, meet a grandchild. To see the devastation of thousands of lives in a matter of days is soul crushing. I’m here today doing my job with my patients in Utah but my heart is with Ukraine and in these horrific times,” said Schmidt.

Members of the campus community are invited to drop off supplies at the following locations:

  • Office for Global Engagement (Gardner, room 3105)
  • Learning Abroad Office (Union, room 159)
  • International Student & Scholar Services Office (Union, room 410)
  • Biomedical Polymers Research Building (room 408C)
  • Huntsman Cancer Institute—Cancer Learning Center Multipurpose Room (6th floor, N6230)
  • Eccles Health Sciences Library

Schmidt is partnering with fellow Ukrainian and Urologic Oncologist Fellow at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Dr. Laura Bukavina. Bukavina is currently volunteering at the Ukraine-Poland border and is communicating directly with Schmidt and a non-profit partner, the Cleveland Maidan Association.

Schmidt met Dr. Laura Bukavina years ago at a medical conference and the two became fast friends. “It’s not every day you meet another female Ukrainian urologic oncologist,” said Schmidt, a provider at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute. The two doctors are now joining forces to collect supplies for the people of their homeland who are affected by the current conflict.

“Right now it’s very cold in Ukraine and they’re seeing a lot of cold-related injuries among refugees,” said Schmidt, noting an express need for coats and blankets.

Items urgently needed include:

All items should be new and unused. Thank you.

Clothing

  • Warm jackets for women and children
  • Blankets, hats, gloves
  • Sweaters
  • Children’s clothes all ages
    We are no longer accepting clothing. Thank you.

Medical Supplies

  • Bandages ISRAELI EMERGENCY BANDAGE and Comparable in 4″, 6″ & 12″
  • Compact Bags BVM Manual Resuscitator
  • Vein Tourniquets NAR BOA IV – CONSTRICTING BAND 30-0009
  • Tactical Medical Backpacks and Shoulder Bags
  • Tourniquets: CAT GEN 7 (GEN6), SOFT, SAM
  • HALO CHEST SEALS, CELOX CHEST FOX SEAL & Comparable
  • Hemostatic Bandages QuickClot Combat Gauze & Comp.
  • Burn Aids BURNSHIELD HYDROGEL any form

Baby /Child Supplies

  • Diapers & wipes
  • Baby bottles
  • Formula
  • Children’s/baby medications (Tylenol, ibuprofen)
  • Children’s vitamins
  • Baby food/packets

Personal care

  • Towels
  • Tooth paste & brushes
  • Combs
  • Soap
  • Menstruation products

Food

  • Nonperishable food items

Groups or individuals interested in supplying medical equipment should contact Schmidt directly via email.

“I began my work at the U in October 2021, and I have been impressed with how friendly, compassionate, and caring this community is. I have been so grateful for the support and love I have received from my Utah colleagues who know how hard it is for me to see images of my hometown in rubble,” said Schmidt.

Once collected, the materials will be sent directly to refugees by Schmidt and distributed with the help of the Cleveland Maidan Association.

 

ABOUT CLEVELAND MAIDAN ASSOCIATION

Started in 2014 as an effort by members of the Ukrainian diaspora to provide financial aid to those who were wounded or the families of those who died during the Euromaidan Revolution in Kyiv. As a new conflict arose in eastern Ukraine, the Association began to also provide financial and material support to the families of those wounded or killed during the war. The CMA is a certified 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

U Asia Campus selected as a “Most Trusted Brand”

The University of Utah Asia Campus in Incheon, South Korea, was recently selected as a “The Most Trusted Brand Award by Consumers in 2022” in the Global Education Institutions category by South Korean multimedia company, Digital Chosun.

“It is an honor to be recognized as one of the most trusted brands in South Korea by the Choson media group,” said, Dr. Greg Hill, chief administrative officer. “Our faculty and staff work have worked hard to build a reputation that people and businesses can trust and I am grateful that we were recognized for it. Our hope is that this recognition will lead to many more opportunities to increase the awareness of the University of Utah Asia Campus here in South Korea.”

Despite COVID-19, the number of students admitted to the U Asia Campus in the fall semester of 2021 increased by 70 percent year-on-year and 20 percent of all freshmen are international students from eight countries, including China, Russia, Australia and Brazil.

Dr. Hill accepted the award on behalf of the campus at a ceremony in January. As a recipient, the U Asia Campus will be featured on five billboards in popular locales in Seoul such as Gangnam, Namdaemoon and Myungdong by the end of February. Sixty-five organizations were honored with the “most trusted” designation; other recipients include McDonalds Korea, Hyundai Premium Outlet (a popular upscale retail destination) and e-commerce company Coupang.

The U Asia Campus is an expanded campus of the University of Utah in the United States. Opened in Songdo International City, Incheon in 2014, the campus offers general education courses and hosts seven majors, including Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Psychology, Communication, Film and Media Arts, Urban Ecology and Civil & Environmental Engineering. Students who enroll at the U Asia Campus study in Incheon for three years, then travel to Utah for a year to finish their degree and receive the same diploma as the University of Utah in the United States. U students enrolled through the Salt Lake City campus can also have an impactful international experience at the U Asia Campus, take courses in English from U faculty and pay in-state tuition for up to two semesters.

U offers international experience for high schoolers

Did you know the University of Utah offers a summer high school program in Ghana?

The Center for Business, Health, and Prosperity host high school students for four weeks in Ghana and at the University of Oxford through the Ensign Global Leaders program. The program focuses on teaching students about the intersection of business and health, through an integrative, international experience that combines community engagement with the unique resources of the U, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for students. We asked a previous program participant, Ivan Delgado, a sophomore in health and kinesiology at the U, about his experience and how the program shaped his academic goals.

Delgado’s interest in health is inspired by his parents’ medical and public health work in developing countries. During family trips to Colombia, he gained first-hand experience with the disparities and obstacles that exist in health care, especially in rural areas. He wanted to expand his knowledge of other cultures, so he jumped at the opportunity for meaningful work and engagement in Ghana. “Not everyone in the U.S. sees what is going on in the public health sphere around the world. It is important for people to be exposed to that,” said Delgado.

“I learned a lot about health while I was in Ghana,” said Delgado. “Seeing health through a different perspective changed the way I look at problems here. Even with all the technology we have here in the U.S., we still struggle with problems and look for solutions in the wrong places. In a place like Ghana where you do not have those resources, it forces you to be creative with how you solve problems.”

The U.S. has advanced health technology but struggles to provide comprehensive prevention. While Ghana has a severe lack of specialized physicians, it is better at infectious disease management and containment than the U.S. Overall, Delgado’s experience opened his eyes to the many different ways to approach problems.

Delgado reflects that his most meaningful and memorable moments during the program were during the community engagement projects. He appreciated the approach of working with communities instead of just doing service for them. He conducted needs assessments in rural villages on health, clean water, sanitation, and community leadership topics. His team worked with faculty to analyze and present their findings to community leaders, so they could address these topics in their communities. Delgado appreciated this hands-on approach and knowledge sharing, and he now understands that communities create change from within.

It is not all work while in Ghana; the program also takes time for incredible excursions to historical sites and lets students spend time in nature. After all, what trip to Ghana would be complete without a safari? While speaking with Delgado, he reflected on his safari experience that had him about 100 feet away from a bull elephant, with a park ranger, of course. Safety first, always.

Delgado said, “The elephant came out from some vegetation. It looked at our group and then turned toward the pond close by. It felt like time stopped. Then this moment of wonder came over me. Wow! How many people get to experience this?”

Delgado highly recommends the program to all high school students, “It does not matter what you plan to do afterward, whether you go in health sciences or not. This opportunity in Ghana gave me a chance to see the world through a completely different perspective; a perspective that not many Americans get to see. Seeing how other people see the world is invaluable.”

Delgado fell in love with this West African country and has stayed close friends with other students he met from Ghana and the U.S., including some of the amazing leaders from Ensign Global College. He will return this summer through the Honors College Integrated Minor in Health to deepen his understanding of this diverse country. You can learn more about Delgado’s experiences through his YouTube channel.

The Ensign Global Leaders High School program is open to all high school students. Know of a high school-age student who might be interested? Visit the program website to view a recorded information session, complete an application and learn more about pricing.