NORTHERN IRELAND Travel Course – Spring Quarter 2012 Information!

Due to our projected anticipated enrollment in this course, a lottery will not be necessary. However, if you are interested in this course, it is extremely important that you register during priority registration on February 15th (general registration info will go out tomorrow) to confirm your spot.  Like any elective class, travel courses are subject to cancellation for insufficient enrollment.

The travel fees will be assessed at the time of registration along with your tuition and follow the DU tuition refund schedule for Spring Quarter courses: http://www.du.edu/registrar/calendar/latefeerefundschedule.html

Northern Ireland: $2600

This fee includes:  All lodging (breakfast included in the lodging) and  6 group meals, all in-country excursions, in-country guides, in-country transportation between cities, and honorariums for speakers.  In addition to the course fee,  students can expect to pay for their own airfare and getting to and from airports; 9 lunches and dinners; tourist activities that they set up on their own.

Questions about this opportunity can be directed to Nicole Nicotera, PhD by email to Nicole.Nicotera@du.edu.

GSSW BOSNIA SPRING QUARTER COURSE INFORMATION!

Due to our projected anticipated enrollment in this courses, a lottery will not be necessary. However, if you are interested in this course, it is extremely important that you register during priority registration on February 15th (general registration info will go out tomorrow) to confirm your spot. Like any elective class, travel courses are subject to cancellation for insufficient enrollment.

The travel fees will be assessed at the time of registration along with your tuition and follow the DU tuition refund schedule for Spring Quarter courses: http://www.du.edu/registrar/calendar/latefeerefundschedule.html.

The projected travel fees for 2012 are as follows:

Bosnia: $1500
This fee includes: lodging, excursions, in-country guides, in-country transportation, honorariums for speakers, and several group dinners. The travel fee does not include airfare.

Questions can be please be directed to Ann Petrila at Ann.Petrila@du.edu.

It’s That Time of Year Again!

This could make you think of a lot of things….taxes, scooping snow, thank you notes to Santa for all those wonderful Christmas gifts.  But, no.  It’s application deadline time here at GSSW.  As a work study in the admissions office, this means a whole lot more REAL work and less school work happening during work time.  As the application deadline nears we receive an increase in phone calls, questions about whether or not we’ve gotten your transcripts and how to hunt down those pesky reference letters!

This year has also meant a lot of changes in the application process.  Previously, when you submitted your application we printed the entire thing and put together individual folders.  This year, the entire process is on-line and from the minute you hit APPLY NOW we do everything online.  Not only is this an easier process for you, it’s proven to be an easier process for us! Although we now do a LOT of data entry, it’s far quicker and easier to do than manually putting together files.  It’s also more efficient for us to check your application when you call to see if we’ve received your transcripts and letters of recommendation. Got questions?  Don’t hesitate to call!  We’re always here…and by always I mean 8:00am – 4:30pm MST 🙂

Oh, the digital age!

Register to come Dance with the Dean

Dancing with the Dean 2.0

 

Saturday, February 11, 2012     7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Boettcher Foundation Community Room

Craig Hall

To register:  http://alumni.du.edu/DWTD

You know that you want to see the Dean show his moves! Sign up to come for a night of food, drinks, music, dancing, and fun!

Snogging with Giraffes

Over winter break, I was lucky enough to participate in the Conservation Social Work course in Kenya.  It was a life-changing experience that has completely changed my outlook on life as well as impacted my professional goals.  The Conservation Social Work in Kenya course is offered to concentration year students and is part of GSSW’s animal-assisted therapy program (although you are not required to be in the animal-assisted social work certificate to participate).  Throughout the fall quarter, we met every couple of weeks for class and then we traveled to Kenya for 2 weeks over the winter break.

It would take me pages and pages to describe my entire Kenya experience, but here are a couple of stories from my trip:

• This is the fun story…We had the opportunity to visit the Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville Giraffe Center where we got to feed and pet rescued giraffes.  After getting to know them a little bit most of us chose to get up close and personal with the giraffes, allowing them to eat pellets of food off of our lips.  It turns out giraffes are quite slobbery kissers and have large, black, sand-papery tongues.  (If you would like more information about the Giraffe Center, you can go to www.giraffecenter.org.)

 

 

• This is the sad story…We had the chance to explore Kibera, which is the largest slum in Africa (and the 2nd largest in the world, behind India).  As we walked through the slum, we heard children chanting, “How-are-you?” and “Muzungo, muzungo!” (“white person, white person!”); we saw mounds of trash, mangey dogs, and lots of people; and we smelled cattle legs being grilled on fires.  It was extremely intense and like nothing else I have ever seen in the United States.  All of the homes were made of mud and sticks with sheet metal as rooves.  Most of them had a “store” on their front porch and when you walked into the home there was generally one 10 foot by 10 foot room that 5-7 people lived in with no bathroom.  Most of us were completely speechless and even now, it is hard to really describe what it was like to visit Kibera.  Although it was sad and emotional, it was also frustrating on a larger scale.  The Kenyan government does not acknowledge that there are 3 million people living in Kibera (they say there are only several thousand).  They do not have any kind of medical care or job security.  In fact, the only time the government pretends to care about what is going on there is during election season.  Overall, it was an amazing experience to interact with the community and to see the struggles they are experiencing.

• This is the perspective-changing story…In one of the villages we visited called Kasigau, I spent some time interacting with a family in their home.  When it was time to make lunch, they said that it was customary for the visitor to slaughter a chicken.  I had no idea how to react–I didn’t want to be disrespectful to the family, but there was no way I was going to be able to kill a chicken by myself.  Thankfully, one of my translators actually did the slaughtering, but I did help with the rest of the process.  While the whole thing was going on, one of the 13 year old girls asked me if I didn’t eat chicken.  I told her that of course I eat chicken, so then she asked me why this was such a big deal for me if I ate chicken.  I then had to explain to her that in the United States, we generally go to a grocery store to buy packaged chicken that no longer resembles a bird.  She could not understand this whatsoever–it just did not make sense to her that there were factories that supplied this type of food to us as consumers.  It really made me think about how disconnected we are from the food we eat in the United States.  As I have reintegrated into our society, I find myself passing by the meat sections in the grocery store and feeling sick because of how inhumanely those animals were most likely treated.  This experience really changed the way I think about the food I am putting into my mouth.

 

Overall, Kenya was an amazing experience and there are plenty more stories where these came from.  While we were in Africa, our class actually attempted to blog about our experiences.  So if you are interested in learning more about the things we did while we were there, you can visit http://learn2conserve.wordpress.com

10 Points – January 13, 2012

10 Pts   1/13/12

1. Anti-Oppressive Practice Event debriefing sessions – Still need some more time to continue the conversation started this past Wed night?  Couldn’t attend and want to hear about what was discussed?  Attend one of two lunchtime brown bag sessions Friday January 13^th and Tuesday January 17^th, 11-11:50am in room384.
2. Morris Dees will speak at the law school this Tuesday, January 17^th 4-5pm at the DU Law School.  Click on the url to register: https://secure.imodules.com/s/1150/index_2col.aspx?sid=1150&gid=1&pgid=2582&cid=4137
3. Dancin’ with the Dean 2.0!  February 11^th, 7-11pm.  Food, libations, line dance instruction, DJ, and YOUR Dean on the dance floor!  RSVP info to follow.

Get Your Line Dance On!       Want to be ready for Dancing with the Dean 2.0? 

Join us for line dancing lessons every Sunday until DWD 2.0 for great exercise and great fun! Bring one canned good or non-perishable food item for each dance session to be donated to Food Bank of the Rockies!

1/15       1:00 PM                Beginner Level  Good Time          Good Time by Alan Jackson

2:00 PM                Beginner Plus Level         No Quitters        I Ain’t No Quitter by Shania Twain

1/22       1:00 PM                Beginner Plus Level         Rio          Patricia by Mestizzo

2:00 PM                Low Intermediate Level                     Mandolin Dreams       Pickin’ Wildflowers by Keith Anderson

1/29       1:00 PM                Beginner Plus Level         Wonderland Waltz          Welcome to Mystery by Plain White T’s

2:00 PM                Intermediate Level         Bayou City Twister           Dance! by Twister Alley

2/5         1:00 PM                Low Intermediate Level                                Dizzy      Dizzy by Scooter Lee

2:00 PM                Intermediate Level         Lover Lover        Lover Lover by Jerrod Niemann

1. Psychoanalytic Society Brown Bag – Dr. Jill Miller presenting on Developmental Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with Children. Monday January 30, 11-11:50 in room 284. Pizza served.
2. Tracy Kraft, MSW – Brown Bag talk about her race for a House Seat in Colorado and her journey toward getting involved in politics and policy making. Pizza provided.  Thursday Feb 2, room 284.
3. 13th annual White Privilege Conference

We are hoping to get 50+ students, faculty, staff, alumni, family, and friends of DU to go because that would be amazing!  And because that would give us a good discount on the registration rate! Caravan to Albuquerque, NM ,  March 28-31, 2012 (Leaving Wednesday evening, arriving and staying Thursday through Saturday, then driving back Sunday)

Why?  To continue the necessary work of disrupting White Privilege, of course!

RSVP: If you or anyone you know is interested, let’s combine forces!  Please contact Kelly Shinn kellyannshinn@gmail.com

1. GSSW T-Shirt Design Contest – put those graphic design skills to good use and design a t-shirt for GSSW to be printed up by GSA.  Use no more than two – three ink colors and the design should be related to social work and GSSW of course.  Deadline to submit designs is Valentine’s Day – Feb 14^th. Send them to Meyers.rebeccaj@gmail.com .
2. BINGO Night! – Our annual favorite! Bring the kids, grandparents, partners and friends. GSA will provide pizza and drinks and BINGO supplies. You provide the fun spirit!  Friday February 3, 6-8pm in the Community Room. Watch for rsvp info.
3. Upcoming Student Org Events:

QEA  meeting – Tues. Jan 17 & Tues. Jan 31, 6-7:30, room 302.

GSA meeting – Wed. Jan 18 and Wed. Feb 1, 6:30-8pm, room 384.

SOBA event – Walk with SOBA in the MLK Day Marade, Mon., Jan. 16th, 2012.

They will be meeting at 9am in front of Tattered Cover on Colfax.

MSJ monthly potluck – Sun, Jan. 29^th, “What role does activism play in anti-oppressive practice?”  Contact Stephanie Noll for time and location, Stephanie.noll@gmail.com .

ECO Conscious Meeting – Thurs. Jan 26, and Tues. Jan 31, 11-11:50 in room 384.

1. Next New Faculty Candidate – Yolanda Anyon will be presenting her colloquium on Mon. Jan 23, 11-11:50 in room 448.  Everyone is welcome to attend to hear about her research.  No rsvp necessary.  Students are invited to join Yolanda for pizza and conversation on Tues. Jan 24, 11-11:50, room TBD. RSVP to Karen.bensen@du.edu fi you would like to attend the lunch.

This was originally sent via email by Karen Bensen to all GSSW students.

GET YOUR LINE DANCE ON!

Do you want to be ready to show your dancing skills at Dancing with the Dean?

Join Professor Eugene Walls & Special Guests for Line Dancing Lessons! Lessons will happen every Sunday until Dancing with the Dean happens on Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 7pm – 11pm. Visit: http://wp.me/s1bIUQ-2012dwd for more information on Dancing with the Dean.

Please bring the following to each dance lesson! You know you want to make your friends cheer you on in amazement of your talents!

Lesson Dates & Times below

1/15
1:00 PM – Beginner Level
Good Time
Good Time by Alan Jackson
2:00 PM – Beginner Plus Level
No Quitters
I Ain’t No Quitter by Shania Twain

1/22
1:00 PM – Beginner Plus Level
Rio
Patricia by Mestizzo
2:00 PM – Low Intermediate Level
Mandolin Dreams
Pickin’ Wildflowers by Keith Anderson

1/29
1:00 PM – Beginner Plus Level
Wonderland Waltz
Welcome to Mystery by Plain White T’s
2:00 PM – Intermediate Level
Bayou City Twister
Dance! by Twister Alley

2/5
1:00 PM 0-Low Intermediate Level
Dizzy
Dizzy by Scooter Lee

2:00 PM – Intermediate Level
Lover Lover
Lover Lover by Jerrod Niemann

Flyer with dates is below. Click on it!

GET YOUR LINE DANCE ON!

Questions can be directed to Professor Eugene Walls by email to Eugene.Walls@du.edu

2nd Annual – Dancing with the Dean – Saturday, February 11th from 7pm – 11pm

Dancing with the Dean is back for a 2nd time. Last week we had an historic first when faculty, staff, & students danced in the court yard to help begin the excitement for Dancing with the Dean.

Dancing with the Dean will happen this year on Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 7:00pm – 11:00pm in the Community Room of Craig Hall.  Food, drinks, a dance floor, dancing lessons, and a chance to see Dean James Herbert Williams do his dance moves will make for an evening of fun!

To register for Dancing with the Dean please visit: http://alumni.du.edu/DWTD.

Please bring a canned good or non-perishable food item for donation to the Food Bank of the Rockies.

2012 Dance with the Dean Flyer

Free Events in Denver

So you’re a graduate student and you have no money. Why not take advantage of free events that happen every first weekend of the month in Denver?

First Fridays:

Art District on Santa Fe: Art Walk 6-9pm

Over 60 galleries participate in this free event. Stroll down Sante Fe with your friends and pop into art galleries for art, food, and drinks. The ArtDistrict is located on and near Santa Fe Drive and Kalamath Street between Alameda and 12th Ave.  There is also a shuttle that runs on First Fridays. Check out the website for more information.

First Saturdays:

Denver Art Museum: General admission is free! Open 10am-5pm

Head downtown to the Denver Art Museum, where even the building is a beauty in itself.  Visit the two sides of the building: the Frederic Hamilton building, and the North building. Honestly, you could spend all day here. Head to the website for details on the collections and exhibitions.

International Service Learning Course, Project Bosnia & Herzegovina

We are once again accepting applications for our International Service Learning Course, Project Bosnia and Herzegovina. This experiential program offers undergraduates and graduates the opportunity to complete an international internship for credit this coming summer.  application deadline day- January 27, 2012.

Information sessions will be held in Sturm Hall Room 201 on the following dates & times.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 12pm

Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 12pm

For additional information please contact: isl@du.edu.

Please see attached  –  Summer Internship in Bosnia-Herzegovina Flyer!