Take advantage of global engagement opportunities in September

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University and the extended Kalamazoo community will offer numerous global engagement opportunities in September. Highlights include the Multicultural Meet and Greet, WMU Study Abroad Fair and China Festival.

Unless otherwise indicated, events take place on the WMU Campus. Opportunities to get globally engaged are published weekly by WMU's Haenicke Institute for Global Education.

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September 2018

Tuesday, Sept. 4  

• "Establishing a Daily Spiritual Practice" class—7 to 8:30 p.m., People's Church, 1758 10th St., Kalamazoo, hosted by Jewel Heart. Learn Tibetan Buddhist meditative techniques including concentration, contemplative analysis, visualization, mantras and prayer applied daily in a structured format. Free.

Thursday, Sept. 6  

• International Student Activities Welcome Party—2 to 4 p.m., Goldsworth Valley Pond Pavilion, hosted by WMU International Student Activities. Help welcome new international students to campus at the annual Welcome Party. Free. 
• Mix It Up Thursday: Study Abroad—7 p.m., Lee Honors College Lounge, hosted by the WMU Lee Honors College. This session will be a presentation from WMU Study Abroad. Free. 

Friday, Sept. 7  

• Japanese conversation table—4 to 5 p.m., first-floor faculty dining room, Bernhard Center, hosted by WMU's Soga Japan Center. Take advantage of opportunities to practice your Japanese language skills. Free. 

Saturday, Sept. 8   

• Fall Fab Fest—1 p.m., Trimpe Building's Multicultural Center, hosted by the WMU Office of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Student Services. Open to all local students and community members, this event celebrates community as well as welcomes LBGT people and their allies to Kalamazoo. Free.

Sunday, Sept. 9

• "Power and Beauty in China's Last Dynasty: A New Approach" talk—3 p.m., Room 2008 Richmond Center for Visual Arts, hosted by WMU's Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, Confucius Institute at WMU and Center for the Humanities, as well as by the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and Kalamazoo Art League. The talk will be given by Dr. Yang Liu, head of the Chinese, South and Southeast Asian art department at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Free. 

Monday, Sept. 10  

• "Jade as Painting" talk—noon, Faculty Dining Room, Bernhard Center, hosted by WMU's Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, Confucius Institute at WMU and Center for the Humanities, as well as by the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and Kalamazoo Art League. The talk will be given by Dr. Yang Liu, head of the Chinese, South and Southeast Asian art department at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Free. 
• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.
• Multicultural Meet and Greet—6 to 8:30 p.m., second floor, Bernhard Center, hosted by WMU's Division of Multicultural Affairs and College of Education and Human Development. The Multicultural Meet and Greet is an orientation that encourages a sense of belonging for students of color at WMU and in the greater Kalamazoo community. Free, registration required.

Tuesday, Sept. 11  

• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.
• "Establishing a Daily Spiritual Practice" class—7 to 8:30 p.m., People's Church, 1758 10th St., Kalamazoo, hosted by Jewel Heart. Learn Tibetan Buddhist meditative techniques including concentration, contemplative analysis, visualization, mantras and prayer applied daily in a structured format. Free.

Wednesday, Sept. 12  

• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.

Thursday, Sept. 13  

• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.
• "Neuroethics: Science in Society" lecture—5:30 p.m., WMU Homer Stryker School of Medicine, 300 Portage St., Kalamazoo, hosted by the WMU Center for the Study of Ethics in Society. The lecture will be given by Dr. Stephanie J. Bird, former vice president for research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Free. 
• "Los Bandits: More than a Tex-Mex Band" UNREELED film screening—6:30 p.m., Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S. Park St., hosted by the KIA. The documentary follows the journey of a local Kalamazoo band and tells the story of its members's origins in Mexico and Texas and how they brought their talents to Michigan. Adults, $5; students with ID, $2. 

Monday, Sept. 17  

• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.

Tuesday, Sept. 18 

• "Craft in America: Borders and Neighbors" ARTbreak video—noon to 1 p.m., Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, 314 S Park St., Kalamazoo. Learn about the connections between Mexico and the United States through craft. Free.
• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.
• "Conspicuous by Their Invisibility" presentation—7 p.m., Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, 205 Monroe St., Kalamazoo, hosted by the Kalamazoo College Arcus Center. The presentation by Anne Dueweke will give an account of the founding years of Kalamazoo College, describe the interactions of the college's founders with indigenous people, and explain how white settlement affected the Potawatomi and Ottawa people living here. Free, registration required. 
• "Establishing a Daily Spiritual Practice" class—7 to 8:30 p.m., People's Church, 1758 10th St., Kalamazoo, hosted by Jewel Heart. Learn Tibetan Buddhist meditative techniques including concentration, contemplative analysis, visualization, mantras and prayer applied daily in a structured format. Free.

Wednesday, Sept. 19  

• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.
• "How Did Meat Become a Global Food?" Lyceum lecture Series—noon to 1 p.m., Lee Honors College lounge, hosted by the WMU Lee Honors College. The talk will be led by Dr. Wilson Warren, WMU chair and professor of history. Free.

Thursday, Sept. 20  

• "Get the Picture: Philemona Williamson"—noon to 1 p.m., Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S. Park St., Kalamazoo, hosted by the KIA. Enjoy an in-depth exploration of one of the institute's new acquisitions: Philemona Williamson's Tender Breeze, 2008, oil on linen. Adults, $5; students with ID, $2.
• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.

Saturday, Sept. 22  

• Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Animal Show—10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St., Kalamazoo, hosted by the Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo. Come to this monthly event to learn from pet experts about exotic pets from around the world. Adults, $5; children, $2; children under six, free.
• Audiotree Music Festival—noon to 11 p.m., Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., Kalamazoo, hosted by Audiotree Live. Audiotree Music Festival returns to Kalamazoo to showcase more than 20 new and emerging artists from all over the world. General admission, $45 per day.

Sunday, Sept. 23  

• Audiotree Music Festival—noon to 11 p.m., Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., Kalamazoo, hosted by Audiotree Live. Audiotree Music Festival returns to Kalamazoo to showcase more than 20 new and emerging artists from all over the world. General admission, $45 per day.

Monday, Sept. 24  

• "Inform. Empower. Prevent. Let's End Campus Sexual Assault" summit—Details and full agenda to be announced on the event website. Free.
• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.

Tuesday, Sept. 25  

• " '68: How Far Have We Come" special exhibit—all day Sept. 25-26, Richmond Center for Visual Arts, hosted by WMU's Center for the Study of Ethics in Society. The special mobile museum exhibit will explore black history. Free. 

• "Craft in America: Borders and Neighbors" ARTbreak video—noon to 1 p.m., Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, 314 S Park St., Kalamazoo. Learn about the connections between Mexico and the United States through craft. Free.
• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.
• "The Truth Hurts: Black History, Honesty and Healing the Racial Divide" talk—3:30 p.m., Room 2008, Richmond Center for Visual Arts, hosted by WMU's Center for the Study of Ethics in Society. The talk will be given by Khalid el-Hakim, curator of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum with a reception to follow. Free. 
• Reading Race Book Group—6:30 to 8 p.m., Kalamazoo Public Library Central Branch, 315 S Rose St., Kalamazoo, hosted by the Society for History and Racial Equity and the Kalamazoo Public Library's Anti-racism Transformation Team. This book group focuses on race and racism in American society and will be discussing "When I was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago. Free.
• "Establishing a Daily Spiritual Practice" class—7 to 8:30 p.m., People's Church, 1758 10th St., Kalamazoo, hosted by Jewel Heart. Learn Tibetan Buddhist meditative techniques including concentration, contemplative analysis, visualization, mantras and prayer applied daily in a structured format. Free.

Wednesday, Sept. 26  

•  2018 WMU Study Abroad Fair—11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sangren Hall, hosted by WMU Study Abroad. Fair attendees get the chance to speak with WMU students who have studied and interned abroad, as well as with WMU professors who coordinate programs and courses around the globe. Free. 
• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.

Thursday, Sept. 27  

• CELCIS conversation circle—2 to 3 p.m., fourth-floor reception area, Ellsworth Hall, hosted by WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students. Join students learning English in relaxed conversation about local and social topics. Free.

Friday, Sept. 28 

• Asian Forum—8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fetzer Center, hosted by WMU's Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Confucius Institute at WMU, Soga Japan Center and Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies. This event is a forum for scholars at WMU and in the West Michigan area who work on Asia to share their research and to learn about ways in which to network with other faculty. Free. 

Saturday, Sept. 29  

• 2018 Taste of Jazz—8 to 11 p.m., Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, 314 S Park St., Kalamazoo, hosted by the Society for Historical and Racial Equity. Enjoy food and music from the jazz capitals of the world. General tickets, $50; students, $25.
• 2018 China Festival—noon to 5 p.m., Student Recreation Center, hosted by WMU's Haenicke Institute for Global Education and Confucius Institute at WMU. China Festival commemorates the traditional Chinese Moon Festival and will include events such as dance and music performances, a badminton tournament, hands-on activities, and more. Free.