SSU Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. and National Mentoring Month
Jan. 7, 2011
Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Everybody can be great because everybody can serve." To honor King, Shawnee State University has invited two guest speakers who will share their experiences in community development and volunteering in African countries.
Euloge Ishimwe, regional communications manager, World Scout Bureau, Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya, will present "Community Development: Successes and Challenges in Various African Countries" at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18 in SSU's Clark Memorial Library, Flohr Lecture Hall.
Ishimwe administers development projects in more than 37 African countries and has traveled extensively throughout Africa and Europe in his career, volunteer work and intellectual pursuits. He is fluent in five languages and a consultant for regional and international media on issues related to international development, poverty eradication and youth empowerment.
He is the recipient of numerous awards demonstrating excellent leadership, youth mentorship and commitment to improving lives of the impoverished, including the 2010 Golden Coin Award from President H.E. Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Republic of Yemen.
Laura Spano, responsibility to protect coordinator at World Federation of United Nations Association, coordinates a capacity building, awareness and advocacy campaign aimed to motivate public and political will to prevent mass atrocity. She will present "Reflections of the Volunteer Experience: Understanding Individual Motivations" at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 19 in the Clark Memorial Library Alcove.
Spano, who coordinated YGAP, the Sanejo Project in Rwanda, also developed a $1 million funding strategy. She prepares funding proposals and facilitates funding agreements with supportive government missions.
Spano developed and implemented a community engagement strategy to increase engagement with the Darfur community under a Victorian Community Support Grant, and designed, implemented and coordinated a cross-cultural "Train-the-Trainer" program on human rights and community participation for 30 youth from Australia and Rwanda.
A panel discussion featuring Ishimwe and Spano, along with Nikki Karabinis, SSU coordinator for the Center for Community Service and Tracey Henderson, former participatory research coordinator, Mozambique, will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20 in the Flohr Lecture Hall.
Panelists will share opportunities for service from a variety of perspectives in international and local settings.
The public is invited to all of the events. For more information, call CIPA Director Rita Haider at (740) 351-3127.
