Global Conversations program members (back row, L-R) Brianna Stonick 鈥�21, Claire Guarini 鈥�22, Mary Su 鈥�22, Emi Tsukada 鈥�23, and In茅s Philippi 鈥�23; (front, L-R) Tonie Chase 鈥�21, Laura Bianchi 鈥�23, Mar Garcia 鈥�23, and Mariana Ferreira 鈥�21 holding laptop with image of Zeyad Anwar 鈥�23. (Photos by Lee Pellegrini)
The pandemic prevented international travel for Boston College students this academic year, but the University鈥檚 Global Conversations program served as their personal, interactive bridge to undergraduates worldwide, and the vitally important issues and concerns they share.
Launched last fall, the student-driven initiative connects small groups of four to eight 51茶馆 students via videoconference with a similar number of peers at universities around the world for hour-long conversations about relevant and critically important topics under six overarching themes: 聽the COVID-19 pandemic; racial justice and decolonization; protests and social change; environmental justice; globalization and global cultures; and migrants and refugees.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to be the most knowledgeable person or the most socially active person; you just come in willing to listen to how other people have experienced the world and share your own knowledge,鈥� said Tonie Chase 鈥�21, the protests and social change theme leader. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really casual and chill space to talk about the issues that really matter.鈥� 聽
鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of our student leaders, who have invested so much time and energy in this project to make it successful this year,鈥� said International Studies Program Director Erik Owens, an associate professor of the practice in theology who serves as the Global Conversations faculty leader. 鈥淭hey have hosted nearly 40 of these informal conversations with peers in Asia, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, most in English but some in Spanish, Mandarin, and French as well. 聽
鈥淲e鈥檝e worked hard to institutionalize the project in ways that will help it become a permanent, student-led program at 51茶馆. We鈥檙e grateful for the support of so many faculty, deans, and students, and particularly 51茶馆鈥檚 Office of Global Engagement.鈥�
"You don鈥檛 have to be the most knowledgeable person or the most socially active person; you just come in willing to listen to how other people have experienced the world and share your own knowledge.鈥�
To join a conversation, an individual or a small group simply clicks on a link at the , picks the topic desired, and a 51茶馆 conversation leader then coordinates the videoconference with the 51茶馆 participants and the students at the foreign university.
In early March, Emi Tsukada 鈥�23 led a discussion on the impact of the pandemic with students from the Health Awareness Club at St. Joseph University in Beirut. 鈥淲e shared how we are adapting to online learning and talked about this new way of life. We also shared the small joys we try to find in everyday life, such as waking up early to see the sunrise. We all talked about places we would love to travel to and I was definitely convinced by the USJ students to put Beirut at the top of my list.鈥� 聽
Soon after, 51茶馆 participants and students from Pontificia Universidad Cat贸lica de Chile in Santiago, led by Wenwei (Mary) Su 鈥�22, the migrants and refugees theme leader, discussed the similarities and differences between the current migration conditions at the United States southern border and the northern Chilean boundary, including the grave challenges and human rights violations that refugees face in both regions.
Subsequent 51茶馆-PUC sessions鈥攍ed by Jack Engelmann 鈥�22 and Laura Bianchi 鈥�23, respectively鈥攖ouched on the rise of the extreme right and its impact on immigration policies in both countries, and the effects and implications of the exchange of art between global cultures, ranging from literature and poetry to paintings and sculptures. A discussion on the ethics of humanitarian aid guided by Diksha Thach 鈥�21 was planned to take place before the semester ends.
鈥淪omething that I think is a pretty common sentiment among the project鈥檚 conversation leaders is just how exceptional the conversations have really proven to be in providing a sense of connection,鈥� said Bianchi, the globalization and global cultures theme leader. 鈥淭here were five of us鈥攆rom Spain, Ecuador, and Vietnam鈥攁nd we shared very personal accounts of how art influenced our lives and what it meant to us.聽 It truly felt that I had gained four new friends from across the globe.鈥�
Another session with students from the University of Insubria in Italy concerned race, police brutality, and microaggressions, led by Brianna Stonick 鈥�21, who plans to host another on the legacies of colonization and Black identity formation with Groupe Scolaire les Laur茅ats in the west African country of Burkina Faso.
鈥淎t first I was intimidated, but it鈥檚 been a really unique learning and leadership opportunity,鈥� said Stonick, the racial justice and decolonization theme leader. 聽鈥淚鈥檓 not sure why it took me and the whole world until now鈥攗ntil COVID鈥攖o realize that the technology we鈥檝e been using for years can actually connect us, from our couches and desks, to people all across the globe.鈥� 聽
Other conversations in the works include topics ranging from anti-Asian discrimination with a group of Beijing students, three environmental justice-focused dialogues with undergraduates from Milan鈥檚 Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and a return visit with students from Beirut鈥檚 USJ to share immigrant experiences.聽
Phil Gloudemans | University Communications | May 2021