Friends World's topics - tribe.net

NEW MEMBERS PLEASE READ

eyeohmeigh — Thu, 18 Nov 2004 01:06:45 GMT

Hi and welcome to the FW tribe. Please introduce yourself by either clicking "reply to post" on this page, or by beginning a new thread. We'd like to know when you attended/graduated, and anything else you'd like to share. Thanks!

posted in Friends World - 95 replies

Morris Mitchell era

Don — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 17:27:55 GMT

Reconnecting from the Morris Mitchell/FWC era. As one of several Conscientious Objectors doing Alternative Service, I assisted Pat Scarlett in Admissions and advised a few students (1968-70). My wife Ann assisted Rene Hill.

The biblical roots and hopes expressed in Friends World College are of particular interest to me now. Does anyone want to explore this thread?

Don Benson
hometown.aol.com/donbbenson/home.html

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

a voice from the past

lynn — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 18:33:55 GMT

I've been receiving emails regarding the name change, to which I knew nothing about and then I discovered this link from one of the emails. Nothing really earthshaking to say, I was in one of the founding classes, (first 7) and wanted to see who else was out there. My name is Lynn Roberts, I was there when the change went from Mitchell Gardens to Long Island, I actually think I caused the change, long story. I was in the class with Ellen Schultz, Joyce, Victor, David Bryce, Claudia Raab, .....ring any bells? Would love to here from anyone. It is a little stifling here in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lynn

posted in Friends World - 9 replies

Antioch College alumni are fighting to keep the college open

Ellen (Ginger) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 01:47:23 GMT

If you ever attended Antioch College or had friends who did--or if you just want to help support a school with principles and values similar to FWC/FWP/GC-please go to www.antiochians.org.

Keep spreading the word.
Thank you.

Ellen (Ginger) FWC 1971-72
Antioch College grad. 1974

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

ghana

Heidi — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:52:15 GMT

I believe there was a FW center in Ghana. I'm heading there in a few days. Are there any tips/ must see places from folks who studied there?

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Alumni newsletter (for those not on the Global College list)

Lianna — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:57:00 GMT

Greetings Alumni & Friends!

I hope that most of you have received the spring alumni newsletter in the mail! If not, you can download a copy on our website: http://www.brooklyn.liu.edu/globalcollege/alumni/alumni_newsletters.html. The summer newsletter will be available in the middle of August. Please contact Carolyn Pugliese, our new alumni affairs intern, at cfp228@nyu.edu if you are interested in being profiled in a future newsletter or would like to contribute an article or photograph.

Cheers!

Sara

Sara Purcell, MS Ed
Director of Student & Alumni Affairs
Global College/Friends World
Long Island University
9 Hanover Place, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-780-4327 (p)
718-780-4325 (f)
_____________
GLOBAL-COLLEGE-ALUMNI mailing list
GLOBAL-COLLEGE-ALUMNI@lists.liu.edu
https://lists.liu.edu/mailman/listinfo/global-college-alumni

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Looking to transfer to Friend's World/Global College

Brittany — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:29:30 GMT

Hey everyone,

I'm really interested in transferring to Friend's World...err Global College... I did a semester in India with Carpe Diem International and I fell in love with traveling and learning and interacting with different cultures; suffice to say, it was the most amazing three months of my life. I've been going to music school, but since my chronic tendonitis has kicked in full speed this is no longer an option...therefore we arrive upon Global College! So I've REALLY looked into this school and it seems like an amazing program- but what I'm looking for is the dirt on it, what you guys DON'T like about it- I want to get the most well-rounded view I can before making a total commitment to it. Also if you have any insight in general that would be great too! I'm also especially interested to hear what you alumni are doing these days, and what grad schools/programs you went to afterwards (if you did go). Any input at all would be greatly treasured and appreciated. Sorry for the long post... but hope to hear from someone soon!
Thanks,
Brittany

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Reunion (an official one)!

eyeohmeigh — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:00:29 GMT

Hello all,

I received an email from Tami Farber about and alumni reception- she says they're going to try to make it an annual thing. It's too soon for me to be able to go, but I wish I could, and I encourage anyone who can to go! Here's a copy of the invite (I hope it comes out right because I'm pasting from Word):

Please join us for our first
Friends World
Alumni Reception!
Sponsored by Long Island University

When: Friday, May 9, 2008

Time: 6:30pm

Where: Rubin Museum of Art
150 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
www.rmanyc.org

Festivities will begin with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and music giving us time to re-connect and mingle.

The night will include:

• A private guided tour of the museum

• Free admission to all the galleries

• Harlem in the Himalayas: Adam Rudolph & Graham Haynes Duo

• Cabaret Cinema: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Introduction by Joel Grey

Please RSVP by Wednesday, April 30th to Sara Purcell, Director of Student & Alumni Affairs, at 718-780-4327 or sara.purcell@liu.edu.
Please indicate if you are interested in the private group tour.

Cheers,
Sara Purcell
&
Tami Farber ‘99

The Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) is home to a comprehensive collection of art from the Himalayas and surrounding regions. The RMA collection consists of paintings, sculptures, and textiles. Although works of art range in date over two millennia, most reflect major periods and schools of Himalayan art from the 12th century onward

posted in Friends World - 4 replies

HELLO!

Dylan — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:29:52 GMT

Hi there! My name is Dylan, and I am a sophomore in High School. I'm really looking into this college because I love going to different places, experiencing new things, etc. Just was wondering if you could tell me your opinion of this school, the pros and cons, and anything you'd like to share.
it would really help, thanks!

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Facebook page and blogspot for FW alums

scs — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:35:52 GMT

Hey, folks. I've been checking in here from time to time, but I guess I let my log-in lapse. Tracking the conversations, but haven't had much to add. Unhappy about "Global College." As Gertrude Stein says, "There is no there there."

Recently I joined Facebook. When I ran a search there to see if they had anything on Friends World, it looked like not yet, so I started a group there. And if you're looking to start there, you can hook up with me.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=804854904

Also, I started a blogspot. You'll find it via the Facebook page.

Peace out.

posted in Friends World - 8 replies

FW Alumni Pics

brettrader — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:55:53 GMT

Hey Every One,
I was thinking about how quite it has been in here since the whole name change deal and was wondering how everyone was doing. I am making a trip to Sweden this summer to visit my friend Angelica Broman who was a FW alumni as well and thinking. There are probably many of us that live close to one another and we never get together. I am in the Olympia, WA area if anyone is around. I know Evergreen draws a lot of FW alum and what not. Any way post your pics and get together with other alum, remember community (lol).

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Kenya

xine — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:06:28 GMT

Anyone have any news to share?

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

I felt left out of the European Center!

brettrader — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:44:50 GMT

So I have bought a ticket to Sweden and am going to live there for at least 8 months with another FW student. Strange how things happen, but I have a ticket for Feb. 1st and will be living just outside Stockholm with an old FW student Angelica. Thats my bit, I figured it was getting a bit too quiet in here, so wanted to put up something interesting going on in my life related to FW (or I guess its GC now :( ).

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

kai pictures

Heidi — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 23:13:08 GMT

Hi Fwers, or ...Gcers - heh heh
Does anyone have good pics of Kai - specifically the view from peace corps? People might have put them up already, but there's a ton of pictures and I couldn't find it. I'm working on a painting with that in part of the work.
Thanks, Heidi

posted in Friends World - 4 replies

jena 6

Heidi — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 04:08:28 GMT

Hey everyone- I've been reading and listening on the radio about what's going on in Jena and feeling pretty emotional about it. I was feeling pretty bummed, especially about the lack of news (mainstream that is) about what's going on there and then got to thinking about all the people in various communities who are doing good things for others. I especially thought about FW'ers and how I've met or heard about other people creating change. Sooooo. I was wondering, in the spirit of recognizing positive work if we all wanted to share out what we do that makes a difference, even a tiny one. I know it seems kind of corny,!It doesn't have to be something huge and impressive. I'll start....

ok., uh...
I teach high school and recently was able to learn about and then pass on important information about how to react when you are being harrassed by police.
I try to let people in sometimes in traffic
I just sent a rockin' package to a friend in another country, complete with Lucky Charms

Anyone else?

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

Found in Mozambique

Ian Hefele — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 10:25:13 GMT

Hey Sarah, and everybody else out here in the FW universe. I'm writing to you all from Maputo Mozambique. I'm at my office now on a saturday, don't ask, and decided to google myself. I know conceited but I've found people looking for me this way and all of a sudden found this website. Sarah. Email me at Ian.Hefele@gmail.com. Also, if anyone has Mary Graves email or contact information please let me know. I miss talking to her and hope to re establish contact soon.

Thanks
Ian
www.weltwanderlust.blogspot.com

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

New Director of Alumni Relations

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 19:43:02 GMT

Hello All!

Reading through the posts here, I felt like I might have something you'd all be interested in. My name is Sarah Martin, and I graduated in May 2007. I am working at World Headquarters this summer, and likely again next Spring, taking this time to sort out where I go next and to enjoy the journey there.

I thought you might be interested to know that Global College (our newest Friends World incarnate) has hired a director of alumni relations, a position that, to my knowledge, has never existed at Friends World before. Her name is Sara Purcell, and she is really an excellent individual. She just started, but is already beginning to think of ways to form a proper alumni association seperate from the LIU machine.

I've given her a good amount of input- what I gather to be the 'alumni' pulse. I've tried to do a fair job representing a portion of our interests in my meetings with Sara. Chief among them, I felt, was that all previous incarnations of Friends World be recognized and that none be ignored- that the alumni association recognizes us as Friends World College or Friends World Program graduates, and that the newest class of students be recognized, in time, as Global College alumni. I've expressed to her the amount of disappointment I myself felt, as well as the alumni I know felt, and many of the posts indicated here that the wider community of alumni felt, when the name changed so suddenly, abruptly, and with little community dialogue.

I'll be snooping around on this tribe site regularly, so if you have questions about exactly what is cooking here at World Headquarters, regarding the alumni association, or things generally, just reply to this post and I'll be happy to answer them as best as I can.

Take Care,

Sarah Martin
FWP 2003-2007

posted in Friends World - 4 replies

Antioch College--Be ashamed to let it die!

Ellen (Ginger) — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 19:46:22 GMT

There is a lot of information flying around about the "death" of Antioch College. The Board of Trustees has decided to suspend operations of the undergraduate college for four years with a view to reopening in 2012 on a more financially secure base. This weekend, June 22-24, hundreds of alumni are at the Yellow Springs campus, fighting for the life of Antioch College. If you ever attended Antioch or have friends who did, please get involved to help us preserve this wonderful college. Many of us are afraid that if it closes for four years, it may not open again, ever. Our founder, Horace Mann, said "Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for mankind." We say, "Be ashamed to let Antioch die!"

I attended Friends World College from 1971-1972, then transferred to Antioch and graduated in 1974.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Looking for Clayton (Clay) McDonald!

timothy — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:55:34 GMT

I met Clay while working on a schooner. He told me about a school he'd helped start and one month later I was at F.W. That was close to 10 years ago. Now I'm picking up and finishing the degree and would love to find the guy. If you've heard from or of him in the past....10yrs let me know. Thanks- Tim Stillman

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

For fun - let's play six degrees of...

Lianna — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 21:07:17 GMT

This **could** be fun...

I don't know most of you because I was only at FWC for one year. But I read one post from Brett mentioning his friend Angelica who I know from London. So we're one degree apart.

I was in London in 1989-1990 with Angelica, Dave Ridgeway, Stephanie, Nancy, Vanessa, Natasha, Anja, Miho, Jana, Kelly, Abby, John, Sami, Alex and lots more that I'm not thinking of this second.

Do we practically know each other?

posted in Friends World - 17 replies

meet up in NY

Sarah — Thu, 10 May 2007 18:36:16 GMT

Hi
My name is Sarah and I just graduated FW in December. I will be checking out the Brooklyn headquarters for the first time in May, would love to meet any FW students/alumni cuz I kinda missed out on the college community experience. The majority of my time was independent travel living with the Roma.

I will be on the East Coast on a lil' dance tour with Barbary Coast Shakedown, hope FW represents and comes out to Galapagos in NY on the night of May 30th for a fab dance show of Gypsy jazz, cabaret, and whatnot.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

My Hero Marla

brettrader — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 21:17:04 GMT

I hope I offend no one, but I want to remember Marla this week. I often think of her from time to time and talk to her still. Its hard not to let a tear slip out. I remember Marla for who she was, she was so much fun. I remember out flight from Paris to Nairobi after a few of us had met up in Paris before we went to Kenya. She got out of her seat and went to the back of the plane, minutes later she came back with a bitty bottle of champagne between each finger. She proptly gave us each a bottle. When we asked her how she got them she told us that she told the stewardess that it was one of our birthdays and that she wanted to surprise us. She made everything an event to be remembered.

posted in Friends World - 7 replies

The End Of Friends World

Alexandra — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:02:27 GMT

The "Official" letter says it all....

Dear Community,

Re: Friends World Program becomes Global College

Please see below an early draft of the press release announcing the name change to Global College, which takes place today, March 5, 2007. (The new website is now up on the server.) The final and official release will come from university public relations. We all expect that there will be a transition period of a few months as we gradually adjust to our new name and make the changes necessary.

With the new name also comes a new Global College distribution list and newsletter which will follow a new format. Please see the attached for the suggested community guidelines, a draft of which was sent to all centers. Please do feel free to send suggestions for additions to the guidelines to Joann Halpern. In addition, students at the center in Costa Rica and in Brooklyn are working on proposals for community guidelines which we may or may not wish to adopt (based initially on guidelines on the Earlham College website) which we look forward to circulating to the entire community for review.

Robert Glass, Ph.D.

University Dean of International Education

Dean, Friends World Program/Global College

Long Island University

718-780-4312

For Immediate Release

Contact: Peg Byron, Director of Public Relations

Brooklyn Campus, Long Island University

(718) 488-1418 or (917) 673-5423

peg.byron@liu.edu

Long Island University to Transform International Studies Program

New Curriculum and Name Change will Position Global College (Formerly Friends World Program)
as a Leader in International Education and Global Citizenship

Brooklyn, N.Y. – During its 41-year history, the Friends World Program established itself as a unique, international experiential education program. This year, the Program, which is a unit of Long Island University, one of the largest, most comprehensive private universities in the country, will undergo revisions to its curriculum as well as a name change. Global College, as it will be known, will become the only global studies program in the nation to integrate a series of year-long cultural immersions into a progressive, four-year Bachelor of Arts degree.

“The newly developed Global College curriculum will deepen the multicultural aspects of the program,” commented Robert Glass, University dean of International Education and of the program. In announcing the changes, he explained, “Intensive study, independent fieldwork and international employment experiences that span across Africa, Asia, the Sub-continent and the Americas, will provide unparalleled learning opportunities for students, making them more sensitive to social, political and economic issues on a global level. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those who realize the benefits of acquiring an education where the world literally becomes their classroom.”

Global College students will benefit from international experiences as well as a broad-based liberal arts education, and will spend their first three years living and learning at centers in Costa Rica, China, India, Japan and South Africa, where they will acquire the cross-cultural education and insight that is increasingly valuable to employers as economic, technological, political and social issues become more globally interconnected. The fall semester of their final year will involve hands-on experience that is relevant to their area of concentration in a location of their choice. During the final semester spent at the New York City Center, they will compose their senior thesis and take capstone courses, graduating with a B.A. in Global Studies.

While enrolled in Global College, students will have the opportunity to master multiple languages and to participate in service-learning projects in a variety of diverse settings, building their personal and professional skills. “Our graduates have gone on to find employment with the United Nations, OXFAM, UNICEF, the Earth Institute, the World Health Organization, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a growing number of non-profit organizations concerned with the developing world,” noted Dr. Glass. “Those who have pursued graduate education, have been admitted to Columbia University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, University of California-Berkeley and the School for International Training, to name a few. The new curriculum will only serve to expand the many opportunities that are open to them. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen the preparation of students to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world,” he concluded.

University President David J. Steinberg and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jeffrey Kane, who both were instrumental in shaping the new curriculum, realized the importance of not only educating students, but of making them citizens of the world. “In the words of Nobel Peace Prize winner and former U.N. Secretary-General, Kofi Annan,” said Dr. Steinberg, “’We must ensure that the global market is embedded in broadly shared values and practices that reflect global social needs, and that all the world's people share the benefits of globalization.’ With new ways of seeing and understanding our world,” he commented, “our young people will be better prepared to meet the challenges in the years ahead.”

For more information about Global College, visit www.liu.edu/globalcollege or, call 718-488-3409.

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

Looking For David Tanner

John — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 03:37:45 GMT

David and I were friends when we started at FWC in 1987 at the Huntington campus, but I lost touch with him. I think he was going to go to the Japan center next, but I'm not sure. Does anybody have any more info about him?

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

New Quaker World College

John — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:17:47 GMT

For the last ten years, growing out of some work I did with the United Nations, I have been working toward organizing a new global-scale Quaker-related college of peacemaking. Being a former Friends World College staffer myself (Development Officer, mid-1980s), I learned a great deal about mistakes the college made and pitfalls that it encountered. These experiences have informed my efforts to organize a new college: John Woolman College of Equity-Restorative Justice, Peacemaking, and Conflict Transformation. John Woolman College is currently three years into its formal organizational phase: we have recruited 22 Principals who are already doing the work of teaching peacemaking in various countries around the world -- Kenya, South Africa, Croatia, Costa Rica, Venezuela, the Dineh Nation, USA, Chile, and others among them. Several of these have established Centers or Institutes where people studying peacemaking can matriculate or intern. There is no formal relationship with Friends World College whatsoever, but what we are doing with John Woolman College has a remarkable similarity to the early years of Friends World, before the important mistakes were made such as formally declaring itself non-sectarian, devoting itself politically to one country out of many, becoming beholden to the US monetary and financial system, and finally to the abrogation and abandonment of its Quaker-style system of governance, the Learning Community. If you would like more information about John Woolman College, you can write email to CERJ@igc.org. BTW I am a very active Quaker and menber of New England Yearly Meeting of Friends (Putney is my home meeting). Also, and certainly ironically, I am the son of a longtime FWC and FWP Board member, Virginia Reppert.

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

ANyone out there?!

brettrader — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:32:32 GMT

Hey all, it has been really dead in here, I am amazed to thing that a hundred some FWers have nothing to share, we are FWers for pete sake, our lives are some of the most interesting on the planet! Well as for me I finally gonna finish my degree that I started from FW. I graduate from Evergreen at the end of the month. Yeah. Now I can get a real job, right? ANyway hope to hear what everyone else is up to soon.

posted in Friends World - 20 replies

New members

ovejanegra — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 17:48:52 GMT

Where is everybody? I see we have new members that haven't introduced themselves.

Please let us know about your FWP connection.

posted in Friends World - 18 replies

Time for a Bay Area FWC Get Together in Late April?

ross — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 14:53:22 GMT

Hi All -- I was thinking it might be nice to have another get together of FWC'ers in the Bay Area and was thinking we could do it in Golden Gate Park, say in late April (maybe Sunday the 29th?). Let me know if that's something you'd be interested in doing.

Ross

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

what phones work in costa rica?

shelsea — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:40:36 GMT

HI... I'm a new student going to costa rica in a couple of days and i was wondering what phone to bring down there that will be able to connect to the local service... if any one could help me out i would really apprieciate it.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

New name and logo

Jonathan — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:30:52 GMT

I've put the new name and logo in the photos section of the tribe. Following is the letter from the Dean forwarded to the fw-alumni list.

To: The Friends World Community
From: Robert Glass, Dean
Re: Change of name
Date: Monday, December 18, 2006

Following the discussion at the meeting of the Council of Overseers on
November 11, 2006, the Clerk/Chair Valentine Titus submitted a list of
six possible new names to the Officers of Long Island University. (The
difficulty of deciding on a specific name is reflected in the Overseers'
decision to submit a total of six names, rather than just three.)

I am pleased to announce that the University has chosen one of the
Overseer's proposed names as the new name for the Friends World Program.
This name change will be reflected in marketing materials published for
the new recruiting season beginning in February 2007.

Please see the attached logo.

Thanks to the Council of Overseers for all their work on this over the
past six months. Thanks as well to students and alumni who wrote in with
their opinions on the issue.

Seasons Greetings to all,

Robert

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

Questions and Concerns from current students at LAC

Tina — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:18:24 GMT

Dear Friends World Alumni,

The following document was an email sent out to Robert Glass (Program Dean), Paul Cox (Student Executive) and the FW Listserv. I felt this is important for the alumni to know about and get involved if they are interested. Thanks

Peace,
Tina von Roedern
Current student at the LAC

Concerns, Questions, & Requests Regarding the Friends World Program’s “New Curriculum” & Name Change

As concerned students at the Latin American Center:

o We are concerned that our opinions, ideas, and feelings about the current changes which Friends World is undergoing, were not taken into consideration and we fear the Friends World’s process of consensus is being undermined.

o We believe the opinions, ideas and feelings of the entire Friends World community of students should not only be taken into consideration but channels of dialogue should be created and encouraged in face of changing our curriculum.

o We are concerned that upcoming additions, subtractions and changes to the Friends World Program, as suggested in the new (2007-2008) catalogue, neither represent us as a student body nor what Friends World Program stands for.

o Further, the LAC community is made up primarily of students graduating in 2010, in which case there is a greater concern on behalf of these students; we are not convinced that the “new curriculum” will not affect us, especially come “junior year.” Although it has been stated that the “new curriculum” will not apply to us as current students, we are concerned for the intangible effects of the ideological/methodological changes in our futures within the Friends World community.

o Further, we believe the present changes to the Friends World Program were executed too rapidly and opaquely. It therefore makes it difficult for us to determine the motivations/justifications behind the changes and what processes were taken to reach the content of the “new curriculum.”

o Further, we have discovered that many creative ideas exist among our student population as to how we can change certain aspects of FWP to improve it, publicize it, and preserve it. However, we are concerned that our ideas and creativity have been overlooked in the “new curriculum.”

o Although, we may have creative ideas, we do not feel informed enough about the reasons for why our program is changing and what changes need to be made. We are confident though, given all the information, we can help form specific ideas/proposals for specific challenges or problems within the Friends World Program.

o Lastly, as concerned students at the LAC, who feel underrepresented and uninformed, we have developed a list of questions for which, as students, we have the right to be given specific answers.

I. Specific question regarding the “number of factors contributed to the curricular changes in Friends World” presented in the email sent out by Robert Glass on October 16, 2006 to the FWP Listserv: (To see full text of this email see attachment)

1) “External reviews of senior theses over the past five years including the Council of Overseers’ reviews of senior work for the annual senior thesis award.”

a) What was the sample of senior theses taken into account? All of them?
b) What was the process/methodology of the “external reviews?”
c) What were the specific results and/or conclusions of the review?
d) Can we be provided with the report of these reviews?
e) How are the members of the Council of Overseers chosen?
f) Are these members on the Friends World Listserv? If not, can a channel of dialogue be created so they are familiar with current students’ realities and ideas?

2) “Communications from FWP alumni attending graduate school.”

a) What were these “communications” specifically?
b) Who were these alumni and how many communicated?
c) What about non-graduate school attending alumni?

3) “Change in the criteria used by the Middle States Accreditation Commission in reviewing the quality of education at Long Island University; the internal audit of the Friends World Program conducted by Long Island University”

a) What was the criteria before and how has it changed?
b) Specifically, what was the evaluation of the FWP by both Middle States Accreditation Commission and Long Island University?
c) What demands have Middle States Accreditation Commission and Long Island University made of us?
d) Can we be provided with the report or evaluation of this “internal audit?”

4) “Feedback from field work supervisors in many Asian countries”

a) What was the sample of fieldwork supervisors?
b) Who were the fieldwork supervisors?
c) Specifically what was the feedback?
d) Why were only the fieldwork supervisors in Asia taken into consideration?

5) “And global statistics on emerging economies and their effect on the world economy over the next 40 years”

a) What were the “global statistics” and where did they come from?
b) Can the vagueness of this statement be clarified? Why specifically was this statement used in the justification for changes to the FWP?

6) “There has always been a tension in Friends World between the horizontal and the vertical, between breadth and depth, between maximizing student choice and increasing the sophistication of students’ knowledge and skills. While in the decade of the 1990’s, Friends World emphasized the former in each of these pairs, the post 9-11 era brings with it a new set of criteria for both international travel and global studies programs.”

a) What is this “new set of criteria” and how does it reflect on the “tension in Friends World between the horizontal and the vertical, between breadth and depth, between maximizing student choice and increasing sophistication of students’ knowledge and skills?”
b) Why is “the post 9-11 era” mentioned specifically in this context?
c) Why would “vertical”, “depth” and “sophistication of students’ knowledge and skills” be more prevalent in a “post 9-11 era?”
d) Is it possible that this tension has less do with “9-11” and more to do with the Friends World Program reality? And is there not much potential for creative solutions to the tension created by this reality within the Friends World community?

II. Specific questions about the “new curriculum” as it is represented in the 2007-2008 Friends World Program Catalogue.

1) The process taken in constructing the “new curriculum

a) Who, specifically, were the individuals involved in creating the new catalogue and the “new curriculum” of the Friends World Program? Where was the student (past and present) representation?
b) What, specifically, was the methodology/dialogue in constructing the changes to the Friend World Program and which persons approved them?
c) Were there other proposals? If so, what were they?
d) How have the changes been justified under our Constitution of the Learning Community and our mission statement?
e) Why have these changes been pushed through so quickly especially in regards to notifying Centers only a semester ago about these curriculum changes (e.g. the fourteenth version of the new catalogue arrived at the LAC on April 7th, 2006)?
f) Why was there no World Conference held to discuss these changes? Or at least, why was no channel created for the entire body of students, faculty, and staff to discuss these changes?
g) Where was the consensus in these changes?

2) The new structure of freshman—Costa Rica, sophomore—China or India, junior—Japan/Africa or Comparative Religion & Culture, senior—Independent Study/Brooklyn.

a) Where did the idea for this new structure originate? And who were the individuals who approved this new structure?
b) What other ideas were presented?
c) Is this structure representative of Friends World Program? If so, who decided?
d) Why has the country pathway been limited? Benefits? Weaknesses?
e) What were the problems with the previous designs? What were previous solutions?
f) Can we not benefit immensely from integrating with the younger and older members of our community, as well as, integrating with new students instead of always the same individuals?
g) As students with individual interests, should we not be deciding our own pathways?
h) Why are Centers becoming stage of learning driven (or progression oriented)? Is it not true that students evolve in different ways and at a different pace than one another?
i) If this structure comes to pass will there be continued flexibility for students who have concrete plans for independent studies in other countries that do not have Centers or at Centers out of the prescribed pathway despite their grade level?

3) In regards to the transition of the FWP Interdisciplinary Studies B.A. to Global Studies B.A. (To see full text of email sent out by Robert Glass regarding the Global Studies BA see attachment)

a) What is the reason for Friends World Program’s transition to a “Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies?”
b) If the main issue is about confusion and transferability of a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies then why not allow students to determine their own field versus limiting the wording on the diploma to Global Studies?

4) In regards to Independent Study:

a) Why is there a deemphasizing of Independent Study? This question is in reference to previous academic years at Friends World when a greater emphasis (in terms of allotted credit hours) was placed on Independent Study.
b) Why is the Independent Study Semester referred to as an “exciting new possibility” when this possibility previously existed and not only that but it was not limited to seniors?

5) In regards to the Area of Concentration:

a) Why is the Area of Concentration only mentioned twice in the new catalogue?
b) And why is it not mentioned once in either of the “junior year” Center descriptions or course descriptions of the Junior Research Seminar?
c) Why is the spring Junior Seminar geared toward a specific cultural issue of the given location instead of towards the investigation of a given student’s Area of Concentration through projects (as it is presently)?
d) Is the Area of Concentration being postponed until the senior year?
e) Is the Area of Concentration being deemphasized in the “new curriculum?”

III. Financial state of the Friends World Program.

a) How is the financial situation of Friends World Program? Are we still in debt?
c) If any, what financial pressure exists from Long Island University?
d) If any, what financial pressure exists from Middle States Accreditation Commission?
e) Has enrollment been decreasing? If so, has a study been conducted to find out why it is decreasing? And are the reports available?
f) Is poor retention rate a factor in Friends World’s financial situation? If so, has a study been conducted to find out why the retention rate is poor? And are the reports available?
g) What have been specific measures taken to confront financial instability?
h) Have studies been conducted on how Friends World can improve its financial situation and/or advertising? And are these reports available?
i) How does Friends World insure job security for faculty and staff?
j) Is it not possible that current students could a be great asset in the promotion of the Friends World Program especially considering many of us heard about the program from alumni or current students?

IV. In regards to the Friends World name change (to see full text of the email sent out by Robert Glass regarding the name change see attachment)

a) What is the status of the name change?
b) If the name is to change then will it be represented on the diplomas of current students or only the incoming students?
c) Why was the Council of Overseers charged with the task of renaming Friends World versus being a community discussion?
d) Even though there has been an ongoing issue with the name of Friends World why was it reintroduced to the community in such an abrupt way? (The email from Robert telling the FW community that the name would in fact be changed came November 7th while the meeting to make the proposals to send to LIU was four days in the future on November 11th.)
e) Could this issue not have been confronted in a World Council, so that the whole community could have participated?

Our final requests as concerned students at the Latin American Center are as follows:

o We want representation in the governing process and transformation of Friends World Program for ourselves as well as all the Center’s students.

o We want to add our creative and diverse ideas for the future development of Friends World Program and have them legitimately taken into consideration.

o We want World Headquarters to insure that students are well informed of Friends World Program’s status in a timely manner and to work with us, the students, as well as the Center’s where we attend to create more effective channels of communication.

We appreciate the time in consideration of these concerns, questions and requests. We look forward to the response and future dialogue concerning this document, as well as Friends World Program as a whole.

Sincerely,
The concerned students at the LAC:

Abby Wambaugh (abbywambaugh@gmail.com)
Brian W. Ashley (brianwashley@yahoo.com)
Kayla Frawey (frawey@yahoo.com)
Michael Wakeley (michpw@gmail.com)
Carol Lesser (carebearscorpio@yahoo.com)
Erin Ellard-Meyer (erineliseem@hotmail.com)
Nitai Nunez (nitainunez@yahoo.com)
Tina von Roedern (freedumpeanuts@yahoo.com)
Erin Hawkins (hey.its.erin@gmail.com)
Selia Cox (selia112@hotmail.com)
Alicia White (ali_f2f@hotmail.com)
Mica Thompson (mica.thompson@brooklyn.liu.edu)
Cam Moore (moorecameron@gmail.com)
Rebecca Inver (rebecca.inver@brooklyn.liu.edu)
Kathleen Watt (cheshirekat@gmail.com)
Katherine Cain (katherinecain@brooklyn.liu.edu)
Elizabeth Damsky (trafficlightservitude@gmail.com)
Lily Hanson (lily.michelle.hanson@gmail.com)
Sarah Kruger (sarahjosette@gmail.com)
Katie Franson (zapatita@gmail.com)

posted in Friends World - 8 replies

Nairobi Conference

brettrader — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:17:28 GMT

Hey all,
My Friend Angelica Broman wanted me to post this in here to see if any others are going or want to get in contact with her. I can get you her contact info, if you email me in here.

"Are any other Friends World people attending the World Social Forum in
Nariobi 20-25 January 2007? Let me know Angeilca at angelbroman@swipnet.se
find out more on www.wsf2007.org "

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Name change: letter from Council of Overseers

Jonathan — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:36:28 GMT

The following message was sent to the fw-alumni listserv today by Rebekah Weinstein (assistant to Glass) on behalf of Valentine Titus, who is the clerk of the Council of Coverseers. I'll post the message itself in this post, and add some thoughts in the next post. Here it is:

From the Clerk/Chair of the Council of Overseers

Dear Friends,

Many of you receiving this letter, by list serve or mail, are aware that the LIU administration has asked the Council of Overseers to support a name change, as recommended by a consultant group which evaluated our recruitment program.

The Council of Overseers was asked to agree to this recommendation and to submit a list of suggested names to the University. At our November 11, 2006 meeting, we did that and submitted a list of 6 names to LIU. The final choice will be made by the LIU administration.

Some historical background may make it easier to accept (or even support) this action, and to appreciate the serious consideration given it by Dean Robert Glass and the members of the Council.

The Council of Overseers was established in 1991, when Friends World College merged with LIU. Upon becoming a Program of LIU, the Board of Trustees of FWC was dissolved and the LIU Board of Trustees became the responsible party.

The Council has 25 members (volunteers); members of the Board of Trustees of the former Friends World College, alumnae/i, business people, Quakers, and citizens interested in international education; whose purpose is to preserve and promote the mission of the Program.

The Council offers financial support and works with the Dean, on request, on matters of recruitment, curriculum, and the general well-being of the Program. The Council meets 4 times a year, with Executive Committee meetings more frequently. One of the meetings takes place on Senior Recognition Day—May 11, 2007, on the Brooklyn campus. All are welcome.

The circumstances leading up to the Council’s actions on November 11 were initiated at the September 16, 2006 Council meeting. Dr. Jeffrey Kane, LIU Vice President of Academic Affairs, attended the meeting. He expressed strong and unequivocal support for the Friends World Program from the LIU administration, including President David Steinberg. This support was extended in the face of a disheartening decline in enrollment, and the projection of a $150,000 budget deficit for each of the next 2 years.

The promised support includes developing and providing promotional help from the LIU Development Office, working with the Council and the FW staff; it includes a commitment from LIU to work with Dean Robert Glass and the admissions staff to develop a recruitment plan; and it includes the promise to absorb the Program’s projected deficits for the next several years--- as LIU has been doing almost every year since 1991, totaling almost $2,000,000.

The plan to move forward, as stated by Jeffrey Kane at the September 16 meeting, emphasized LIU’s willingness to not only cover budget deficits for the next two year, but to offer expertise to work with all aspects of the Program---fund raising, recruitment, and marketing.

Also at this meeting, the Council of Overseers was asked to lend support to the move forward by accepting 3 challenges:

1) Support a name change, as recommended by a consultant group which evaluated our recruitment program
2) Support creation of an Overseers alumnae/i committee, to take advantage of our outstanding alumns, in hosting events, contacting prospective students, and raising our public profile
3) Assume responsibility, working with the LIU Development Office, to raise $50,000 a year, over the 5 year period of the strategic plan

This is a very brief overview of the background for our actions at the November 11 Council meeting. After far-reaching, soul-searching, and intense discussion, the Council submitted a list of 6 names to VPAA Dr. Jeffrey Kane. The final choice rests with the LIU administration.

As Clerk/President of the Council of Overseers, I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the Council and our actions. Please call me at my home, 631-692-4471, snail mail to me at FWP, 9 Hanover Place 4th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201, or email to me c/o Rebekah at Rebekah.Weinstein@liu.edu

For those of you who would like to make a contribution now, before the phonathon of annual appeal are underway, please make your check out to Friends World Program/LIU, and mail it to Dean Robert Glass, FWP, 9 Hanover Place 4th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

Council members have expressed renewed commitment to helping Friends World prosper and grow. Stay with us.

In friendship,

Valentine Titus
Clerk/President, Council of Overseers

Rebekah Weinstein
Assistant to the Dean of International Education
Friends World Program
Long Island University
9 Hanover Place, 4th floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-780-4312
718-780-4325 (fax)
Rebekah.Weinstein@liu.edu

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

The Six

Jonathan — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 18:45:36 GMT

These are the six proposed names nominated by the FW Council of Overseers to the LIU adminstration. LIU in turn will consider them as candidates for the new name of the school, although we should keep in mind that they are under no legal obligation to do use any of them.

1) Friends World College for Global Studies of Long Island University

2) The College/School for Global Learning/Studies of Long Island University

3) College /School of Global Studies of Long Island University

4) Morris Mitchell College or/School for Global Studies/ Learning of Long Island University

5) Global College for Experiential Learning

6) The Global College of Long Island University

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

What happened to Martin?

Travis — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 13:38:53 GMT

I heard that Martin Barnes passed away , he was a good friend of mine and I returned to Machakos a number of times after my semester in Kenya and spent time at the campus. Can anyone fill me in on what happed to him?

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

TIME WARP

Jennifer — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 19:24:33 GMT

Hi I posted some stuff about Katheka Kai around the year 2000, and it was 1990 ,time is relative ?!?. I guess the last ten years were not as interesting as the first 20, I need to start taking some Gingko. So if anyone was there 1990-1991 at Kai or Kilifi or Lamu and has news to share......I was trying to remember the name of that leaf and bark people (me) chewed that was like coffee, does anyone remember the name of it?

posted in Friends World - 7 replies

I was Just thinking about Kai today

brettrader — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 14:44:45 GMT

Its kinda fun to reminise about stuff sometimes. The view from the peace corp dorms and the dirt road to town. just wanted to write something quickly about it.

posted in Friends World - 19 replies

Friends World - terroism

julie — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 05:46:37 GMT

Does anyone remember when our NAC professor/student advisor Nesar Ahmed was killed on his trip home to Pakistan - in 1986(?) ? In a "terrorist" attack against a Pan Am flight back to the states - people were machined gunned down on the plane as it sat on the runway in Karachi -Nesar was a very sweet intelligent person - he was the one who had encouraged me to study in Africa vs. Japan - "you need to go to see how most of the world lives, you should study in a peripheral country" (vs. Industrialised Japan) - I spoke with him when he was planning his first trip back to Pakistan after many years - he was excited about visiting his family but a little bit apprehensive re: the politics there - he had socialist leanings and was close friends with Benazir Bhutto who was in charge at the time - anyway he never made it back to the states from his trip - he left behind his wife and little girl - I am concerned about terrorism however I'm super concerned about all the terroists we're creating by unjustly detaining people and blowing up their countries - how do you all feel about traveling to other countries @ this time ? as an American -

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

Name Change: Friends World is Friends World no more!

Tina — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 23:39:50 GMT

Hey Friends Worlders thought you might wanna know!

To: Friends World Community
From: Robert Glass, Dean
Re: an update on the program name change
Date: November 7, 2006

For the last two years there have been formal and informal discussions
within the Friends World community regarding the possibility of
changing
the name of the Program. This topic has been brought up at community
meetings at some centers (the Japan and China Centers), or over student
lunches at other centers. More recently, it has become an item of
concern in marketing studies of how best to increase enrollment in the
Friends World Program. As such it has been discussed at a number of
meetings of both World Council and the Council of Overseers. As the
Director of one overseas center put it to me this past spring after a
community meeting:

"the majority of our students seem to feel strongly . . . [that] the
name Friends World on their transcript might lead a potential employer
or graduate admission committee to question if ours is a theological
program, which we are not, or perhaps if unfamiliar with Quaker
terminology, assume we are a "hippy school" that does not take academic
standards seriously, which in my estimation we are not. As familiar and
fond as many of us must be of our present name, new students appear to
have strong (and negative) first reactions to the name, and often talk
about it in jest. This concerns me especially because of our falling
enrolment, and if we are to increase our attraction to prospective
students I feel we need to further reconsider our name."

The Friends World Program is almost totally supported by the funds it
receives from student tuition. Friends World has neither an endowment
nor a large group of wealthy alumni who support the program with large
annual gifts. (As our alumni often seek out careers of service to
others
rather than careers in the business world, annual alumni support totals
less than the tuition from one student.)

As the name of the program is now seen as a contributing factor to low
enrollment, and enrollment is at a ten year low, the decision has been
taken to seriously entertain proposals to change the name of the
program
before the next marketing and admissions cycle. The new name would
better reflect the mission of global engagement to those external to
the
program.

I write now to give the community a short update on the change of name
-- prominent on the agenda of the next meeting of the Council of
Overseers this Saturday November 11th at 10 am. The Council of
Overseers
will sort through the various suggestions and forward a few final
choices to Long Island University.

There are three parts to the discussion on the name change:

First, there is a discussion of the title of the academic unit itself
--
program, center, college, institute etc. It seems that it will not be
possible to use the term "college" instead of "program," which likely
leaves us with either center or institute (though other suggestions are
welcomed). Retaining the term program seems to have less support.
Second, the next part of the name seems likely to be global,
comparative
or international.

The third part of the name will likely be either studies or education,
with a fourth consideration being whether or not to include the term
"experiential."

Two of many examples: Institute of Global Studies; Center for Global
Experiential Education

As we need to have the final name to LIU Marketing Services in the
first
week of December in order to make the deadline for revisions for next
year's marketing and admissions cycle, the Council of Overseers will
make a decision at the meeting this Saturday.

Please do give this some thought, or weigh in with your comments even
now, by sending suggestions to the student executive, Paul Cox at
paulcox72@gmail.com . Paul will collect the responses and forward them
to the Council of Overseers.

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

The "New" Friends World????

Tina — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 21:27:44 GMT

Hello Friends World Community Past & Present,

First we would like to apologize for the deletion of the previous thread titled “Structural Changes to Friends World.” There was some technical difficulty. Anyways the following information was extracted from the new program catalogue (the edition which Robert Glass sent out on October 16th, 2006 to current students). This information is to illustrate how much independent study is available to the incoming students (Fall 2007) as stated in the new catalogue. Though, there is some independent study available there has been a substantial phasing out of independent study over the past few years. The Friends World alumni ought to be able to corroborate the previous claim.

To view the catalogue in its entirety please go to the following website and download it: http://www.sendspace.com/file/asxl34

Peace,
A group of current & concerned students

Beginning Fall 2007
~~~~“Freshman Year” is spent in the Costa Rica Center~~~~

Costa Rica Center Required Courses:
Fall Semester/ Spring Semester
Area Studies (3 credits)/ Area Studies (3)
Freshman Seminar (3)/ Freshman Seminar (3)
Spanish (4)/ Spanish (4)
Writing (3)/ Writing (3)
Fall Total: 13 credits/ Spring Total: 13 credits
(This leaves 3 possible “Independent Study Project” (ISP) credits fall semester and 3 possible ISP credits spring semester.)

~~~~“Sophomore Year” is spent either in the China Center or the India Center~~~~

China Center (Option 1 for “Sophomore Year”) Required Courses:
Fall Semester/ Spring Semester
Area Studies (4 credits)/ Area Studies (4)
Sophomore Seminar (3)/ Elective (1)
Mandarin Chinese (3)/ Mandarin Chinese (3)
Writing Workshop (3)
Fall Total: 13 credits/ Spring Total: 8 credits
(This leaves a total of 3 possible ISP credits Fall Semester and, as stated in the catalogue, “second semester students may earn up to eight credits for independent study.” In other words there is an 8 ISP credit cap for spring semester.)

India Center (Option 2 for “Sophomore Year”) Required Courses:
Fall Semester/ Spring Semester
Area Studies (4 credits)/ Area Studies (4)
Sophomore Seminar (3)/ Elective (1)
Hindi (3)/ Hindi (3)
Writing Workshop (3)
Fall Total: 13 credits/Spring Total: 8 credits
(This leaves a total of 3 ISP credits for fall semester and, again an 8 ISP credit cap for spring semester.)

~~~“Junior Year” is spent in Japan/South Africa (opening in spring 2008) or Comparative Religion & Culture~~~

Japan/South Africa (Option 1a for “Junior Year”) Required Courses:
Japan: Fall Semester*/ South Africa: Spring Semester
Area Studies (3 credits)/ Area Studies (4)
Junior Research Seminar (3)/ Junior Seminar (3)
Japanese (3-4)/ Zulu (3)
Writing Workshop (3)/ Writing Workshop (3)
Survival Japanese (for beginners only) (2)
Digital Literacy (3)
Fall Total: 17-18 creditsº/ Spring Total: 13 credits
(This leaves no possible ISP credits fall semester and 3 possible ISP credits spring semester.)

* There also seems to be an option to have the South Africa Semester first and the Japan semester second, though whether or not that is true is rather unclear given the information in the catalogue.

º These are the required courses stated in the catalogue; however, Friends World students only do 16 credits per semester (unless an appeal is made by an individual student). Therefore this edition of the catalogue still contains typos (we do not know when or if this catalogue has been through printing already). This rather large typo is clear evidence of the fact that this catalogue was developed in haste and with not enough critique.

Comparative Religion & Culture (Option 2 for “Junior Year”) Required Courses:
Fall Semester/ Spring Semester
Comparison: Theory & Method (4 credits)/ Comparison: Practice & Critique (4)
Religions & Modernity in Taiwan (4)/ Religions & Modernity in India (4)
Culture & Society of Taiwan (4)/ History & Society of India (4)
Religions & Modernity in Thailand (4)/ Religions & Modernity in Turkey (4)
Fall Total: 16 credits/ Spring Total: 16 credits
(This leaves no possible ISP credits.)

~~~~“Senior Year” is spent fall semester in the “Independent Study Semester” and spring semester in New York~~~~

Fall Semester "Independent Study Semester" Required Courses
No required courses.
This entire semester is self-designed
with the supervision of an advisor.
Fall Total: 16 credits

Spring Semester in New York Required Courses:
Senior Capstone Project (2 credits)
Senior Career Seminar (2)
Senior Thesis Seminar (3)
Cross Cultural Understanding in a Globalizing World (3)
Spring Total: 10 credits
(This leaves 16 ISP credits fall semester and 6 ISP credits spring semester.)

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

Alternative colleges

cameron — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 20:52:46 GMT

Does anyone have recomendations of schools simmilar to Friends World but with more independent study options?
For instance, if I wanted to travel around Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Northern India for a year or so writting about Buddhism and Shamanism, who would give me credit for that?
Much love

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

reaching out....a FWeek by any other name...

ellen — Mon, 15 May 2006 00:40:47 GMT

Hello all

I attended FWC in 1975-1977 in Huntington and England. I also wound up as the cook for a year or two in 1984-1986. I am now living in Buffalo ny (or the region) and freelance writing. It has been a long journey but my times at FWC are some of the best.

For those of you who know her, I spoke with Mary Krumbein today. She is well and living in Vaughn, Wa. Another recent contact is Bob Wagner, living in Niarobi and Pyrites, NY (guess which seasons he spends where?).

So if you know me or if you don't but want to... I am here now. I hope we can reconnect. I look forward to hearing from EVERYONE.

Love Ellen

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

TIME SENSATIVE - CONTACTING JEFF HELPERN

Brian — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 18:42:06 GMT

I have a couple of radio stations in Buffalo and we had a local peace activist call into one of our local shows. He was caught in a firefight this morning as there was siege on a prison. We want to have some guest on to discuss what's going on in Palestine/Israel and one of the people who came to mind was Jeff Halpern former MEC Director and Program Director. Anyone have contact info on how we can get in touch with him.

Brian Brown-Cashdollar

posted in Friends World - 7 replies

Huntington and Kenya alumnus

Mark — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 03:49:17 GMT

Hi,

Didn't think anybody even still remembered FWC, much less post about it.

Anyway, I was at the original campus from 83-84 and in Kenya from 84-85.

Those were some of the best times of my life, although things are pretty darn good these days as I live comfortably in Phuket, Thailand.

So, Hello all

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

News of Kai?

Jennifer — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:23:57 GMT

HI, I was at FWC in Kenya from 200-2001and I have lost touch with everyone who I was there with, but I think about my time there constantly. When I try to retell the crazy stories it seems unreal, so it is so good to hear people talk about Wambua and the solar shower. Donna Klump was in charge, along with Martin and we spent time in Kilifi at the Jauss's dairy, and many weeks in Nairobi. Did anyone out there make the trip north to Lake Turkana inthe the rented car that kept dropping parts and finally died on Xmas eve at night somewhere after Lodwar? I would love to hear more stories and news from you all.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Its October, I was thinking about Halloween in Arusha

brettrader — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 14:59:55 GMT

Anyone else remeber that, when we all got dressed up with what ever we could find, Marla was Barbara Walters, Christine was the Wug (Whoog) and Erin was Punky Bruster. Then we went to that club and they herded us into a room and told us we could not leave until we gave them money. And We had to pull Marla of the 7ft huge guy in the door way cause she was yelling at him. It was a bad night, I remeber going back the next day with Profesor Dalizu and no one was there. It was weird. Anyway, I just needed to share it cause I was thinking about it all morning.

posted in Friends World - 7 replies

Marla Book

xine — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 18:19:24 GMT

Hi everyone, many of you know that Jen Abrahamson has been working on a book about Marla's life (they had been working on the book together before Marla's death), and in fact the book will be out at the end of the month, on shelves Sept 26th. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Relief-Marla-Ruzicka-Story/dp/1416917780/sr=8-3/qid=1157652395/ref=pd_bbs_3/102-4394845-5476952?ie=UTF8&s=books

The book is entitled "Sweet Relief: The Marla Ruzicka Story"

As for the movie, the screenwriter is finishing up the script (which thankfully relies strongly on the book), and she should be done with her work by the end of the month. No updates on release dates for the movie.

There will be a book release party in DC where everyone is invited. It will be held at Perry's in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, on either September 26 or 28. More details to follow.

posted in Friends World - 6 replies

I was just thinking about profe today

xine — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 21:22:28 GMT

I didn't mean to do it, but I ended up reading the NY Times headlines online today (emailed to my inbox every day) and a link caught my eye, and I couldn't help but click on it. I think you guys would appreciate. I remember the next day of this tragedy like it was yesterday.... it was for me at least, my first 9/11 so to speak... .but without the whole rest of the country blinking an eye. For those of you who might not be aware, Kai's professor Dalizu's wife was killed in the Kenyan embassy bombings in 1998. She was the one american to be buried in Africa, with her family.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/11/opinion/11mathiu.html
Op-Ed Contributor
The Bus Stopped There

By MUTUMA MATHIU
Published: September 11, 2006
Nairobi, Kenya

ON Aug. 7, 1998, the day a Qaeda bomb murdered more than 200 people here, I was late for work. The bus route to my office goes right past the American Embassy in central Nairobi. Had I been on time, the bus I would have taken would probably have been the one destroyed in the blast as the driver waited for a light outside the embassy. Instead, I was two miles away.

I walked to my office, seemingly the only person headed for the heart of the city. The rest of Nairobi’s millions, it appeared, were getting out of it. The first wave was in panic but largely unhurt. Then came the bleeding multitude, confused, angry and wounded, followed by the bad cases, white with mortar dust, barely able to walk.

When I visited the scene of the destruction, hundreds of volunteers, oblivious to their own safety, were digging with their hands for survivors. I learned that day that the power of communities — in New York, in Nairobi and in Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian city that Al Qaeda bombed the same day — to fight and survive terrorism lay not just in law enforcement and emergency services, but in each individual’s selfless willingness to help.

Days later, I saw the bus I never took. It was sagging and looked in need of a tow truck. Mechanics fiddled with the junk and, to the amazement of a curious crowd, started it and drove it away, creaking and weaving. We smiled for the first time in a long time. It was a metaphor for our community: battered, damaged, defiant, but with life in us yet.

Mutuma Mathiu is the editor of The Sunday Nation newspaper

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Message From the List Serve

ovejanegra — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 16:27:43 GMT

Dhane Blue wrote:

Hello ALL:
I'm an alumnus from 1987 ... now teaching in Thailand ... and looking for volunteers/donors for a shelter supporting homeless orphans here ... please take a look at my website ... and pass on the word if you're interested in helping. Thanks ... Dhane Blue
www.freewebs.com/karenmaesot

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

LAC Fall 96

ovejanegra — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 17:49:34 GMT

Visiting student Cari Crowe had a baby girl on July 13th!

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Searching for a prof

David — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 22:53:34 GMT

I'm looking for Walter Illsley who worked at Friends World Instititute and Friends World College in the late 1960's and early 1970. I worked with him during the summer of 1966 fixing up Lloyds Harbor estate in prep for it becoming the campus. Walter was in Europe just before WW II and was in Berlin when war was declared. He also was in China from 1948 through 1952. Then on to Mexico. When I worked with him at Lloyds Harbor he has several children and a wonderful wife. I'd love to find him and see how he is doing. I run a nonprofit in Hawai'i now. Any help would be appreciated.

David

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

new rules and regs for FWP

ovejanegra — Thu, 25 May 2006 17:18:14 GMT

Did any of you see that Friends World is changing their rule on outstanding portfolios?

Well, in short if you haven't finished your work to graduate and you want to, then 2006-2007 is it. After that you'll be required to pay a full semester's tuition instead of an advising semester.

And YES I did graduate. I saw someone else's letter.

posted in Friends World - 7 replies

Water by mehta

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 04:41:29 GMT

have you seen the movie called "water" by deepa mehta?
if so, what did you think of it?

p.s. i was in the FWP (india) from '96-'98 ish.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

WikiPedia, I liked this one

brettrader — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 16:14:05 GMT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marla_Ruzicka

funny that you can image google Marla and get some 300 pic of her and you can find her in Wikipedia too.

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

May Day!

brettrader — Mon, 01 May 2006 18:25:34 GMT

Hello all,
What is everyone doing for May day, aka major labor rights day? Have you hugged your local recent immigrant and told them you appreciate them? I went to the YMCA today and heard the old me talking at the table, apparently there was an article about homeless people getting back on their feet and they had quite a bit to say about it, "Damn Bums! Well at least the Hispanics will do the work that the bums don't want to do I guess". So I got my dose of pesimistic May day retoric, so now I can move onto the possitive aspects of the day. What are your THoughts of the day, please share, seems like this room has been a bit dead lately.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

I Care Campaign

xine — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 15:00:48 GMT

Everyone, go onto the CIVIC new website: http://icare.civicworldwide.org/home
and post your picture. This is awesome

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

answering Mark FWC Kenya 1984-1985

julie — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 05:17:08 GMT

Hi Mark - I was @ the Kenya Center (and Somalia) during that time - I'm sure I must have met you but I can't remember your face (I'm terrible w/names) I had gone to Kenya in 1983 and left in 1989 - try to post your photo and I'll do the same - anyway I have been thinking of going to Thailand to study - just for a short period of time since I have children and they don't want to leave here - anyway my name's Julie Wynne (I'm originally from Rochester NY) I was friends with Susan Whitaker, Ross Hammond (who I'm still in touch with ) Kiren (was she in your class ?), Heather Hewson, Tim Duffy (I'm still in touch with him), some Yale students, some from Wisconson, countless Africans, .... it would be great to hear more from you

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Immigration

xine — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 20:42:39 GMT

Anyone out there involved with the immigration rights rallies etc around the country? Thoughts? What is happening in your neck of the woods?

posted in Friends World - 12 replies

The Watson Institute Announces Fellowship to Honor Human Rights Activist Marla Ruzicka

xine — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 20:22:08 GMT

http://www.watsoninstitute.org/news_detail.cfm?id=403

3.03.06 - The Watson Institute announces the establishment of a new undergraduate fellowship named for the late Marla Ruzicka, a human rights activist who died in April 2005 during a suicide bombing in Baghdad, Iraq. This award has been made possible through the generosity of Lucinda B. Watson, a member of the Watson Institute Board of Overseers and the daughter of the late Thomas J. Watson, Jr. ’37, the namesake of the Institute.

Lucinda Watson had met Ruzicka in New York in the spring of 2004, and after an evening of conversation was deeply inspired by her passion and commitment to international public service. The Marla Ruzicka International Public Service Fellowship will be awarded annually to support one Brown undergraduate whose summer plans reflect the characteristics of compassion, determination, and selflessness in the pursuit of international human rights, which Ruzicka exemplified. It offers support of up to $3,000 to the fellow.

Ruzicka, who was 28 years old when she died, was the founder of the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC). She traveled to Afghanistan shortly after the fall of the Taliban in 2002 to record the effects of conflict on civilian communities, and she lobbied diligently to seek compensation for families whose homes had been destroyed in the conflict. From Afghanistan, Marla went to Iraq, where she, along with a team of over 160 volunteers, conducted door-to-door interviews to gain first-hand knowledge of Iraqi civilian casualties. Subsequently, Ruzicka took her first CIVIC report to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who sponsored legislation to provide U.S. aid to innocent Iraqis harmed in military operations. Her worked continued through April 2005 when she was tragically killed.

Upon hearing of Ruzicka’s death and seeing how quickly the media seemed to forget her story, Watson, the author of How They Achieved Success: Stories of Personal Achievement and Business Success, wanted to keep the spirit of Ruzicka’s life and work alive through others and to make sure that she was remembered and respected. Knowing this was something that her father would have supported, Lucinda Watson decided to establish this fellowship through the Institute, which her father, the former U.S. ambassador to Moscow, helped to found. This endowed gift will provide another resource for a new generation to continue work on human rights, postconflict rehabilitation, and international public service. As Watson said in making her gift, “I think it is so important for Marla’s devotion to victims of war to be publicized so that others are inspired to act in the same way. We don't have enough people in our world who actually believe they can make a difference.”

For application details and requirements, please see this posting for the Marla Ruzicka International Public Service Fellowship.
More information about this story

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

Mel had her baby!

Erin — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 07:29:59 GMT

Hey y'all from the Kenya center in 97-98, Melanie had her baby on Feb 6th! A beautiful baby girl named Ella. Check out the pic!

posted in Friends World - 6 replies

Huntington and Kenya alumnus from 83-85

Mark — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 03:52:22 GMT

Hi,

Just tried to post but it went somewhere else.

I went to FWC in 83-84 at the Huntington campus. Then went to Kenya from 84-85

I must say they were some of the best times of my life, although things are pretty good here in Phuket thailand where I have been for the last 4 years.

Anybody from my time out there?

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Latin American Center

James — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 04:07:02 GMT

I just came back from CR and while down there I visited the center and met a lot of the 1st year students. Pretty interesting stuff, and also much old stuff, still happening in Friends World. Much has changed, some for the better in my opinion...but still much has been eroded away. The students only go to Nicaragua during the first semester. The second semester, before student go on independent projects, went to Ecuador to visit the amazon and complete a LA realities trip. Most of the students were on independent projects when I was there, but I was able to visit with most of the faculty. Antonio is a Faculty member now, and during my trip I went to half of a 6 day workshop on Biointensive Agriculture with Antonio and some of his advisee's. It was a Latin American workshop that was hosted by John Jeavons, Executive Director of Ecology Action, out of Willits, Ca.

It was a workshop that was attended by farmers and community organizers from 11 countries in Latin american, about 90 people total. The workshop contained theory of Bio Intensive agruculture in the evenings, and the next day was followed by field projects to implement the techniques that were spoken about during the lectures. Amazing work and a great opportunity!

Not too much has changed in CR, besides a continuous flow of tourists and tons more fast food places. I spent a weekend at Playa Hermosa...pretty chill time! I visited Oceano's for all of you F07 students...still pretty much the same place!
The LAC sends hola's to the FW tribe!
Peace!

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Isreal center and conflict resolutions

brettrader — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 17:26:48 GMT

Hello All, i have someone from another class at evergreen interested in studying abroad, she wants to go to Isreal and Latin AMerica and I was wondering if anyone who went to the Isreal center would be willing to talk with her. I just got done taking a class with her call making change happen, which looked at all the isms/ racism, ableism, sexism, heterosexism, classism and it was awsom. SO let me know if you are interested.

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

Constant Gardner

Brenda — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 19:16:12 GMT

Has anyone seen the Constant Gardner? A good portion of the movie takes place in Kenya and I was wondering what people thought. Especially if you have been to Kenya, what didi you think about how Kenya was portrayed? Was the representation of the informal settlements in synch with your experience?

posted in Friends World - 12 replies

April is coming, and Anniversary of Marla's Death

brettrader — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:35:00 GMT

I was wondering if anyone was planning anything, I personally was thinking of taking a week off and heading down to Lake Port, CA. I didn't know if anyone else was making a pilgrimage or was in the area. Personally I would like to go to her grave site or her resting place if anyone can give me directions, that would be great. If anyone else wants to go, give me a buzz.

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Assignment, revisited!

eyeohmeigh — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 17:52:19 GMT

I think I might be the only one doing my little project here, but in case you missed it the first time- it's homework: find the FWer nearest you and take a photo together and post it in the gallery. If you're on the road, collect them as you go and post the photos.

I just got to see Josh Newton on monday- it was awesome even though it was brief. I figure if we all just try to see each other when we can we'll keep this awesome network alive.

posted in Friends World - 17 replies

Wow, THanks For the Pics

brettrader — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 16:45:08 GMT

I was going to come in today, and go "Are our lives really this boring after FWP?" but then I was surprised by the Photos!. THanks SIster Helen. I see we gained 3 or 4 new peeps too, please introduce yourselves. Name, years in FW and when you went is usually good. I was also thinking a East/West African center conversation go on. What is up with FW in Africa, the place where we all should be going, yet at this moment in time FW is not there. Anyway, welcome to those who are new, get back involved to those who are sleeping and darn it, post some more pics if you got em.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Jeff Halper Nobel Peace Prize

Mary — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 14:57:13 GMT

Hey All,
I just read that Jeff Halper has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize!!!!!
My congratulations to him and his family!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you to the Halper family for everything you do for a lasting and just peace.
-Mary Bristol (NAC 95-96, MEC 96-97) (EC 98)

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Friends World-Evergreen connection?

stellamom — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 05:56:37 GMT

Hi All,

I just read Brett's post, and I think it's interesting how many FW-ers appears to have ended up at Evergreen at some point. So far, I know of me, Eva, and Brett - any others?

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

My great class

brettrader — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 17:26:15 GMT

Hey all, it has been rather dead in here. I wanted to drop a line and see how everyone was doing and tell you about my class at Evergreen. It is an intense class call "Make Change Happen". We are looking at the ism (racism, heterosexualism, ableism) and it is amazing the stuff we are talking about. I haven't seen people being so real since FW. It is amazing the sense of community you get when people are willing to put their whole selves out there for you to see. We have been reading some great books. One is a conglomeration of many writters and it was interesting for me to see many names that I recognized from the FW days. Ok well, I would love to hear more from others and what you are up to and what not, winter is almost over here in the northern hemisphere, so lets get out there and do stuff again. Love you all, Brett

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Great job opportunity

Brian — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 03:18:00 GMT

Friends Worlder's are a resourceful bunch. So anyone out there either have experience in talk radio (specifically AM drive) or can point us in the direction of some with good progressive politics and talk radio experience. On Feb. 13 we'll be launching the first community based commercial progressive station in the country right here in Buffalo on WHLD-AM 1270 and we've got some great stuff planned. If you have solid talk experience or know someone who does, email me at brian@radiofreebuffalo.org. The position will pay based on experience and has full benefits through the Teamsters.

posted in Friends World - 4 replies

Any alumi living in Colorado/New Mexico

wwwwwwww — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 02:41:59 GMT

Hi everyone,

Are there any students or alumi living in Colorado or New Mexico? Would be great to connect - I'm in Boulder, CO.

Jen

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

The Red Cross hates us

xine — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 19:51:56 GMT

OK, not really, but check out their new ad: www.bloodsaves.com, click on the little tv in the upper right hand corner, watch them both, and tell me you don't puke.

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

India Center is moving North

Alexandra — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 13:53:41 GMT

To: Friends World Alumni

From: Robert Glass, Dean Friends World Program

Re: the relocation of the center in India

Many alumni may not know that enrollment at the center in Bangalore has
been declining in recent years. This year only four students registered
for the fall semester and -so far - only another four have registered
for the spring semester. After many years of hearing student requests
for more support in the north, and in recent conversation with members
of the Council of Overseers and Officers of Long Island University, a
decision has been made to relocate the Indian center from the south to
the north of India effective the 2006-2007 academic year.=20

Kolkata (Calcutta), New Delhi, and Varanasi have been mentioned as
possible locations for a new center. I have asked the student executive,
Eva Hathaway, to set up a student committee to get input on these
possibilities. You should know that - to this point - the dominant view
seems to be that we should set up a new center in Calcutta (rather than
Delhi), which would allow ready rail access to both Bodhgaya and
Varanasi and inexpensive air access to Nepal (when the travel warning is
finally dropped). Programming in a Calcutta based center could thus
include not only local options (service learning opportunities in Mother
Teresa's centers) but short field trips to a number of national and
international locations very nearby. This is a very exciting
possibility.=20

This has not been an easy decision to make, but the program must be
willing to adapt to shifting global circumstances. Over the past few
years, Bangalore's growing status as one of the IT capitals of the world
- and the changes this has wrought on Bangalore - have made the present
location much less attractive to continuing students. Students in
increasing numbers have seemed to prefer study and programming locations
in the north of India, including Dharmsala, Varanasi and Bodhgaya. This
trend has intensified considerably in recent years - this year only one
continuing student is registered at Bangalore for the fall semester.
As we are a student-centered program, these factors need to be given
very serious consideration.

Friends World students express these preferences in many ways, but one
way is very clearly in choosing to study in one area rather than another
when they register.

In my eight year history with the FWP, I cannot ever recall operating a
center favored by only three or four students per semester. We cannot
continue to ask the other centers to subsidize the center in India and
must shift to our resources to give more support to areas of greater
interest to more students. While I am delighted that many students have
had a positive experience in Bangalore in the past, the program must be
flexible enough to respond to shifting global trends and global changes,
especially since 9/11. It is difficult to defend to so many other
students, with other interests, the choice to continue to operate a
center in Bangalore when so very few students are now interested in
going there.

I have had discussions on this issue very recently with students at
meetings in Brooklyn, Costa Rica and Japan. I have asked students point
blank "Why do you not wish to study in South India?" The reasons are
varied, but - at present - there is far more interest in studying in the
north of India, or even in Africa, than there is in Bangalore. I was
careful to announce well in advance that this spring might well be the
last opportunity to study based in Bangalore. While I am happy that 3
continuing students have made this choice, this is far, far short of the
number needed to sustain a center. As I mentioned earlier, there are a
total of only four students registered for the spring. The decision to
relocate the center and better employ our resources is then almost
entirely based on shifting student interest and student preference in a
rapidly changing world.

There is a part of all of us that would like to return to the world of a
few years ago, but the larger Friends World Program must always be able
to look to the future. WHQ continually surveys student interest in
seeking out new possibilities where students might pursue issues in the
Friends World mission statement. Without any cost to the FWP, creative
new possibilities may well become available to students as part of the
larger university's international initiative. Australia has already been
added and more possibilities are on the horizon. We must be willing to
be as creative and as responsive to changing global conditions within
our own program.

The Friends World Program has made this kind of change quite
successfully in the past: the Council of Overseers has reminded me that
the Latin America Center was in Mexico and Guatemala before setting up
in Costa Rica, and that the China Center was in Jilin before setting up
in Hangzhou. These centers are thriving in their new locations. We are
confident that the relocation of the India Center will be just as
successful.

Robert Glass, Ph.D.

University Dean of International Education

Dean, Friends World Program

Brooklyn Campus, Long Island University

http://www.liu.edu/friendsworld/

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

FWP-LIU list serve

Alexandra — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 16:29:01 GMT

For those who would like to join it go to this link:

https://lists.liu.edu/mailman/listinfo/fw-alumni

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Who is the World Council now?

Alexandra — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 20:44:14 GMT

Hello,

As some of you may know based on personal experiences I have ongoing concerns for the safety of students with Friends World especially women. I have had a dialog with Dean Glass that has reopened again and would like to know how World Council operates these days.

Does anyone know who makes up the council? How often and where do they meet? I was given Joann Halpern as a contact. Does anyone know what roll she plays with the council and Friends World?

Thank You

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

Recruitment & College Fairs

John — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 16:22:16 GMT

For those of you who are not members of the e-mail listserve set up by LIU I'm reposting this message that I sent out today. I'm hoping to get the attention of those at WHQ and help out FW in anyway that I can. I believe that while I cannot do anything to reverse the decision to move the India center north, I can help FW to keep all of the other centers open for as long as possible. If there is anyone else who lives near by one of these locations ---http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/Events/CollegeFairs/ncfspringschedule.htm --- and would like to help recruit new minds for FW send an e-mail to Robert Glass [Robert.Glass(atmark)liu.edu] and let him know that you can help.

***

To all of those concerned,

Pittsburgh, PA February 23rd at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center

Montgomery County, MD April 26th at the Montgomery County Agricultural Center in Gaithersburg, MD

Edison, NJ May 3rd and 4th at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center

New York, NY May 7th at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

Here a just a few of the college expos that are coming up in 2006. I'd be willing to attend any one of them as representative of Friends World. I live in Washington DC and could easily make it to any one of these events. I was wondering if there is any plans for recruitment in the future of the program.

The way I see it, the best solution for FW is to recruit more students. That way we aren't closing centers due to lack of enrollment or interest. Believe me when I say that there are interested students out there who would be willing to pay good money for a program as unique as ours. WE just need to make a strong effort to find them - and that's exactly what I'm willing to do.

John Grillo - Graduate 2005

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Remebering Marla on her Birthday, Jan 31st

brettrader — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 16:22:27 GMT

I was thinking of Marla after my sister-in-law told me a story. My nephew goes to a school, where probably 60% of the students are from military families based at Fort Lewis. His teacher assigned them to write a letter to a sevice man in Iraqi. His letter was sent home, and my sister-in-law read it to me. He told the soldier he felt sorry for him and that he wished he could be home with his family. THen he went on to say that his uncle had lost a friend in Iraqi, who died from a bomb as she was counting innocent people killed in Iraqi. I had only told him the story of Marla once, when he asked me how my trip to Chile was. I told him it was good, but that I had lost a good friend during the trip and how she had died. He had remembered that for the last 6 months and included it in his letter to the service man. THat was my little Marla reminder this week, she is still alive in the world even if she is physically gone.

posted in Friends World - 4 replies

Bloggers?

xine — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 16:52:49 GMT

I just love reading blogs from interesting people, any other FWers out there blogging these days? If so, please post a link to your blog here.

posted in Friends World - 7 replies

Photos from Friends World Days

xine — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 14:47:06 GMT

Hey everyone, I am writing this post to really strongly encourage everyone to post photos taken during their time in FW. Of course its super easy to upload current photos now that everyone has digital cameras, but I'm sure that most of you have access to a scanner, or can secure access to a scanner (I got mine from Staples for $20, well worth it). I really ache to see things from a different but same perspective, and get tired of looking at my same old pics. So come on!!! Make it your new year's resolution, help populate the FW photo section of the tribe. And I promise to continue to slowly but surely post mine. Thanks in advance!!!!

posted in Friends World - 11 replies

Help Write the History of Friends World

John — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:04:34 GMT

Two years ago Paul Cox and I started a wikipedia entry for Friends World Program (we chose program b/c it was used most commonly at the time). I'd like to have everyone who can add a little bit to the page.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friends_World_Program

All you have to do is visit the site and click on the "Edit This Page" tab which will appear at the top of the page. Make changes as you see fit and help fill in the gaps in FW history.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

Eva and Becky White

Eva_Otto — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 23:43:09 GMT

Burning Man 2005- photo posted to general album

Eva walks into the center tent after a long night of dancing and who do I see up on stage rocking out with her gutair...you guessed it, none other than the unmistakable Becky White. Within a mil-second I was back at the LAC at Le Petite Paris watching her make it through her early musical days.

I have to say...she was awesome! Her music is rich, diverse and passionate. I was so proud!! Check her out at www.makeartnow.org

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

Pictures of the last FWC graduation at the Huntington Campus

Brian — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 03:54:11 GMT

http://homepage.mac.com/cashdollar/PhotoAlbum38.html

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

Kenya Center regrets

brettrader — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 22:40:29 GMT

Hello,
I have a blog class, so I figured, what a good way to put out what I have been thinking about lately. Yes, I was the student exec who was on world council when we decided to close the Kenya center. I wanted to explain what happened and how we were forced to close the center. China was also up to be eliminated, but it would not have saved us enough to do it. I'm sorry, damn you LIU! any why I hope you will all read it if you have ever been to Kai.

posted in Friends World - 6 replies

Lucy Colton's round the world trip

ovejanegra — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 23:21:42 GMT

For those of you who know her or are just interested, Lucy and her boyfriend are traveling around the world. Here is what they have done so far:

hellow family and friends, we've arrived and are well
rested. we slept like 13 hours last night, it was a
long plane ride!! we're in a hostel on the pest side
of budapest. we've got dorm beds, but they're side by
side, so we can still touch feet while we're sleeping.
The city is realy beautiful, old buildings, adn very
cosmopolitan people. coffee shops everywhere, i love
that. we've learned how to use the metro system and
spend most of today walking all over in pest and then
crossed over one of many bridges and strolled all over
buda. we've seen some really old stuff, castles and
churches, it's really lovely. i feel a bit like an
idiot as i can't even say thank you when someone gives
us something. luckily most folks have understoon
english here in the city, so it's been super easy to
get around. we're going to try and find some yummy
hungarian food for dinner here soon. they like their
sweets here, there are little bakeries everywhere,
hum, i think i'll try some!!
anyway gotta go, someone's waiting to use the
internet, we've got one computer here at the dorm and
it's communal. \
love to all
lucy

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

FW Frappr

Jonathan — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 17:12:43 GMT

Has anyone started a frappr map or similar for FWniks?

Jonathan

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

Assignment

eyeohmeigh — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 20:18:15 GMT

Okay, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to meet up with at least one other FWer, take a photo, and post it in the gallery.

I'll start.

posted in Friends World - 12 replies

Listserve message about the "Friends World tribe"?

scs — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 21:59:46 GMT

I'm curious to see the message that apparently went out over the listserve. Could someone copy and paste it here? This medium seems more flexible than email, and it gives a more long-term place for messages to collect, photos, etc.

It's great to see the old-timer new-comers here (I'm an old-timer here, of course, having joined a few weeks ago...) The only trick I've discovered is that you do have to keep visiting the page at http://friendsworld.tribe.net/ to keep up with the conversation. The flip side of that is that anyone who adds to a past discussion gets it promoted to the top of the Discussion Topics list, so none of the discussions are totally lost. I like the "NEW MEMBERS PLEASE READ" where people can check in.

posted in Friends World - 6 replies

a little story

Lesley — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 17:07:49 GMT

first of all - thanks Brett. This is an interesting forum for such a far flung community of seekers, activists, artists, and whatever - such as ourselves.

I wanted to chime in with a quick story about me and Morris Mitchell, the founder, and original guiding light of FWC. I spent my first semester, in '71, on his tree farm in Clarkesville Georgia with him and 5 other students.

Our days consisted of building an A-Frame structure, building a cement fish pond (my ongoing project,) sharing all household/farm chores, and the daily discussions with Morris (then 76) on economics, culture, education, the meaning of life, etc.

There are many stories from that era, but I want to tell you about when I first met Morris. I had to be "interviewed" by him before he was willing to include me in the Clarkesville contingency, and so one morning in Feb. of '71, I stepped into his cabin at the home site at Mitchell Gardens, Long Island.

I was a small hippie freak with wild curly hair twirling out in all directions. I spoke somewhat dizzley, and was rather spaced-out. Morris looked at me, and asked, "Your name is Lesley?" I said yes. He kept looking at me and asked, "Are you strong?" I answered, "I'm am not big, but I am strong for my size." Morris interrupted me, "I didn't ask if you were big, I asked if you are strong."

I thought about it, and decided that I was pretty strong, and told him. He said "good... Fred. I said, my name is Lesley, not Fred. Morris then said something that I can still hear very clearly..In a slow southern drawl, with conviction and humor, he proclaimed to me, "You're FRED!"

I said, "okay...'

So, for that semester I was Fred. And, every once in awhile, when I speak to people who were in Georgia with Morris and me, they call me Fred. And, over the years, I have met some who were with Morris later, and they tell me that Morris would tell them about unpractical Fred, and the fish pond that wouldn't hold water.

Lesley

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

bwana pesa-shillingi!!!

marthacarey — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 23:07:36 GMT

OK mr. cashdollar .... where are you? Are you back in Buffalo? What are you doing? bascially - what the hell is UP???

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

Cooperatives, intentional communities, and law?

eyeohmeigh — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 19:51:23 GMT

Hey everyone, I'm hoping someone in here might know more than I do about this topic.

My father grew up in a cooperative in suburban (then semi-rural) area of Illinois, called York Center Cooperative, or YCC. At the time it was created it was a necessity in that area for the families who lived there; interracial families weren't accepted into many neighborhoods in that area in the cultural climate at that time. It is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) continuously running intentional communities in the US. The cooperative is currently at risk of being disbanded, which his really sad.

The jist of it as I understand it was that the cooperative owned the entire tract of land and members bought in and would be alloted a plot on which to build a home. The homeowners would own the home, but the land was held by the group at large. At the time it was created, the co-op was in an undesirable rural area, but since then towns have grown up around it, and now the aging original co-op residents are sitting on what has become very valuable land. This is causing problems because there are some new members who bought into the co-op as members and now want to disband it in order to sell their homes and the land at a large profit. The co-op is struggling to afford the time and money for the legal proceedings to bar this move and keep itself alive.

I really don't know all of the details of it, but I can find out a lot more if anyone is interested. I know that a couple of folks who grew up there with my father ended up going to FW for a bit way back when.

I thought i would throw it out there to this community, I don't know, maybe there's a student who would like to go there and write a thesis or journal on it? Or a lawyer or law student who would like to do some pro-bono work in the Chicago suburbs? Or maybe someone here knows of a group or individual who assists intentional communities? I think just having some attention on what's going on over there might help.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

FW legends

brettrader — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:46:30 GMT

Ok I wrote a quick blog on FW legends and stories, figured it would be a great tribe subject to start. read some of my memorible moments at
www.fourcredits.net/brett
I am sure you have heard the two stories I told in this blog, I would love to hear if the newer FW students (by that I mean students after I left 1999, had heard these stories or what ones they had heard. YOu know like the old motto of FW was
Do drugs, (sleep with) f* natives, get credit
back in the 80's and stuff

posted in Friends World - 14 replies

Anybody know Neil Hazard

Alexandra — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:03:24 GMT

Hi All---

I am wondering if anyone has any contact information for Neil Hazard? I studied with him in Costa Rica in 1997. Last I knew he moved to MD and had just gotten married. I think he was headed into graduate school the last time I spoke with him in 98-99.

If you have any information you could respond to this post or email me at: alexandramello@hotmail.com

Thanks!

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

Another Old Timer Checks In

Costas Christ — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 03:42:41 GMT

This is the first time I have communicated with FWC folks in a long , long time. I joined the school in 1976 and graduated in 1980. Went on to be co-director in Kenya and teach at NA Campus before moving on to other experiences.

Kirk - Great to read your comments. Thoughtful and in the true tradition of what our FWC education was all about. Nice to connect again after all these years.

Brett- Regarding legends - I was the one who pulled the student away from the coffee processor on Kai when her scalp was ripped off. She bled into unconciousness in my arms. Then student and now my wife, Sally Smith Christ, and I both rushed her to Machakos for surgery, she was pronouced dead because they could not get her pulse but we then bribed an ambulance to take her to Nairobi where we found an italian surgeon who could still feel her faint pulse. Its a long story but she lived and today is an accomplished professor of Africa history, as Kirk mentioned. I literally bumped into her in an elevator years ago at an Africa studies conference. She had no recollection of what happened that day on Kai which is good. It is story with a very happy ending but just one story of many, many others in my FWC memory ( by the way, there was no motto about Drugs, F*** natives and the rest of it you said you had heard about. There was some drugs, pairing up of students and alot of thinking about the world we live in ( and listening to Bob Marley's new recordings).

To other FWC'ers or the newer batch - I do not know about the school these days and I imagine and hope it is still a good place. What I can say about my own expereince is that it literally changed my life. This was the most powerful education I have ever had or perhaps will have in my life. Did it serve me well? I noticed that some on the tribe asked about where an FWC education can lead you. It opened doors that I would have never imagined were possible for a blue collar kid from an immigrant family in New Jersey.

I went on to become the Regional Director for Africa and Asia Studies Abroad at the School for International Training. Set up an adventure travel company with my wife Sally who is also an FWC grad (she runs the business -www.tamusafaris.com), became Peace Corps Director in Uganda and then Belize, became Senior Director at Conservation International supervising community conservation projects in 22 countries and today where a few different hats including being a contributing editor and monthly columnist for National Geographic Adventure Magazine and working on my first book: "Always Face the Lion: An Unexpected Journey Through Africa" The point is this: I have known many FWC students who have gone on to do the most amazing work and they are still at it whether it is being active in their communities or blazing new trails of one form or another. Those of you who joined FWC in later years join a tradition and a school that has an amazing history of great people. Sure, many students went down the drain at FWC because they could not cope with the demands - as Kirk said, the journals were to high a hurdle for some. As was the heavy dose of independence.

To bring it all home in a funny way, I was in Placencia, Belize some months ago, working on a story and an old gray haired man rides up on his bicycle looking like some former colonial settler. He asked me what I was up to and when I mention to him that I was writing something about the community organizing a sustainable tourism plan for the area, he tells me he used to be a writer for the New York Times, smoked four packs of cigarettes a day, worked 7 days a week but then met someone who changed his life and he left it all behind him. I asked him to tell me who it was and he said," A
guy with an idea to create a new school where everyone would travel the world and learn from expereince". "Really", I said, "Who was he?" H ethen goes on to tell me, "His name was Morris Mitchell and I joined him to co-found a school with called Friends World College". I pratically fell down and when I told him I was an FWC grad he practically fell off his bike. I And here we both were in a fishing village in Belize and he tells me he joined Morris Mitchell in co-founding FWC!

Enough rambling from this "old timer", just some random thoughts that come to mind about FWC. Sally and I live on a farm in Maine now with two boys and two dogs. We still travel each year for work and out of habit. Our sons ( 14 and 17) think that half of what we tell them about our FWC experiences is BS. And they haven't even heard the real interesting stuff yet!

Thanks for putting together this FWC "tribe" site. I have enjoyed reading many of the entries. The next entry will be Sally's turn.

posted in Friends World - 5 replies

Wow, Welcome everyone!

brettrader — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 23:21:24 GMT

Looks like we gained 10 people over night. I think Ross can get the credit for this one for posting on the List Serve, It has been a while since Iomi and I did that, so Thank you Ross! I am excited to see new faces and want to hear more stories and share more stuff.

posted in Friends World - 0 replies

'74 grad Robbie from SW Kansas says hi

Robbie — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 21:02:15 GMT

I rec'd this listing today from the alumini server for 1st time. Maybe more of us will now come onboard your site. There's been very little on it since last year this time.

I'd love to hear from people of my day & also those close to me in geography or interests. I live a quiet peaceful life in the country. Would welcome intellectual/spiritual/political discussions since our mentality here concerns wheat, corn & cattle. (We even have a festival honoring the cow! Close to cow worship in India but the locals wouldn't understand the concept.)

I entered in 1970 Mitchell Gardens(w/Tom); studied WV Edgar Cayce; England Glastenbury (w/Vic & Richard), France French & Rudolph Steiner, India Veena & religion (w/Mennen & Suri & Geeta), Mexico journalism & Spanish (w/Harriet & Paco). Anthropology & social issues were obvious given subjects. Have visited Costa Rica & China centers in 1990's. Also traveled widely to many countries around world.

Spent 25 years as insurance agent (parent's business) CPIW, CPCU, CIC & 2 years teaching Spanish HS before burnout which I'm dealing with now. M.S.Ed Newman U. & teacher Cert. WSU. Currently reading Hazrat Inayat Khan & Ibn 'Arabi (Sufis) but can relate to Casteneda & others on walk to "freedom". Starting to write again.

Would like to travel & meet some of you (we've all shared such a unique experience) at some future date. If you're traveling through SW KS , let's see if we connect!

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

Lesley Stoller

Lesley — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 21:15:34 GMT

Hello All....
anyone remember me from way back in '71?

posted in Friends World - 1 reply

southampton campus

Heidi — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 04:15:15 GMT

they now have a "homeland security institute" at the campus- 15 credits worth. Wonder how it would have been if FWP was still there.

posted in Friends World - 3 replies

Eva and Brett in Oly

Eva_Otto — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 06:58:18 GMT

Hey FW!

Check me and Brett out in my camera phone picture of us at Batdorf and Bronson in Olympia, WA...rockin out. Its always chill to hang with FW folks!

blessings,
Eva

posted in Friends World - 2 replies

Old timer sez hello

scs — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 15:28:18 GMT

I joined the FW "tribe" yesterday, and now I'm exploring to see how it's supposed to work (posted a 'request,' just now, for anyone who might be in Philadelphia or passing through).

When I joined Friends World in 1976, it felt like there was already a lot of ancient history, so I can just imagine how you folks feel. Any other old timers here? (I saw a post from Jonathan Danforth, who was at FWC about the time I was phasing out, '91-92.)

My senior thesis was on the history of FWC, 1965-82 or so, and in it I argued there is something inherent in "experiential" education (when it's the real thing, anyway) that gives us all something in common that is not very typical. That was my hypothesis, anyway, so I'd be interested on other opinions.

The idea is that "experiential education" is basically a forced march through stages of illusion and disillusionment, to a 'realization' stage where all of that can be accepted and understood as part of a learning process. That's it in a nutshell. "School of hard knocks," by default.

I suggested this was a process that Friends World, as an educational institution, barely understood, and that it couldn't really be controlled or directed by advisors and administrators. The school itself was useful mostly as a launch pad, providing logistical support (and academic credits/degree for those who meet the technical requirements). Within that framework, individuals have to do most of the hard work of learning, hopefully supported by the human connections among students and involving faculty who are all working together to make sense of the experiences.

I got the sense that Friends World, as incorporated into LIU, was going to try to prove me wrong. They were going to take out the hard knocks (so to speak) and give everyone a smoother, more enjoyable learning experience. So I'm curious to know, since most of you folks are from Friends World in the last few years, does it really work like that?

posted in Friends World - 4 replies