THE SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS
INVITES YOU TO THE SPRING 2013 NEH GRANT EVENT:
STUDENT
WHEN: WED. MARCH 6, 2013 FROM 10:00-3:00
WHERE: ROTUNDA, MERCY HALL
Don’t miss a unique and exciting opportunity to learn about Latino and Latin American issues and how it can help you in your career preparation and development!
Attend the School of Liberal Art Student Conference on
Latino and Latin American Issues/Culture
March 6, 2013
Students preparing for careers in health, journalism, social services, politics, international relations, legal studies, etc. will benefit from this conference. There will also be networking opportunities with conference speakers, information available on a variety of internship and employment opportunities, and cultural activities.
Conference Schedule
Session 1:
10:00-10:30: Introduction to the conference & presentation of Session 1 speakers
10:30-11:30: Session 1 speakers introduce themselves & talk about their work
11:30-12:30: Break out session sessions with Session 1 speakers & lunch
12:30-1:00: Browse information tables, participate in Spanish conversation groups & geography contest
Session 2:
1:00-2:00: Rich Villar’s presentation on Latino poetry, reading of his work, & poetry workshop
2:00-3:00: Latino band musical performance
Information on Speakers & Presenters
Dr. Cesar Chelala, is a physician and an international medical consultant who has monitored and evaluated health and social programs in Latin America for several United Nation agencies and other international organizations. He has published extensively on medical issues as well as political and social issues in Latin America. In 1979 he won the Overseas Press Club of America award for the best article on human rights and is a former member of the International Advisory Board of Physicians for Human Rights, one of the organizations recipients of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.
Ms. Martha Lopez-Hanratty has worked extensively with the Hispanic community of Westchester County for the last two decades; she has served a director of Hispanic Affairs for the Westchester County Government as well as Voter Education Program Coordinator for the Village of Port Chester, NY where she was responsible for overseeing the village-wide educational campaign to comply with the historic Federal Voting Rights Case settlement. Ms. Lopez will talk her work in these two positions as well as her work as a social worker and community activist.
Rich Villar, a poet, essayist, and director of Acentos, an organization fostering audiences and community around Latino/a literature, whose poems and essays have appeared in Hanging Loose, Black Renaissance Noire, Radius, Union Station, and Thrush Poetry Journal, and on NPR’s “Latino USA,’ will read from his work, discuss the work of other Latino poets, and conduct a poetry writing workshop with conference attendees. Mr. Villar has taught composition and creative writing and has led numerous creative writing workshops throughout the tri-state area, including with organizations such as Urban Word NYC and Urban Assembly Schools.
The afternoon session will culminate with Latino music performed by talented musicians from the area (information forthcoming).
Here are some of the other conference highlights:
Hear from professionals in the field discuss Latino/Latin American issues relevant to their disciplines and how their academic studies prepared them for their current positions
Speak one-on-one with our speakers –mentoring & networking
Get information about internship and employment opportunities
Learn about the many new courses focusing on Latino and Latin American issues/culture that have recently been developed at Mercy College
Take part in the geography contest for a chance to win great prizes
Practice your Spanish with native speakers
Sign up for NYC cultural activity outings (cost covered by a grant)
Learn about Latino poetry & take a poetry writing workshop
Lunch & musical entertainment
For more information about the conference, students and faculty should contact Professor Reissig-Vasile [email protected].
