Global Commons Lunch & Learn Series 

In response to feedback from our inaugural Global Symposium in April 2025, the Global Engagement Office (GEO) is launching a new Global Commons Lunch & Learn series with sessions taking place monthly from noon-1pm! 

About this Lunch & Learn Series

The Global Commons Lunch & Learn Series is a free event (offered virtually and in-person) that offers a variety of globally themed sessions to enhance the professional and personal development of our campus and local community.  The series will feature speakers from across campus and our community sharing insight on global topics.  All are welcome to attend!   
 
Bring your lunch and let’s build community together!

September 2, 2026: Here’s What We Know: Updates to Federal Regulations around D/S and OPT

Registration Link	Register Today!
Target Audience	Campus and Community
Speakers	Dee Stafford; Director of International Students and Scholar Services, UNCG Global Engagement Office Norma Velazquez; Senior International Student Advisor, UNCG Global Engagement Office
Abstract	You may have heard discussion about changes to how international students’ immigration status is recorded in the United States. But what does this mean in practice? This session will explain the concept of Duration of Status (D/S), how it currently applies to F-1 and J-1 students, and what potential changes could mean for maintaining lawful status, travel, program completion, and future immigration benefits. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the current system, explore possible impacts of the proposed changes, and learn practical steps they can take now to stay informed and prepared.

September 17, 2025: Data Collection with Relinquishing Birth Families in Ethiopia

Registration Link	Past Event
Target Audience	Faculty
Speaker	Dr. Hewan Girma; Associate Professor & Director of Undergraduate Studies, African American and African Diaspora Studies

October 1, 2025: Colonial Echoes: The Effects of the Japanese Occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910-1945 on the Korean Identity and Language

December 2, 2026: Find Your Meaning Here: Pastoral Skills for International Education

Registration Link	Register Today!
Target Audience	Campus-wide
Speakers	Ryan Ridpath; Assistant Director of Study Abroad, UNCG Global Engagement Office
Abstract	This workshop is based on the presenter’s own experience of clinical pastoral education as it can be applied in a secular, intercultural space. The audience will be invited to discuss meaning-making in educational experiences, how to handle emergent student crises, and utilizing the power of the action-reflection-action model to sustain student support while avoiding burnout. The workshop will not require any discussion of individual religious traditions or spiritualties, but it encourages participants to consider their values and their students’ values in alignment with the dimensions of wellness within the Spartans Thrive QEP. Whether you work directly with students or support their success behind the scenes, this session will provide fresh perspectives, practical tools, and opportunities to reflect on how we can create more caring, connected, and thriving campus communities.

October 29, 2025: Navigating the International Student Journey: Voices, Challenges, and Pathways to Success

November 12, 2025: Diasporas and Conflict

Registration Link	Past Event
Target Audience	Campus and Community
Speaker	Dr. Jeremy Rinker; Associate Professor, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies

January 28, 2026: Developing a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program (VIRTUAL ONLY)

Registration Link	Past Event
Target Audience	Faculty and Staff
Speaker	Liz Torres Melendez; Study Abroad Coordinator, Faculty-led Programs

February 4, 2026: Model United Nations at UNCG (and Beyond) – EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER

Registration Link	Event cancelled due to weather
Target Audience	Students
Speaker	Dr. Michael Broache; Assistant Professor, Political Science

February 18, 2026: Curriculum Integration & Advising for Study Abroad

Registration Link	Past Event
Target Audience	Faculty and Non-Faculty Advisors
Speakers	Logan Stanfield; Director of Study Abroad Liz Torres Melendez; Study Abroad Coordinator, Faculty-led Programs

March 4, 2026: Teaming Up Across Borders: How to Make International Academic Collaboration Work

Registration Link	Past Event
Target Audience	Faculty
Speaker	Dr. Alejandro Hortal; Senior Lecturer; Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

March 18, 2026: Supporting International Students in Uncertain Sociopolitical Times: Mental Health and Career Guidance Strategies for Higher Education

Registration Link	Past Event
Target Audience	Campus-wide
Speaker	Dr. S. Anandavalli (Alumni); Clinician | Counselor Educator | Mentor | Academic Writer

April 1, 2026: Advertising to Bilinguals: A Human–AI Hybrid Model of Persuasion

Registration Link	Past Event
Target Audience	Campus and Community
Speaker	Dr. Jessie Rui Du; Assistant Professor of Marketing; Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality, and Tourism

April 14, 2027: From Olduvai Gorge to the Serengeti: New Insights into Human Origins

Registration Link	Register Today!
Target Audience	Campus and community
Speaker	Dr. Charles Egeland; Associate Dean for Research, College of Arts and Sciences; Professor, Department of Anthropology
Abstract	Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania preserves some of the oldest archaeological sites in the world and is synonymous with the search for human origins. But how do archaeologists reconstruct events that took place nearly two million years ago? This presentation explores how research in modern African ecosystems helps answer that question. By studying where animal bones accumulate across different habitats today, researchers can better understand the processes that shape the archaeological record. These modern “bone landscapes” provide important clues for interpreting the ancient sites found at Olduvai Gorge and elsewhere in Africa. No background in archaeology is required. The session welcomes anyone interested in human origins, African landscapes, and archaeological discovery.