HILC'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Wednesday, September 2, 2020
The HILC Weekly Newsletter will continue posting the best events hosted by or related to the Holland International Living Center!

Have an amazing first day of classes-you've all got this!

Preview:

1. Host an HILC Culture Night!
2. Volunteer to be a Speaking Group Discussion Facilitator 
3. Podcasting Opportunity for First-Year Students

Important Announcements ­ƒöê

• HILC GroupMe: If you haven't yet been able to, please join the 2020-21 HILC GroupMe. This will be the easiest way to share future HILC events, find the answers to questions, and get in contact with other HILC residents!
• HILC Virtual Floor Meeting Video: If you weren't able to attend the HILC floor meeting on 8/23 or 8/26 and haven't yet viewed the recording, please do! This is the fastest way to find out important information about your first few weeks in HILC.

Host an HILC Culture Night!

Culture Night events have a history in HILC, and we want to continue the amazing tradition. We would love for people to share more about their culture/country/background with the HILC community!

Culture Night events will take place virtually, on a Friday evening (though exact time is variable based on the availability of presenters). Our staff can advise you in creating a short presentation with whatever information you'd like to share about your culture--whether that be language, customs, history, food, fashion, or more.

Please share your thoughts if you'd like to host a Culture Night and our staff will be in touch to help coordinate!

NOTE: By signing up on this interest form, you are not fully committing to hosting just yet. You can always decide to wait/not host after filling out the form, if you prefer.

Volunteer to be a Speaking Group Discussion Facilitator! 
and Meet International Graduate Students from Around the World!

Do you like working with international students and learning from others who may have different life experiences? Have you traveled abroad or are planning to? Are you interested in learning about other cultures? Join the English Language Support Office’s Speaking Groups Program this fall as a Discussion Facilitator! It’s a great way to connect with new people on campus.

FACILITATORS commit for 8-weeks of a semester to help lead and organize small weekly 1-hour discussions with international graduate students. This program brings together international graduate students and fluent English speakers for language support and conversations about culture, academic interests, and campus life. Groups begin meeting on a remote platform the week of September 21 and continue until November 14.

To be a facilitator, you need to be a Cornell undergraduate student, staff member, graduate student, post-doc, alumni, retiree or faculty, should be fluent in English and have knowledge of US culture. The group participants are international graduate students from diverse programs, diverse linguistic backgrounds, and at diverse points in their graduate careers. The goal is to improve English speaking skills while making meaningful connections across campus in weekly small group discussions.

If you are interested in becoming a facilitator, you will need to:

o complete a brief registration form: Fall 2020 Facilitator Registration (once you click on the link, go to Facilitator Register in the right upper corner)

• attend an initial orientation meeting (for all new facilitators; orientations will be held September 7 -10), a mid-semester meeting, and final reception
• commit for 8-weeks of the semester to help organize and facilitate small, weekly discussion groups with international graduate students
• each facilitator will create a group meeting time that works with their schedule
• maintain communication with your group and create Zoom links for weekly meetings
• remote group meetings will begin the week of September 21 and continue for 8-weeks

• For any questions or concerns, contact the English Language Support Office (ELSO) Speaking Services Coordinator Melissa Myers at mm177@cornell.edu or visit the Speaking Groups Program website: https://knight.as.cornell.edu/SGP

  Read more about the Speaking Groups Program in the Cornell Chronicle: http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2018/05/international-speaking-groups-broaden-perspectives

Want to be in a first-year student podcast?

Professor Christopher Byrne, Faculty member in the Department of Communication, is looking for incoming students to be part of a independently produced podcast about the transition from COVID high school senior year, to COVID college freshman year. The show will run for ten episodes throughout the academic year following a small group of diverse Cornell freshman as they begin their unprecedented journey, the high, lows and even the surprises of social distancing, virtual learning, masked classrooms and campus life.

The show will continue as students return home after Thanksgiving and back for the Spring Semester finishing up in May. If you are interested or have questions contact Professor Christopher Byrne at cpb76@cornell.edu as soon as possible. All recording will be remote.