OACS 2/16 Updates
OACS Global Service Programs Update
After 25 hours of interviews, the cohorts for the 2018 OACS Global Programs in Ecuador and Morocco have been finalized! Participants were selected from a pool of 45 applicants based on their written application and in-person interviews. Over the course of the next 10 weeks, students participate in a series of eight seminars designed to equip them with the tools to analyze and participate in global service through an informed and impact-oriented lens. Seminars will cover the following:
- An overview of religion, politics, economics, and culture in Morocco and Ecuador
- Training in language skills, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence
- An introduction to Islam (Morocco)
- Critical dialogues about power and privilege
- Analysis of the intersection of sustainable international development, social justice and global citizenship
- Consideration of the ethical issues involved in engaging with communities through service in the Global South
- Reflection techniques and team-building skills
Local OACS DIVE: Lived Experience of Refugees Update
The first DIVE seminar focused on understanding some of the causes of human displacement, how refugees obtain their status, and the resettlement process once individuals and families obtain refugee status. The design lab time of this seminar was dedicated to the Empathy step of the human-centered design process. The cohort had the opportunity to hear from a mentor to the Local OACS DIVE program about their resettlement experience. This past week was also students’ placement week with their non-profit organizations. Students are placed in 5 separate design challenge groups with Catholic Charities and NICE, where they will be working to design prototypes to address challenges identifies by their non-profit partners.