Field Experiences & Study Abroad, Spring 2013

Check out the newest edition of leaflets from our student travels.  In this series, students traveled throughout the world from Argentina to the Dominican Republic and throughout the entire world on Semester at Sea!  This is one of my favorite things about GS3010EXL–the work that the students create is amazing.  Not only that, I love reading through all of the responses that students share.  There are some really valuable advice and tips on traveling.  Also, check out their videos!

Spring 2013 Coursework

I am so proud of my students!  For more information on the course–including videos–click on GS3010EXL on the navigation bar above.  For any further inquiries, contact me directly at @MTSUGSJP or phalicha@mtsu.edu.

MTSU Global Studies & End Slavery Tennessee Video

The Global Studies program at MTSU and End Slavery Tennessee, a local non-profit, are working together to educate the campus and surrounding communities on issues in human trafficking.

This video was filmed on Thursday, April 11, 2013.  For the most recent report and latest news on the partnership, click here.

The Jordan Turner Foundation

I love teaching.  Many educators would agree that the most special thing about teaching is working with the students.  Nothing is more rewarding than working with students and setting them up for success.  I’ve been fortunate to work with some really incredible and talented students.  

Jordan Turner was a part of a really special group of students that I had during the fall semester of 2010.   That group’s section specifically met three times a week: every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:10am.  (I must acknowledge that these students were consistent at showing up for class, despite how tempting  it was to have unplanned three-day weekends.)  For fifteen weeks, my graduate assistant and I worked closely with our students.  Together, we learned about all things global…

Jordan always walked into class around ten minutes before our scheduled start time.  Despite not having assigned seats, he always made his way up to the front row.  We are creatures of habit, but this wouldn’t stop him from being social.  Jordan would spend a few moments catching up with his classmates, talking about all the things college students talk about…  He had a really calm and friendly demeanor… not a surprise because he almost always walked into class with a big genuine smile on his face.  This guy couldn’t be bothered!

He’d walk in with a copy of the New York Times in his hand.  (I always started class with a segment I called ‘Hot Topics’, where we’d discuss current events and happenings around the world.)  He made a point to tell his classmates that copies were available for free in the common areas of the dorms.  Supportive of his peers, yes he was.  Before class started, I spent a lot of time checking in with my students, making sure that their semester was going well for them and that our class specifically was meeting their needs.  Because Jordan was seated in the front row, I naturally got to learn more about him throughout the semester.  He always spoke so fondly and highly of his family. I knew that he had two older brothers that he admired so very much, and I also knew that he loved his little brothers and sisters.  He had mentioned that he wish he could see them all more regularly.  Throughout the semester, in conversations and discussions, it was evident that his family played an integral role in his personal development.   For this course specifically, my students were assigned a comprehensive final exam project focusing on cross-cultural experiences for specific countries.  I did not assign the topics, but instead left it up to my own students to choose their focus areas based on their own  interests.  For his final project, Jordan’s research focused on Honduras.  He had mentioned previously that he had traveled there and he wanted to share with his classmates his experiences in its culture.

Jordan passed away at the end of the semester.  Because the cohort had developed such great relationships with each other and with him, I felt responsible for them know about his passing.  Seeing my students cry and hearing them wail  in response to the news was one of the most difficult things to observe.  However, with that said, it was also very clear that their paths crossing with Jordan’s was truly special.  From the very beginning of the semester throughout the following fifteen weeks, Jordan left quite the impression on his classmates and me.  He was an intelligent, thoughtful, and charming young man.

His family and friends created The Jordan Turner Foundation, which provides scholarships and resources for people who are committed to learning, service and athletics–core values that were important to him.  Jordan was an avid runner.   This past weekend on Saturday, April 27th, tens of people ran the Nashville Country Music Marathon in honor of Jordan.   The foundation sent me a “Team Jordan” shirt and I was proud to honor him.  He definitely inspired me to stay motivated and finish the race strongly.

All of my students are very important to me.  As an educator, I am continually inspired by my  students.  I encourage you to take a moment to learn more about Jordan and his inspiring story at JordanTurner.org.  You can also find the Foundation on Facebook.

Responding to grief and loss can be difficult.  I am also a part of a committee on campus committed to providing support.  Please refer to this guide for faculty and staff at MTSU.

End Slavery Tennessee Partnership Report

MTSU Global Studies & End Slavery Tennessee Partnership
April 17, 2013

The Global Studies program and End Slavery Tennessee, a local non-profit organization, are working together to educate the campus and surrounding communities on issues in human trafficking.  The mission of End Slavery Tennessee is to create a slave-free Tennessee and holistically restore survivors of human trafficking.  Each semester, students enrolled in Global Issues in Human Trafficking course volunteer with End Slavery Tennessee through different events and activities.

ESTN Information Booth in the KUC on April 11, 2013

On Thursday, April 11, 2013, Justin Phalichanh and his students invited End Slavery Tennessee to campus to educate the community in local issues in human trafficking.  Dana Garrett Montgomery, End Slavery Tennessee’s Community Educator and the Murfreesboro’s group leader, joined them by setting up an information booth in the Keathley University Center.  The booth provided general information on the organization and about local issues of human trafficking in Rutherford County and greater Nashville.

On that same evening, the Offices of International Affairs and Global Studies hosted the third and final film screening of the MTSU Global Studies International Documentary Series 2013.  Using social media and the web as a platform for advertising, we connected with other colleges,  universities, and various media outlets including:  The Murfreesboro Post,  the Daily News Journal, Rutherford County’s Chamber of Commerce, The Murfreesboro Pulse, and Now Playing Nashville.  Despite bad weather and a severe thunderstorm, over 120 people attended the event.  Justin Phalichanh’s students in his Global Issues in Human Trafficking course were able to share with attendees their research. Child laborers in Haiti, forced marriages in India & Nepal, and sex trafficking from California to Tennessee, the students were able to discuss a variety of issues in human trafficking throughout the world.  Many of the students had traveled to the regions and areas of their research, which only strengthened their passion to help raise awareness.  Raising awareness is important, but the students took it one step further to provide information and resources on how to get involved by highlighting local and global organizations on their leaflets, which can be found  here.

Rachel Wilson, professor of entrepreneurship, currently works with her own students by partnering up with Thistle Farms, a social enterprise that is run by the women of Magdalene.  Magdalene is a residential program based in Nashville for women who have survived lives of prostitution, trafficking, addiction and life on the streets.  She spoke to the campus and community about how she and her students are raising awareness about local issues in human trafficking.  Many of these collaborative efforts are vital to the success of fighting human trafficking.

Our featured guest speaker for the evening was Dana Garrett Montgomery.  Dana is currently employed as the Executive Director of the Rutherford County Health Department. She’s worked in public health and community education for more than 15 years. Dana’s passion as a nurse is to educate medical professionals about human trafficking. She recognizes that these healthcare workers have a high chance of encountering victims and that it is therefore vital for them to know the red flags that enable them to recognize victims and get appropriate help.  She shared information about a specific case study based in Murfreesboro.  The survivor’s story helped humanize a crime that happens all too frequently here in Rutherford County.  (You can learn more about this survivor’s painting and reading about her story on ESTN’s blog.)  By sharing information about trafficking in Murfreesboro and the surrounding communities, Dana was able to connect the community with even more resources on how to volunteer and get involved in the fight against human trafficking.  Visit their web site, subscribe to their e-newsletter, and follow them on Twitter.

ESTN Intern Jen Isenberg, ESTN Community Educator Dana Garrett, Global Studies faculty Justin Phalichanh

The third and final film of the MTSU Global Studies International Documentary Series 2013 was Nefarious: Merchant of Souls.  Nefarious is a hard-hitting documentary that exposes the disturbing trends in modern sex slavery. From the very first scene, Nefarious ushers you into the nightmare of sex slavery that hundreds of thousands experience daily. After the film, we had a brief Q&A session to reflect on the film.  We also created a video highlighting MTSU and Murfreesboro’s efforts at shining a light on human trafficking.  We look forward to releasing that video soon.

Photo Credit: Tim Varner

Lastly, on Sunday, April 14, 2013, Jennifer Isenberg led a group of students in a volunteer activity.  Jennifer is a senior at MTSU in the Global Studies program and currently interns at End Slavery Tennessee. As part of the organization’s mission, Jen led the group in ESTN’s Door Hanger campaign.  The goal is to blanket the entire state of Tennessee with door hangers that contain critical information for the public including red flags for identifying victims, and the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline number to call to get appropriate help.  For the latest update on how many door hangers have been placed, please view ESTN’s Door Placement Map.  The students and Jen distributed 300 door hangers around campus in Murfreesboro. 

Collaborating with  End Slavery Tennessee and other community members provides us with the resources and knowledge to assist in efforts of eradicating human trafficking locally and worldwide.  The Global Studies program at MTSU will be launching a new internship program that bridges the program and End Slavery Tennessee together.  This new internship will strengthen the partnership, as both are focused on educating others on local and global issues in human trafficking.  As we continue to work together, we aspire to encourage more students and community members to engage in more discussions, projects, and volunteer opportunities.

For more information about this partnership, visit the information page here or EndSlaveryTN.org.

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• Find End Slavery Tennessee on Facebook and Twitter
• Find MTSU Global Studies on Facebook and on MTSU.edu
• Find MTSU’s Office of International Affairs on MTSU.edu
• Find Thistle Farms on Facebook and Twitter
• This partnership and event’s success is contributed to the collaborative efforts of all parties involved between MTSU, End Slavery Tennessee, the students, and the campus and local communities.