The student presenters at this year's conference discussed issues ranging from gender roles to environmental health to justice for children. Many agreed that their experiences abroad had expanded their understanding of new cultures, while also providing them the opportunity to question and rediscover their own identities.
"I discovered that I have a passion for teaching, and it's something that I really want to do both during and after college," Connie Shang '13, who taught creative arts and creative thinking to children in Ghana, said. "[The forum] was a great opportunity to take control of what I want to do, to implement my own project and test my abilities."
Anya Bobyk '11, who was born and raised in Ukraine, discussed the way in which accents can define individuals. Bonyk, who speaks with an accent and has split her time between her native country and the United States, said she considers herself "a global citizen."
"People expect me to identify with Ukraine, but it's difficult to because I came here to the [United States] to study - I grew so much here and it influenced me," she said. "It wouldn't be fair to identify with one [nation]."
International understanding is crucial in today's society as the world becomes increasingly diverse and interconnected, Kenneth Yalowitz, director of the Dickey Center for International Understanding, said.
"The more students understand what's going on outside the United States and are attuned to developments abroad, the better prepared they will be to become better citizens of the United States and the world," he said.
The forum allowed students to expand upon their past cross-cultural experiences through interaction with audience members, according to Yalowitz.
"[Students] are able to think about and develop their thoughts, provide an opportunity for shared reflection and support our goals of creating global citizens here at Dartmouth," Yalowitz said.
Yalowitz said he had often heard that students returning from internships and study abroad programs lacked the opportunity to share what they had learned with their peers.
"When you go overseas, you learn about people, about your own self, your own country, your own values," Yalowitz said. "When you come back, you want to discuss what you felt, what you learned, and this forum gives people that opportunity to reflect intellectually, which they haven't had before."
The forum was held in conjunction with Martin Luther King Day celebrations to convey the underlying parallels between the student presentations and the goals of social equality that King fought for, according to Yalowitz.
"Global understanding, mutual tolerance and social justice are themes that are relevant to all mankind," he said. "We are striving for the same ideals as King [at the forum]."
In his opening remarks, Fernandez spoke of America's ability to live up to King's ideals by achieving prosperity at home and improved economic conditions abroad.
"[King] had a spearheading vision of doing well by doing good," Fernandez said. "He would have approved our commitment to working to improve other nations, and to achieve the prosperity and global understanding that he dreamed of."
In his introductory speech, Kim reflected on the influence King had on his work as director of the HIV/AIDS division of the World Health Organization. Kim said he looked often to King's letter from the Birmingham Jail and King's statement that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" for inspiration.
"Martin Luther King gave a thesis on time, saying that time does not cure all ills, that justice does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, that one has to take action," Kim said. "He feared the silence of good people. By hearing on these topics, we're not being silent."
Kim spoke of King's methods of moving towards nonviolent protest collecting evidence for injustice, negotiation, the opportunity for people to state views, self-purification and direct action.
"Many of you in this room have taken direct action," Kim said
Kim challenged the Dartmouth community to follow King's example and concluded his speech by reminding the audience of the lesson that former College President John Sloan Dickey often told students.
"I want you to know two things," Kim said. "First, the world's troubles are your troubles. Second, there is nothing wrong in the world that human beings can't fix. There is no one better to embody that spirit than you."
The Student Forum on Global Learning is a collaborative program between the Dickey Center, the Rockefeller Center, the Tucker Foundation, the Office of Off-Campus Programs, the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Research, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity and the Office of Pluralism and Leadership, according to Yalowitz.
