Apr 3, 2025 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
NMC’s International Affairs Forum continues its 31st season with an unprecedented event led by NMC students on the IAF Student Leadership Team. Join IAF for “Echoes of Change: The Legacy of Student Activism” at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 17 at the Dennos Museum Center. The guest speaker is Danielle K. Brown, Ph.D., 1855 Community and Urban Journalism Professor and an associate professor in the School of Journalism at Michigan State University.
Brown will discuss the social and political underpinnings of student movements. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on “the cross-sections of journalism, political science, and sociology. She specializes in analyses of media representations and narrative change, social movements and activism, and identity and political psychology.”
As part of this exploration, the IAF Student Leadership Team has interviewed scholars and activists. The team will share curated video interview segments during the live event, interwoven with moderated conversation on stage. Discussion will highlight past student protest movements as well current issues around political activism on campuses across the country.
The April 17 in-person event at the museum is open to the public and available to watch online. At 5:30 p.m., enjoy a reception, explore the Dennos Museum Center galleries and meet the students behind this event. At 6:30 p.m., the program begins in Milliken Auditorium. Admission is $15 per person or free for students, educators, and active-duty military. Advance tickets are strongly encouraged. For in-person tickets, online tickets and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
IAF’s 31st season is sponsored by Mercantile Bank.
Mar 17, 2025 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
The International Affairs Forum at Northwestern Michigan College will host a discussion about a future focus for northern Michigan’s vitality – The Blue Economy: Michigan’s Global Role.
IAF welcomes John C. Austin, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and director of the Michigan Economic Center at the University of Michigan. Austin is an economic coalition builder and a regional advocate for sustainable Great Lakes economic activity.
Joining Austin is Frank Ettawageshik, executive director of the United Tribes of Michigan and an internationally recognized environmental activist who has represented our region at COP21. Lending perspective on workforce training and development is John Lutchko, director of the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at NMC.
The event will be held on Thursday, March 20 at the Dennos Museum Center, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City. The discussion starts at 6:30 p.m. with a welcome reception at 5:30 p.m.
IAF’s educational programming at NMC is free for students and educators, and open to the public thanks to its supporting members, regional partners, business sponsors and Northwestern Michigan College. Find more information at TCIAF.com.
IAF’s 31st season is sponsored by Mercantile Bank.
Feb 3, 2025 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — The International Affairs Forum continues its 31st season of global issues education hosting renowned topic-area experts at public events running from February through June 2025. Upcoming events include:
- Haiti: Crisis In Context
February 20, 6:30 p.m.
IAF will host Monique Clesca & Jake Johnston for a discussion on Haiti, the Haitian diaspora, and aid policy.
- The Blue Economy: Michigan’s Global Role
March 20, 6:30 p.m.
John Austin, Director of the Michigan Economic Center at the University of Michigan, Senior Fellow at the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College, and Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, will discuss the role of the Great Lakes’ region as a global leader in sustainable water-related economic growth.
- Echoes of Change: The Legacy of Student Activism
April 17, 6:30 p.m.
Presented by current NMC students. This first-of-its-kind student event will explore the enduring impact of pivotal, historical student movements and their relevance in today’s culture.
- On Journalism and Media & Information Literacy
May (date TBD)
IAF will host a discussion on journalism, media and information literacy, and disinformation, exploring how local journalism fortifi es freedom and connects local issues to global challenges.
- North America 2.0
June 12, 6:30 p.m.
IAF will partner with the Economic Club of Traverse City to host a discussion on the state of trade relations between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Programs are presented in hybrid format; in-person events are available to livestream online. Most programs start at 6:30 p.m. Eastern at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City with a welcome reception at 5:30 p.m.
IAF’s educational programming at NMC is free for students and educators, and open to the public thanks to its supporting members, regional partners, business sponsors and Northwestern Michigan College. Find more information at TCIAF.com.
IAF’s 31st season is sponsored by Mercantile Bank. Learn more about event sponsorship and opportunities to support here: tciaf.com/support
Release date: February 3, 2025
For more information:
Alex Tank
Director, International Affairs Forum
atank@nmc.edu
(231)995-1844
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College does not discriminate in admission, campus activities, education, employment, housing, public accommodation or public service on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity/expression, handicap, height, marital or familial status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, service in the military, veteran’s status, weight, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local law. No act of retaliation shall occur to any person making a charge, filing a complaint, testifying or participating in any discrimination investigation or proceeding. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Dec 20, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student News
Dick Grout, one of the founding members of the International Affairs Forum, passed away on December 19 at the age of 104.
The Record-Eagle published a retrospective on his life and accomplishments (a PDF-friendly version of the article can be found here). Additional information about his valorous D-Day service is available on the International Affairs Forum’s website.
Oct 29, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
On November 14, Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum presents a vital exploration of global energy trends with John Pournoor, Ph.D., CEO of Government Analytica and former VP of governmental affairs at 3M. The event is sponsored by Mercantile Bank.
Dr. Pournoor will “explore global energy developments through the lens of key geopolitical megatrends that are shaping our future,” with an emphasis on Michigan’s role. With “44 natural gas storage fields” and extensive renewable resources, Michigan has the potential to “recharge our future electric vehicles” and strengthen energy security for industries statewide. Dr. Pournoor will address the “increasing segmentation of global supply and demand” and “geopolitical events which jeopardize and limit supply.” Additionally, the talk will highlight “how environmental policy increasingly drives industrial policy and economic transformation” and provide insights on U.S. energy policy influenced by public perceptions. Registered attendees receive a complimentary digital copy of 12 Global Megatrends: 2025 Edition.
The November 14 hybrid event at the Dennos Museum Center is open to the public and available to watch online. Admission is free for students, educators, and all NMC employees. Tickets are $15 per person for the general public. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. with the program at 6:30 p.m. For in-person tickets, online tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Oct 1, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
IAF will host a discussion on global migration trends, including key dynamics on the U.S. Southern border, featuring two expert guest speakers Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 6:30 p.m. “Global Migration & The Southern Border” is a hybrid event, in person at the Dennos Museum Center and online. Read more and get tickets here.
Alan Bersin served as the former assistant secretary in the Office of Policy in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2012-2017. He is the former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection from 2010-2011. Bersin served as California’s Secretary of Education in the Administration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Andrew Selee, Ph.D. is the president of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), “an independent, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to improve immigration and integration policies through authoritative research and analysis, opportunities for learning and dialogue, and the development of new ideas to address complex policy questions.” Prior to his work at MPI, Dr. Selee was the founder & executive vice president of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center.
Alan Bersin will speak in person and Andrew Selee, Ph.D. will appear via video link for this hybrid event at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium.
All regular season events are open to the public. Current students, educators, and all NMC employees receive free admission.Tickets are required. Presentations begin at 6:30 p.m. and receptions begin at 5:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Visit TCIAF.com for advance in-person tickets and online livestream access: $15 per person or $10 for online livestream access. For in-person tickets on event days, purchase at the door while seats remain.
Jul 8, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student News
Alex Tank (download high-resolution photo)TRAVERSE CITY — Alex Tank, an International Affairs Forum staff member since 2020, has been named IAF’s new director effective July 1.
IAF’s mission is to advance understanding of the world and its critical issues through education and public dialogue. Topics during the 2023-24 season included indigenous sovereignty, international coordination of freshwater resources, China dynamics, policy cooperation on AI, the Israel-Palestine conflict, global population trends, and the struggle for victory in Ukraine.
During Tank’s tenure IAF’s programming has gained significant momentum, evolving into a fully hybrid program with viewers and supporters from several states and overseas. As a local, regional and global program, IAF exemplifies NMC’s vision to be a global community. Specific achievements include:
- Increased participation in Academic WorldQuest, a quiz competition on world affairs for high school students, from 65 students at 6 high schools to 93 students at 7 high schools.
- With the support of the IAF Advisory Board membership committee, increased the number of supporting memberships 16% from 2022–23 to 2023–24.
- Added a livestream viewing option at the Old Art Building in Leland for IAF’s flagship monthly lecture series, offered in person and online.
- Expanded and established partnerships with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Economic Club of Traverse City, Traverse City Central and Traverse City West High Schools, Interlochen Public Radio and Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
“I am humbled and thrilled to help guide the International Affairs Forum into its fourth decade, building upon the dedication and impactful work of so many past leaders,” Tank said. “With the integral support of our volunteer advisory board, we craft content and experiences that impact students’ academic trajectories and broaden attendees’ collective knowledge base.”
Tank succeeds Jim Bensley, who was director until July 1, 2023, in addition to his role as director of International Services and Service Learning at NMC. Bensley now serves as a member of the IAF Advisory Board, representing an integral connection between IAF and NMC faculty and students.
Over the last year Tank has helped lead IAF through its 30th season with the significant support of IAF Advisory Board co-chairs Major General Mike Lehnert, USMC ret., and Stan Otto, former senior U.S. diplomat.
IAF’s 31st season of programming will begin in September 2024. The lineup of fall events and topics will be shared later this summer. Tank foresees Academic WorldQuest expanding again. He also hopes to encourage the region’s business community to engage in global affairs education through a new membership opportunity.
“We’re open to new ideas and new modes to engage our community, including a WorldQuest competition for the general public, discussion groups based around critical issues, and student-driven programming,” he said.
Find out more, including how to become a supporting member or sponsor, at tciaf.com.
Release date: July 8, 2024
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College does not discriminate in admission, campus activities, education, employment, housing, public accommodation or public service on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity/expression, handicap, height, marital or familial status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, service in the military, veteran’s status, weight, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local law. No act of retaliation shall occur to any person making a charge, filing a complaint, testifying or participating in any discrimination investigation or proceeding. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
May 28, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
The International Affairs Forum’s 30th season concludes at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12 with a fascinating presentation by Jennifer Sciubba, Ph.D., President & CEO of Population Reference Bureau, political demographer, and author of 8 Billion and Counting: How Sex, Death, and Migration Shape Our World. As one of the foremost experts in the field of political demography, Dr. Sciubba’s work argues that “a deeper understanding of fertility, mortality, and migration trends points us toward the investments we need to make today to shape the future we want tomorrow.”
Dr. Sciubba is affiliated with the Wilson Center and the Hess Center for New Frontiers at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, both in Washington, DC. She is formerly a tenured professor at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges. She has studied at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock, Germany, and served as a demographics consultant to the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy).
This event is sponsored by TentCraft. Books will be available for purchase and signing, provided by Brilliant Books.
The event will be held at the Milliken Auditorium in the Dennos Museum Center. There will be a welcome reception at 6 p.m., with the program following at 7 p.m. The program is also available to livestream online.
Visit TCIAF.com for event details and to secure in-person & online tickets. Event admission is free for students, educators, and all NMC employees.
May 13, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum welcomes Matthew L.M. Fletcher for a hybrid event at 12:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, May 16 to discuss tribal sovereignty and history.
Fletcher is the Harry Burns Hutchins Collegiate Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School. He teaches and writes in the areas of federal Indian law, American Indian tribal law, Anishinaabe legal and political philosophy, constitutional law, federal courts, and legal ethics.
Fletcher also sits as an appellate judge for the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Hoopa Valley Tribe, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians, the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, the Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska, and the Tulalip Tribes. He is a member of the Grand Traverse Band.
The moderator for this event is Mark Wilson, a citizen of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians and former Vice-Chair of the Tribal Council (2014-2022). Wilson serves as Mayor Pro Tem of Traverse City and is a member of the International Affairs Forum Advisory Board.
The event will open and close with a drum ceremony by Dusty Bear, composed of members of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
This event is supported in part by grant funding from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
The event will be held at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium, 1701 E. Front St, Traverse City, MI. There will be a welcoming reception at 11:30 a.m.. The 12:30 program is also available to livestream online.
Visit TCIAF.com for event details and to secure in-person & online tickets. Event admission is free for students & educators, including all employees of NMC and area schools.
Mar 28, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student News
Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum turns its focus to our freshwater resources in back-to-back events on April 17 and 18. The programs are presented by IAF in partnership with Interlochen Public Radio, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and NMC’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute. Both events are supported by a grant from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
Relentless Documentary Screening & Panel Discussion
Wednesday, April 17, 6–8:30 p.m.
Milliken Auditorium, Dennos Museum Center
The International Affairs Forum, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Interlochen Public Radio present Relentless, a documentary narrated by J.K. Simmons on the deadly invasion of sea lampreys into the Great Lakes and the tenacious scientists who were determined to find a solution.
After the screening, stay for a panel discussion including:
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- T. Lindsey Haskin, Director, writer, producer of Relentless
- Jennifer Read, Ph.D., Director, University of Michigan Water Center
- Frank Ettawageshik, President, American Association on Indian Affairs
- Ellie Katz, moderator, Environment Reporter, Interlochen Public Radio
This is a free event. Space is limited. Reserve tickets at TCIAF.com.
Global Water Tension & The Great Lakes Compact
Thursday, April 18, 5:30–8 p.m. (7 p.m. ET livestream)
Milliken Auditorium, Dennos Museum Center
Peter Annin will present a keynote address on Global Water Tension & The Great Lakes Compact. Annin is the director of the Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation and the author of The Great Lakes Water Wars, the definitive work on the Great Lakes water diversion controversy. Before coming to Northland College in 2015, Peter served as a reporter at Newsweek, the associate director of the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, and the managing director of the University of Notre Dame’s Environmental Change Initiative. He continues to report on the Great Lakes water diversion issue and published the second edition of The Great Lakes Water Wars in the fall of 2018.
In his latest book, Purified: How Recycled Sewage Is Transforming Our Water, Annin shows that wastewater has become a surprising weapon in America’s war against water scarcity — and a potential global model for innovation.
The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and will feature freshwater-related content from event partners NMC Great Lakes Water Studies Institute & Interlochen Public Radio. GLWSI will brief reception attendees on its new associate degree in water quality environmental technology — a.k.a. the Wet Tech degree. IPR will highlight its Great Lakes reporting via its Points North podcast team. These brief “breakout” presentations will be delivered in a gallery adjacent to the museum’s sculpture court.
The keynote address will follow at 7 p.m.
Admission is $15 per person. Admission is free for all students and educators. For tickets and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Mar 1, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum continues its 30th season on Tuesday, March 19 in the Dennos Museum Center. Join IAF for AI & Global Cooperation: What’s Happening & What’s Next featuring Joshua Meltzer, Senior Fellow in the Global Economy and Development Program at the Brookings Institution. Meltzer will discuss why generative AI matters, how government policy can address new risks that AI exposes, as well as economic potential for scientific discovery, and potential competition with China.
Meltzer’s research focuses on international economic relations and the intersection of technology and trade policy. Along with Cameron Kerry, he co-leads the Forum on Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (FCAI)—a multi-stakeholder dialogue with government officials from the U.S., EU, Canada, the U.K., Singapore, Japan, and Australia, as well as AI experts from industry and academia. He also leads the USMCA initiative, which focuses on how the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) can strengthen international cooperation in North America.
The March 19 in-person event at the Dennos Museum Center is open to the public and available to livestream online. Admission is $15 per person. Admission is free for all students and educators. The reception begins at 6 p.m. with the program following at 7 p.m.
For in-person tickets, online tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Jan 29, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum continues its 30th season on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Dennos Museum Center with a program by Lucy Hornby, Senior Associate at the Center for International and Strategic Studies. The program is presented in partnership with the Economic Club of Traverse City. The event is free for students and educators.
In 2023, Hornby was a visiting scholar at Harvard’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, where her research focused on the revival of the Chinese state and the rise of Xi Jinping during the reform era. She lived in China for almost 20 years, working as a journalist for Reuters and the Financial Times, before returning to the United States as a 2020 fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard. She first moved to China in 1995, teaching English in Wuhan thanks to Princeton in Asia, a program that builds bridges between the United States and Asia. She has also reported on Asian energy markets and investment for Dow Jones Newswires and on Latin American energy investment for Energy Intelligence.
A fluent Mandarin speaker, Hornby has reported from every Chinese province and region, on topics ranging from elite politics to the trade war and environmental pollution. Her coverage was honored with the 2018 Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for excellence in business reporting, among other awards, for investigations into the ownership and financing of some of China’s largest and most opaque conglomerates.
The Feb. 15 in-person event at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium is open to the public and available to livestream online. Admission is $15 per person. Admission is free for all students and educators. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the program begins promptly at 7 p.m.
For in-person tickets, online tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Dec 4, 2023 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum comes together on Thursday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Milliken Auditorium at the Dennos Museum Center for a Global Hotspot event—Israel-Palestine: Conflict in Context. The program will include an examination of historical foundations of the current conflict and welcome back two past leaders of IAF to share their informed insights.
Leila Hilal is a human rights attorney and former IAF executive director. Hilal served as Senior Policy Adviser to the Commissioner-General of the Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) and as a legal adviser to Palestinian negotiators from 2002-2008. Now a director at the Detroit Workforce Funder Collaborative, Hilal recently returned from a visit to Jordan.
Jack Segal is a former IAF Board co-chair and a retired senior U.S. diplomat who served in the U.S. Embassy in Israel as counselor for political/military affairs during the first Intifada and the Gulf War. Jack also served at the NSC as Director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, and later, Director for Non-Proliferation, and at NATO as Senior Political Adviser to NATO’s operational commander in Afghanistan.
Hilal and Segal will provide vital context on this complex issue and answer audience questions, in person via question cards and online via livestream.
The Dec. 14 in-person event at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium is open to the public and available to livestream online. Admission is $15 per person. Admission is free for all students and educators. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the program begins promptly at 7 p.m.
The International Affairs Forum is member-supported program of Northwestern Michigan College and a member affiliate of the World Affairs Councils of America. For in-person tickets, online tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Oct 23, 2023 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum continues its 30th season on Thursday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m. with a talk by Kaveh Madani, Ph.D., world renowned environmental scientist and director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, known as the UN Think Tank on Water. Madani previously served as the Deputy Vice President of Iran in his position as the Deputy Head of Iran’s Department of Environment, and as the Vice President of the UN Environment Assembly Bureau, the world’s highest-level decision-making body for matters related to the environment.
Being in charge of the international relations of Iran’s Department of Environment, in his diplomatic role, Madani led Iran’s delegation in different major intergovernmental meetings and negotiations, including the 23rd United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23).
The event will be held at the Dennos Museum Center and is available to livestream online. Admission is free for students and educators; tickets for the general public are $15. A reception will precede the event at 5:30 p.m.
For in-person tickets, online tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Sep 29, 2023 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum continues its 30th season on Thursday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Milliken Auditorium at the Dennos Museum Center.
Join the discussion as Ambassador (ret.) Susan D. Page addresses the structural difficulties Africa faces for the future, including refugee crises, famine, terrorism, foreign influence by Russia & China, and more. This is an in-person event with online livestream available. All NMC students, faculty, and staff are free to attend.
Amb. Susan D. Page is the Director of the Weiser Diplomacy Center & Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and Professor from Practice at the University of Michigan Law School. She has deep expertise in international relations, particularly in Africa. Her senior level roles have included Assistant Secretary General/Special Adviser on Rule of Law, Global Focal Point Review Implementation, Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) to the United Nations Mission for Justice Support to Haiti (MINUJUSTH), first U.S. Ambassador to newly independent South Sudan, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to the African Union, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, key adviser to the peace process that resolved Africa’s longest-running civil war through international mediation, head of rule of law programs for the UN, and a foreign service regional legal advisor and political of ficer in East, Central, and Southern Africa.
Stan Otto, a former senior U.S. diplomat and current IAF Board co-chair, will moderate the discussion. Otto was a senior diplomat in the State Department with 40 years expertise in promoting international cooperation and understanding, including policy planning, negotiating and management in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Prior to the Foreign Service, he was a Fulbright lecturer in Taiwan and taught at universities in Iran and Egypt. He also served in the Peace Corps in Morocco and Cameroon.
This event is open to the public and available to livestream online. Admission is $15 per person or free for students and educators. The event includes a welcome reception with appetizers at 5:30 p.m.
In addition to her NMC engagement, Amb. Page has agreed to present to area secondary school students on Friday, Oct. 6. NMC IAF will host the session for 200+ students, including extended Q & A with the Ambassador.
For in-person tickets, online tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Aug 30, 2023 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum will launch its 30th season of events on September 22 at the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City with a 5:30 p.m. reception followed by a 6:30 program. For in-person tickets, online livestream tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com. IAF events are hybrid format; in-person events are available to livestream online. All events are free for students and educators.
- Can Democracy Win The Cyberwars?
Friday, September 22, 6:30 p.m.
In person at Dennos Museum Center & online
IAF’s 30th season begins with Alexander Evans, Ph.D., Professor in Practice of Public Policy at the London School of Economics. Dr. Evans is a former advisor to the British Prime Minister, Strategy Director in the Cabinet Office, Cyber Director in the Foreign Office, and a senior advisor to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke at the U.S. Department of State. He has been the Henry Kissinger Chair at the Library of Congress, a Senior Fellow at Yale, and a Gwilym Gibbon Fellow at Nuffield College Oxford. He was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by the late Queen Elizabeth II and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has published widely, including in Foreign Affairs and The Economist.
Dr. Evans will discuss cyberwars in relation to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Chinese hacking, digital threats to democracy, data privacy, anticipatory policymaking, and more.
- Africa: Permanent Crises?
Thursday, October 5, 6:30 p.m.
In person at Dennos Museum Center & online
IAF welcomes Ambassador (ret.) Susan D. Page, Director of the Weiser Diplomacy Center & Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and Professor from Practice at the University of Michigan Law School.
Amb. Page has deep expertise in international relations, particularly in Africa. Her senior level roles have included Assistant Secretary General/Special Adviser on Rule of Law, Global Focal Point Review Implementation, Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) to the United Nations Mission for Justice Support to Haiti (MINUJUSTH), first U.S. Ambassador to newly independent South Sudan, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to the African Union, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, key adviser to the peace process that resolved Africa’s longest-running civil war through international mediation, head of rule of law programs for the UN, and a foreign service regional legal advisor and political officer in East, Central, and Southern Africa.
Amb. Page will discuss the structural difficulties Africa faces for the future, including refugee crises, famine, terrorism, foreign influence by Russia & China, among other critical issues.
- Mideast Water: When The Well Runs Dry
Thursday, Nov. 9, 6:30 p.m.
In person at Dennos Museum Center & online
IAF will host a discussion on the Middle East and freshwater resources with Kaveh Madani, Ph.D., an environmental scientist, educator, and activist working at the interface of science, policy, and society. He is currently a Visiting Professor at the Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP) of the Imperial College London and a Henry Hart Rice Senior Fellow at the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University.
He has previously served as the Deputy Vice President of Iran in his position as the Deputy Head of Iran’s Department of Environment, and the Vice President of the UN Environment Assembly Bureau. He has co-authored nearly 200 publications with students and research colleagues in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Middle East on issues such as water management, environmental policy, energy systems, food security, climate change impacts and adaptation, sustainable development, and transboundary-conflicts and negotiations.
Dr. Madani will discuss the relentless drought in Iran and water scarcity in the Middle East. His work focuses on policy solutions and governance insights for complex problems involving water, energy, food, climate and environment.
Events
All regular season events are open to the public. Presentations begin at 6:30 p.m. & receptions begin at 5:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Tickets are required and available for purchase at TCIAF.com or at the door. In-person tickets are $15 per person; online livestream access is $10. Current students and educators receive free admission with school I.D. or name badge. For in-person tickets, online livestream tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Membership
The International Affairs Forum is a member-supported global affairs education series and a program of Northwestern Michigan College (NMC). The organization was founded in 1994 by a group of citizens eager to learn more about our nuanced world through speaker events with invited experts. IAF welcomes new members and sponsors for its 30th season September 2023 – June 2024.
Memberships start at $100 for individuals or $160 for families and include in-person admission and online livestream access to all regular season events. A newly offered online membership is customized for viewers outside the region who want to support global affairs education in northern Michigan. Learn more about IAF membership, event sponsorship, and student outreach at TCIAF.com.
Release date: AUGUST 29, 2023
For more information:
Alex Tank
Communications & Production Coordinator
International Affairs Forum at Northwestern Michigan College
(231) 995-1844
atank@nmc.edu
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College does not discriminate in admission, campus activities, education, employment, housing, public accommodation or public service on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity/expression, handicap, height, marital or familial status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, service in the military, veteran’s status, weight, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local law. No act of retaliation shall occur to any person making a charge, filing a complaint, testifying or participating in any discrimination investigation or proceeding. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Aug 29, 2023 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum will launch its 30th season of events on September 22 at the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City with a 5:30 p.m. reception followed by a 6:30 program. For in-person tickets, online livestream tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com. IAF events are hybrid format; in-person events are available to livestream online. All events are free for students and educators.
- Can Democracy Win The Cyberwars?
Friday, September 22, 6:30 p.m.
In person at Dennos Museum Center & online
IAF’s 30th season begins with Alexander Evans, Ph.D., Professor in Practice of Public Policy at the London School of Economics. Dr. Evans is a former advisor to the British Prime Minister, Strategy Director in the Cabinet Office, Cyber Director in the Foreign Office, and a senior advisor to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke at the U.S. Department of State. He has been the Henry Kissinger Chair at the Library of Congress, a Senior Fellow at Yale, and a Gwilym Gibbon Fellow at Nuffield College Oxford. He was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by the late Queen Elizabeth II and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has published widely, including in Foreign Affairs and The Economist.
Dr. Evans will discuss cyberwars in relation to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Chinese hacking, digital threats to democracy, data privacy, anticipatory policymaking, and more.
- Africa: Permanent Crises?
Thursday, October 5, 6:30 p.m.
In person at Dennos Museum Center & online
IAF welcomes Ambassador (ret.) Susan D. Page, Director of the Weiser Diplomacy Center & Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and Professor from Practice at the University of Michigan Law School.
Amb. Page has deep expertise in international relations, particularly in Africa. Her senior level roles have included Assistant Secretary General/Special Adviser on Rule of Law, Global Focal Point Review Implementation, Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) to the United Nations Mission for Justice Support to Haiti (MINUJUSTH), first U.S. Ambassador to newly independent South Sudan, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to the African Union, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, key adviser to the peace process that resolved Africa’s longest-running civil war through international mediation, head of rule of law programs for the UN, and a foreign service regional legal advisor and political officer in East, Central, and Southern Africa.
Amb. Page will discuss the structural difficulties Africa faces for the future, including refugee crises, famine, terrorism, foreign influence by Russia & China, among other critical issues.
- Mideast Water: When The Well Runs Dry
Thursday, Nov. 9, 6:30 p.m.
In person at Dennos Museum Center & online
IAF will host a discussion on the Middle East and freshwater resources with Kaveh Madani, Ph.D., an environmental scientist, educator, and activist working at the interface of science, policy, and society. He is currently a Visiting Professor at the Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP) of the Imperial College London and a Henry Hart Rice Senior Fellow at the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University.
He has previously served as the Deputy Vice President of Iran in his position as the Deputy Head of Iran’s Department of Environment, and the Vice President of the UN Environment Assembly Bureau. He has co-authored nearly 200 publications with students and research colleagues in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Middle East on issues such as water management, environmental policy, energy systems, food security, climate change impacts and adaptation, sustainable development, and transboundary-conflicts and negotiations.
Dr. Madani will discuss the relentless drought in Iran and water scarcity in the Middle East. His work focuses on policy solutions and governance insights for complex problems involving water, energy, food, climate and environment.
Events
All regular season events are open to the public. Presentations begin at 6:30 p.m. & receptions begin at 5:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Tickets are required and available for purchase at TCIAF.com or at the door. In-person tickets are $15 per person; online livestream access is $10. Current students and educators receive free admission with school I.D. or name badge. For in-person tickets, online livestream tickets, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
Membership
The International Affairs Forum is a member-supported global affairs education series and a program of Northwestern Michigan College (NMC). The organization was founded in 1994 by a group of citizens eager to learn more about our nuanced world through speaker events with invited experts. IAF welcomes new members and sponsors for its 30th season September 2023 – June 2024.
Memberships start at $100 for individuals or $160 for families and include in-person admission and online livestream access to all regular season events. A newly offered online membership is customized for viewers outside the region who want to support global affairs education in northern Michigan. Learn more about IAF membership, event sponsorship, and student outreach at TCIAF.com.
Release date: AUGUST 29, 2023
For more information:
Alex Tank
Communications & Production Coordinator
International Affairs Forum at Northwestern Michigan College
(231) 995-1844
atank@nmc.edu
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Apr 26, 2023 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student Events
NMC’s International Affairs Forum will discuss press freedom around the world on Wednesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Milliken Auditorium at the Dennos Museum Center. IAF will welcome to the stage career journalists Joyce Barnathan and Gene Gibbons. Joyce Barnathan was president of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) for 15 years where she helped advocate for quality journalism on the forefront of a changing media landscape. Previously, Barnathan served as the executive editor, Global Franchise, for BusinessWeek. Before that, she served as the Asia regional editor and Hong Kong bureau manager.
Barnathan came to BusinessWeek from Newsweek, where she served as State Department correspondent, Moscow Bureau Chief, and Special Projects Correspondent covering presidential elections.
Barnathan holds a bachelor’s degree in Russian and Chinese studies and a master’s degree in Asian studies from Washington University, as well as a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. She is the winner of five Overseas Press Club Awards, including three as part of BusinessWeek’s Asia team, as well as the National Headliner Award. She is a trustee of the Arthur F. Burns Fellowships Program and serves on the steering committee of the Global Forum for Media Development.
Barnathan is committed to strengthening the news media to ensure that we all enjoy vibrant, democratic societies.
Gene Gibbons covered Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Clinton during a 40-year career as a political journalist. Gibbons is a former Reuters’ chief White House correspondent and previously was a Washington-based United Press International (UPI) reporter.
Gibbons served on the board of the White House Correspondents Association and is a past president of the Radio-Television Correspondents Association. His career highlights include serving as a Presidential Debate panelist in 1992 and as a Joan M. Shorenstein Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in 2010. He has appeared on The PBS NewsHour and other telecasts. Gibbons has written and released a memoir entitled BREAKING NEWS Six Presidents – The Queen – A Pope: A Life in Journalism.
The event at Milliken Auditorium is open to the public and will be available to livestream, including a public Q&A. The event includes a welcome reception with refreshments at 5:30 p.m..
In-person tickets are required and available for purchase at TCIAF.com or at the door for $15 per person. Attendance for students and educators is free. Registration is required to livestream.
For in-person tickets, livestream registration, and all event details, visit TCIAF.com.
