The Summer Institute (SI) is a two-week creative writing and cultural exchange program for participants age 18-22 from Pakistan, India, and the U.S.
Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the SI will be held virtually in 2021. Students from all disciplines – the arts, humanities, sciences, and everything in between – are welcome to apply! This program is free for accepted applicants and will focus on creative writing and the power of narrative.
Attendees take part in collaborative workshops focused on their creative work, in seminars to expand literary knowledge of diverse global literatures, in special seminars on the craft of writing, and in activities designed to forge new lines of understanding and shared purpose among its community of writers. The SI is an opportunity to see writing as a form of action – a personally-empowering skill that can be employed for social change.
The Summer Institute is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.
How Can Art Museums Model the Future of Diverse Cultural Landscapes?
Wednesday, March 10 5:30-6:30 pm
What role does art play in times of need? In this moment of upheaval, reckoning, and change, what responsibilities do museums have in representing cultures, past and present, as well as modeling the future of diverse cultural landscapes? UB Art Galleries Curator Liz Park moderates a roundtable discussion with Candice Hopkins and Yesomi Umolu, two leading thinkers and curators in the field of contemporary art. They will share frank reflections on the limits of museums as sites of knowledge and explore the potentials of creating a just and open space in which art can amplify voices and broaden views.
About the Program
UB President Satish K. Tripathi will offer introductory remarks.
Candice Hopkins is a citizen of Carcross/Tagish First Nation and lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her writing and curatorial practice explores the intersections of history, contemporary art, and indigeneity. She has served as senior curator for the 2019 and 2021 editions of the Toronto Biennial of Art and was part of the curatorial team for the Canadian Pavilion of the 58th Venice Biennale, featuring the work of the media art collective Isuma. She is co-curator of notable exhibitions including Art for New Understanding: Native Voices 1950s to Now; the 2018 SITE Santa Fe biennial, Casa Tomada; documenta 14 in Athens, Greece and Kassel, Germany; Sakahàn: International Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Canada; and Close Encounters: The Next 500 Years in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her recent essays and presentations include “The Gilded Gaze: Wealth and Economies on the Colonial Frontier,” for the documenta 14 Reader, and “Outlawed Social Life” for South as a State of Mind.
Yesomi Umolu is recently appointed Director of Curatorial Affairs and Public Practice at the Serpentine Galleries, London. She was previously Director and Curator, Logan Center Exhibitions at the University of Chicago where she also taught courses in visual art and spatial practices as a lecturer in the humanities division. Prior to joining the Logan, Umolu held curatorial positions at the MSU Broad Museum, East Lansing, Michigan; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and Manifesta 8, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art. As Artistic Director of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial, Umolu oversaw a critically acclaimed curatorial program featuring new commissions, off-site installations and a host of performances, talks, workshops and community engagements with over 80 international contributors. Umolu is a 2016 recipient of the prestigious Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts Curatorial Fellowship. She served on the curatorial advisory board for the United States Pavilion at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale. She is a trustee of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, Chicago.
Liz Park is Curator of Exhibitions at the University at Buffalo Art Galleries, the State University of New York. She was most recently the associate curator of the 2018 Carnegie International at Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. She has curated exhibitions at a wide range of institutions including the Western Front, Vancouver; the Kitchen, New York; the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Miller Institute for Contemporary Art at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; and Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, South Korea. Her writing has been published by Afterall Online, Afterimage, ArtAsiaPacific, Performa Magazine, Fillip, Yishu: A Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art, Pluto Press, and Ryerson University Press, among others. She was a Helena Rubinstein Fellow at the Whitney Independent Study Program in 2011–12 and Whitney-Lauder Curatorial Fellow at ICA Philadelphia in 2013–15. Her research interests have revolved around mobility and migration as well as representations of violence in the colonial present.
We are beginning a tutoring program with high school students from Buffalo Public Schools, and as such, we are seeking undergraduate-level tutors, particularly those in math and science.
Tutoring will be held Monday-Thursday between 2-5 p.m. We are asking that those who are interested commit to at least two afternoons per week.
Ideally, we are looking for tutors who could qualify for a Work Study program; that would allow them to be paid for their time. Otherwise, the tutors would need to work on a volunteer basis.
You can apply on Handshake and can certainly reach out to me directly with any questions.
Thank you for your consideration and help with this matter!
The SOUL Program- This new certificate program, Student Organizations Understanding Leadership (SOUL), aims to help you gain and improve upon the skills necessary for career readiness. This certificate encapsulates the definition and proposed career readiness competencies of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Career Readiness and NACE: NACE defines career readiness as the attainment and demonstration of certain skills and competencies that prepare college students for a smooth transition into the workplace. These eight competency areas are: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Oral/Written Communication Teamwork/Collaboration Digital Technology Leadership Professionalism/Work Ethic Career Management Global/Intercultural Fluency For the full breakdown of NACE’s career readiness competencies, visit this website.
Intentionally designed to engage students in conversations about leadership skills and strategies, this 8-week long program will help students discover who they are as a leader and develop their full leadership potential.
This program will be delivered synchronously through an online platform on Thursdays from 2:30 p.m – 3:30 p.m.
UB SELECT stands for “Student Engagement and Leadership Education Credential Training”.
This program is designed to help students get resume-worthy experience to build skills and competencies that students can apply in their courses and future careers. Through this program, students will work with a Student Engagement Ambassador to choose from a variety of opportunities, classes, and other programs.
A More Inclusive CertificateThis new program updates the TORCH, PEAK and UBXL Certificates and introduces two new certificates: Community and Civic Engagement and SOUL [Student Organizations Understanding Leadership] for a broader extra-curricular experience. Students previously enrolled in these certificates will still be able to complete them with their original requirements.
Introducing UB’s Master’s degree in Biomedical Informatics! The attached brochure provides an overview of the program and a description of each of the courses they offer.
Below you will find information about a minor in Community Organizing and Development that is an excellent complement for students in their fields of study. Some of these courses apply toward this minor but they can also be taken as electives. The minor is an excellent complement to many majors such as law, public health, sociology, economics, psychology and others.
They also offer a Micro-Credential in Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) . Students may be interested in thecourseon Child Maltreatment and Advocacy being offered (details below).
They are offering several spring Social Work undergraduate-level electives, open to all majors and non-degree students. Register as normal, but if you have questions about a course, please email us at swinfo@buffalo.edu.
The School of Social Work is also offering several spring Social Work undergraduate-level electives, open to all majors and non-degree students. Register as normal, but if you have questions about a course, please email them at swinfo@buffalo.edu.
SW 140 Organizing and Advocacy
#21843,
Monday, Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m., Location TDB
This
course focuses on the nuts and bolts of organizing and the strategies
that inform advocacy with an emphasis on the roles social capital has on
networking effectively across groups and
systems. Because the skills and tasks of organizing and advocacy are
predominately to catalyze and agitate for change, students will examine
relevant policies and learn how to identify and map the distribution of
power they promote particularly as they influence
access to services and support in neighborhoods and communities. With
an understanding of power and its impact on community capacity building,
students will explore and engage in opportunities to apply
cross-cultural communication in traditional media and
public speaking. (3 cr. hr.)
SW 150 Social Media in Social Change, #21844,
Tuesday, Thursday 6:00 p.m. to 7:20 p.m., Location TBD
The
purpose of this course is to familiarize students with social media and
social networking as they influence community change. Specifically,
students will be introduced to the fundamental
terms and concepts of social media and networking, including various
interfaces, tools, and platforms that may be leveraged to promote
community change and development. Students will also explore existing
scholarship and best practices, as well as issues of
social justice, burdens of adversity, social disadvantage, and human
rights as they apply to the democratization of technology. Students will
examine the challenges, opportunities, and future applications of
social media and networking related to community
change. (3 cr. hr.)
SW 230 Theories and Policies of Community Organizing and Development (Hybrid), #23952, Tuesday, Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 11:20
a.m., Fillmore 325, North Campus
This
course provides students with an understanding of the ways in which the
history of community organizing and development informs community
theory and policy across urban and rural settings.
With an emphasis on group development theory, students will be
introduced to the major theories and policies that impact
neighborhood/community capacity, including but not limited to theories
of poverty, inequality, human rights, urban and rural community
organizing and development, and neighborhood organizing. A particular
focus is the intersection of these theories and policies within this
framework that can create social capital and foster entrepreneurship,
social innovation, and cross-sector collaboration.
(3 cr. hr.)
SW 235 Responses to Child Maltreatment, #21841, Monday, Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m, Clemen 106 North Campus
This
course focuses on interdisciplinary system responses to child
maltreatment, including trauma-informed and human rights-based
approaches. The course explores responses across multiple
community systems, including child welfare agencies, health care
systems, law enforcement, and schools. This course is designed for, but
not limited to, students who are interested in public health, social
work, human services, nursing and other health professions,
sociology, psychology, law, and education. (3 cr. hr.)
SW 245 Global Child Advocacy Issues, #21842, Tuesday, Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.,
351 Millard Fillmore Academic Center (MFAC), North Campus
This
course is designed to increase student understanding of the adverse
experiences of children growing up in various countries. The purpose of
this course is to expose students to considerations
of socioeconomics, health, culture, religion, and politics and how
these affect the welfare and well-being of children across the world.
This course examines advocacy efforts using a trauma-informed, human
rights framework.
(3 cr. hr.)
SW309LEC Developing Leadership in Communities, #
23953, Monday/Wednesday 6pm-7:20pm, Talbot 106, North Campus
Description:
This course focuses on development of leadership skills and strategies
that foster community engagement and strengthen the natural leadership
of residents within neighborhoods and
communities. Students will examine theories of leadership and the ways
in which they influence organizational structures that promote community
well-being. Central to this course is the acquisition and application
of strategies that can be used to enhance
the development of skills as well as the exercise of leadership by
neighborhood and community resident. (3 cr. hr.)
SW 401 Black Masculinities (Undergraduate and Graduate)
# 23572 (UNG), #24048 (GRAD) Wed, 9-11:50am Obrien 210, North Campus
This
course concerns the exploration of Black masculinity and the various
policies that shape how Black male identity is viewed in America and how
those policies shape the gendered perspectives/behaviors
of the Black male. Consistent with an interdisciplinary approach the
course will focus on a number of domains that impact Black men such as
the prison industrial complex, poverty, violence, education and draw
from a number of disciplines such as social work,
history and sociology. We start our consideration of this topic with an
examination of the institution of slavery in America between the
17th century and the beginning of the 20th century
which set the
foundation for Black masculinity in America. Theories that aim to
explain Black male outcomes will be incorporated throughout the course. (3 cr. hr.)
SW101 Human Biology,
online, #22209
This course will
provide a foundational understanding of human biology with emphasis on
the biological bases of behaviors and issues of concern to social
workers. This course is designed to meet the human
biology prerequisites for Masters in Social Work students, and will
cover the basics of human biology including anatomical systems and
structures, development from conception through aging and death;
genetics, evolution, and biological and environmental interactions.
The focus of the course is not only on biology but also on the critical
analysis of the interplay between human biology and social issues.
Discussions will cover the biological bases of phenomena including but
not limited to addictions, mental illness, sexuality,
and aggression. Emphasis throughout the course also will be placed on
biological processes related to trauma and stress.
Candice Hopkins is a citizen of Carcross/Tagish First Nation and lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her writing and curatorial practice explores the intersections of history, contemporary art, and indigeneity. She has served as senior curator for the 2019 and 2021 editions of the Toronto Biennial of Art and was part of the curatorial team for the Canadian Pavilion of the 58th Venice Biennale, featuring the work of the media art collective Isuma. She is co-curator of notable exhibitions including Art for New Understanding: Native Voices 1950s to Now; the 2018 SITE Santa Fe biennial, Casa Tomada; documenta 14 in Athens, Greece and Kassel, Germany; Sakahàn: International Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Canada; and Close Encounters: The Next 500 Years in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her recent essays and presentations include “The Gilded Gaze: Wealth and Economies on the Colonial Frontier,” for the documenta 14 Reader, and “Outlawed Social Life” for South as a State of Mind.
Yesomi Umolu is recently appointed Director of Curatorial Affairs and Public Practice at the Serpentine Galleries, London. She was previously Director and Curator, Logan Center Exhibitions at the University of Chicago where she also taught courses in visual art and spatial practices as a lecturer in the humanities division. Prior to joining the Logan, Umolu held curatorial positions at the MSU Broad Museum, East Lansing, Michigan; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and Manifesta 8, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art. As Artistic Director of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial, Umolu oversaw a critically acclaimed curatorial program featuring new commissions, off-site installations and a host of performances, talks, workshops and community engagements with over 80 international contributors. Umolu is a 2016 recipient of the prestigious Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts Curatorial Fellowship. She served on the curatorial advisory board for the United States Pavilion at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale. She is a trustee of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, Chicago. 
Liz Park is Curator of Exhibitions at the University at Buffalo Art Galleries, the State University of New York. She was most recently the associate curator of the 2018 Carnegie International at Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. She has curated exhibitions at a wide range of institutions including the Western Front, Vancouver; the Kitchen, New York; the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Miller Institute for Contemporary Art at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; and Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, South Korea. Her writing has been published by Afterall Online, Afterimage, ArtAsiaPacific, Performa Magazine, Fillip, Yishu: A Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art, Pluto Press, and Ryerson University Press, among others. She was a Helena Rubinstein Fellow at the Whitney Independent Study Program in 2011–12 and Whitney-Lauder Curatorial Fellow at ICA Philadelphia in 2013–15. Her research interests have revolved around mobility and migration as well as representations of violence in the colonial present.
The SOUL Program-
