Another successful International Education Symposium!
On Thursday, November 20th, 2025, the Office of Global Engagement hosted its annual International Education Symposium in the Mellon Board Room, showcasing students’ international experiences and celebrating global education. The symposium is held in celebration of International Education Week, which recognizes the value and importance of international exchange and building mutual understanding.
The theme of this year’s symposium was Resilient Futures, Global Citizens, seeking to explore how global experiences empower students, enabling them to become adaptable and action oriented.
Dr. Jihyeon Choi presents the Keynote Speech
The Symposium featured keynote speaker Dr. Jihyeon Choi (Ph.D. in Social Work). She is a research fellow in Co-Research Coop (South Korea) and a visiting scholar for the Women’s Institute at Chatham University. She also has a Master of Social Welfare (MSW) license and worked as a social worker in a community welfare center for years in Seoul, South Korea. She is also a licensed social worker (MSW) in PA.
She presented on the differences in social work in the United States and South Korea and how having a cross-cultural understanding enriches your perspective of your field.
Bella White (Class of ‘27) presents Provençal: learning to love regional languages and dialects across international borders
A number of Chatham students shared their international experiences at the Symposium as well. This included international students and students who spent anywhere from a week to a semester abroad. They shared how their global experiences impacted them personally, academically, and professionally.
Farzeen Shaikh (Class of '26) presents Finding your story abroad
At the conclusion of the Symposium, attendees voted for their favorite student presentations. Congratulations to this year’s winners Nat Burgeff for her speech “Sustainability Lessons from Cacao, Coffee and Agroforestry in Costa Rica” and Jada Jenkins for her speech “Are you there God? It’s me, please don’t send me abroad!”
Jada Jenkins (Class of ‘26) presents “Are you there God? It’s me, please don’t send me abroad!”
Nat Burgeff (Class of '26) presents Sustainability Lessons from Cacao, Coffee and Agroforestry in Costa Rica
We’d like to extend thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s International Education Week Symposium, making it a great success. We look forward to another year of global education enriching Chatham students’ lives in 2026!