brazil

Press release:

From the 2014 FIFA World Cup to the 2016 Summer Olympics, the first ever to be held in South America, Brazil has become accustomed to the limelight. The local community will have a chance to learn more about the world's fifth largest country through a series of events planned this academic year at Genesee Community College by the College's Global Education Committee.

"We selected Brazil because our students will be hearing a lot about Brazil. We have students from Brazil. It's a beautiful country and an important player in the global economy," said Committee Member Nina Mortellaro.

Events begin with a lecture by GCC History Professor Charles Scruggs. "Brazil: Beyond Supermodels, Samba and Soccer" is set for Tuesday, Oct. 14, 12:30-2 p.m. in Room T102 of the Conable Technology Building on GCC's Batavia campus. The event is FREE and open to the public.

"In the past decade we have witnessed a surge in the global stature of Brazil," Scruggs said. "What accounts for this stunning transformation? What challenges linger as the world's fifth largest country attempts to carve out a new role for itself in the 21st Century?"

Scruggs will explore these questions and more, drawing on a range of historical, sociological, economic and political research.

On Tuesday, Oct. 28, the Global Education Committee presents Sankofa African Dance and Drum Ensemble from SUNY Brockport. With choreography expressing elements of both African and Brazilian culture, Sankofa brings essences of the past into the present. The members represent the rich cultural heritage of Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas and Africa.

Sankofa will perform from 12:30 – 2 p.m. in the Forum on the GCC Batavia Campus. Light refreshments will be served.

The Committee is also planning an authentic Carnaval da Brazil to be held in February. The event will include arts, music, food tastings and more including a demonstration of capoeira (pronounced kap-way-ra), a Brazilian martial art combining dance, acrobatics and music. Students from Academia com Expressão of Rochester will show their skill.

In addition, GCC Faculty will present an "Experience Brazil" travel log in March, sharing their personal insights from visits to the country.

Six Genesee Community College instructors and staff members embarked on an English language collaboration program in Sao Paulo, Brazil on July 5. They went to the South American country to teach English to students at FATEC Americana, a state-run technology-based institution.

The travelers abroad included Charley Boyd, professor English; Connie Boyd, director of the Human Services program; Karen Taylor, associate dean of Records; Barb Shine, associate professor of Business and Entrepreneurship; Dennis Shine, associate professor of Drafting; and Donna Ehrhart, professor of Fashion Business and Computer Information Systems.

Accompanying them were Don Brown, vice president of Charles Men Shop; Chris Davis, student at the University of Buffalo; Lew Scialdone, instructor of English for Speakers of Other Languages at BOCES; Dolores Quiles, associate professor of English at SUNY Ulster; and Darryl Blumel, director of Studies at Southbank Institute of Technology in Brisbane, Australia.

The trip was a two-week exchange of language as well as information about culture, history and geography. Brazilian students and American teachers benefitted from a dialogue about differences and similarities between the two cultures.

Teachers focused on topics that contrasted the two cultures' holidays, climates, history, current events, politics, job seeking as well as cultural elements such as music and cooking. New this year was the discipline-specific collaborations that included culture, textiles and entrepreneurship.

This was the second trip for Connie and Charley Boyd, who traveled last summer to FATEC.

"We are so excited to return to Brazil," Connie Boyd said before leaving. "This language and cultural collaboration has been so eye opening and enjoyable. We are anxious to return to FATEC Americana to work with new students, as well as some of the same students that we met last summer."

The group documented their travels on Genesee's Study Abroad blog. Their blog posts can be viewed at <http://www.gccblogs.wordpress.com>.

For more information please contact James Goodwin, director of Curriculum Development at 343-0055, ext. 6322.