New Pre-Departure Orientation Conference
The Notre Dame International Office will launch a new campus-wide pre-departure orientation for students pursing international study, research and internships during the summer. The Pre-Departure Orientation Conference (Pre-DOC) will prepare students to take full advantage of the intellectual and experiential opportunities during their summer abroad programs while also educating them on critical health and safety issues. The 2012 Pre-DOC will be held on Sunday, April 29 from 10:00am to 5:00pm in the Notre Dame Conference Center (McKenna Hall). All students who plan to study or intern abroad during summer 2012 are required to participate. The Conference will include the following sessions:
- Three sets of five concurrent sessions will address issues ranging from language acquisition to human subjects procedures and the ethics of photography in the developing world. Participants will select from among these fifteen diverse sessions in order to create a highly individualized pre-departure preparation experience that is most relevant to their own needs and interests.
- A panel discussion with students who have recently returned from international study, research and/or internships will provide participants with the opportunity to hear from and query peers who have navigated many of the complexities they will face abroad.
- A working lunch will pair students preparing to travel abroad with international peers and study abroad returnees from their respective countries or regions in order to provide opportunities to develop local knowledge and networks in advance of their international travel
- A plenary address will provide detailed information and guidance on health and safety abroad alongside university policy and emergency procedures
More information about the Conference -- its content and schedule -- and online registration for student participants is available here: https://prestudyabroad.nd.edu/ Please note that student participants are required to register by April 9.