Carnegie Mellon University Website Home Page
 
Skip navigation and jump directly to page content

October 9, 2009 

12:30pm-2pm

Keynote Lecture & Lunch: Dr. Jendayi Frazer
Rangos Ballroom, University Center



Lunch will be provided to all in attendance at the keynote lecture. Tickets are free and are available at the University Center Information Desk beginning Friday, September 25, 2009, at noon.



Dr. Jendayi E. Frazer is known worldwide as a policy leader and expert on African Affairs. She joined the faculty at Carnegie Mellon in 2009 as Distinguished Service Professor with joint appointments in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences, and in the H. John Heinz College's Schools of Public Policy and Management. Her current research focuses on strengthening regional security cooperation and economic and political integration in Africa.  She is also co-Directing Carnegie Mellon's new Center for International Politics and Innovation (CIPI) where she is particularly interested in utilizing technology and applying innovative solutions to core issues of development and governance in Africa.  

Ambassador Frazer was the leading architect of U.S.-Africa policy over the last decade, most recently serving as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from August 2005 to January 2009. She was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council from January 2001 until her swearing-in as the first woman U.S. Ambassador to South Africa in June 2004.  During Frazer's government service, U.S. assistance to Africa quadrupled reaching an historic high of $6.7 billion by 2008.  She was instrumental in the decisions that established the Bush Administration's signature initiatives including the $15 billion President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the $500 million African Education Initiative, as well as the Millennium Challenge Account that committed $3.2 billion to well-governed African countries by 2008.  Frazer is widely credited for designing the administration's policies for ending the wars in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Burundi.  She was also instrumental in resolving the crisis following Kenya's 2007 presidential election.  In recognition of her contributions, Secretary Condoleezza Rice presented Frazer with the Distinguished Service Award in January 2009, the highest award bestowed by the Secretary of State.



Dr. Frazer received her B.A. degree in Political Science (honors) and African and Afro-American Studies (distinction) in 1985, and M.A. degrees in International Policy Studies in 1985 and International Development Education in 1989, and a Ph.D. in Political Science, 1994 all from Stanford University.

9 pm - 12 am

Cultural Fusion: A Multicultural Student Organization Late Night Event
Rangos Ballroom, University Center


Multicultural Student Organizations will combine their efforts to provide an evening showcasing perfomances, food, cultural nuances, and dancing. Collectively, the organizations will demonstrate diplomacy in action on a local level as they bridge cultural gaps to provide a fusion of cultural exploration. Free of charge, all are welcome and encouraged to attend.


SALSA will be performing a Latin style dance and instructing audience members to join in the celebration. The Arab Student Association will showcase Middle Eastern cultures and food.  The Romanian Student Association plans to perform a traditional Romanian dance with guitar and vocal accompaniment while showcasing traditional Romanian glass icons, Romanian cultural images, books, and traditional crafts. They will also provide tea and traditional cake and sweet treats. The International Student Union (ISU) will cook fusion foods from a variety of countries in an attempt to represent the international community and show the unity of cultures.  They will also play music and set up cultural games for people to play. The International Free Stylers (iFS) will present a live performance. Other multicultural organizations will be in attendance, including SPIRIT, Taiwanese Student Association (TSA), and Tanah.

Any student group interested in participating should submit the Cultural Fusion Registration Form (.doc) to Lydia Remington, International Festival Intern at lremingt@andrew.cmu.edu.