VIU_Magazine_Summer_2017

MAGAZINE ISSUE 8
JUST WHAT IS
ASSESSMENT FOR VIU?
Assessment plays an important part at Virginia International
University, but what exactly is assessment and how does
it impact VIU? Find out how it plays a role in shaping VIU’s
future through continuous evaluation and implementation.
p. 22
TVRTKO VUJITY
One journalist’s quest to travel the
world and go beyond borders.
p. 16
FROM CAIRO WITH LOVE
A conversation with Asmaa
Elmeniawy about her journey.
p. 46
CHATBOTS
What are they and why are they the
future of social tech?
p. 28

PROGRAMS OFFERED
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS (SB)
Master of Business Administration
(MBA)
• Accounting
• Contract Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Executive MBA
• Global Logistics
• Health Care Management
• Hospitality & Tourism
Management
• Human Resource Management
• International Business
Management
• International Finance
• Leadership Management
• Management Consulting
• Marketing Management
• Mass Media & Public Relations
• Project Management
MS in Accounting (MAC)
MS in Project Management (MPM)
Graduate Certificate in Project
Management
Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration (BSBA)
• Finance
• International Business
• Marketing
Undergraduate Certificate in
International Business
Undergraduate Certificate in Small
Business Management
SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT (SPD)
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC &
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (SPIA)
Master of Public Administration
(MPA)
• Health Care Administration &
Public Health
• Information Systems
• Public Management
MS in International Relations (MIR)
• International Business
• International Economic
Development
SCHOOL OF TEST PREPARATION (STP)
Standardized Test Preparation
• International English Language
• Testing System (IELTS)
• Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL iBT
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION (SED)
MA in TESOL (MATESOL)
Master of Education (MEd)
• English for Speakers of Other
• Languages (ESOL) Education
• Math Education
• Science Education
MS in Applied Linguistics (MSAPLX)
• Educational Technology
• Multilingual Education
• Program Management
Graduate Certificate in TESOL
SCHOOL OF COMPUTER
INFORMATION SYSTEMS (SCIS)
MS in Computer Science (MCS)
• Computer Animation & Gaming
• Cybersecurity
• Data Management
• Intelligent Systems
• Networking
• Software Applications
Development
• Software Engineering
MS in Information Systems (MIS)
• Business Intelligence & Data
• Analytics
• Cybersecurity
• Data Management
• Enterprise Project Management
• Health Informatics
• Information Assurance
• Knowledge Management
MS in Information Systems
Management (MISM)
MS in Information Technology (MIT)
MS in Software Engineering (MSE)
Graduate Certificate in Business
Intelligence
Graduate Certificate in Information
Systems
Graduate Certificate in Information
Systems Management
Graduate Certificate in Information
Technology Audit & Compliance
Bachelor of Science in Computer
Science (BCS)
SCHOOL OF ONLINE EDUCATION (SOE)
All VIU programs, with the exception
of undergraduate certificate
programs, are also offered online.
Programs and offerings are subject to change without prior notice.
For the latest information, please check www.viu.edu.
VIU is certified to operate in Virginia by SCHEV and is accredited by ACICS.

VIU.EDU
Summer 2017
CONTENTS
FEATURED ARTICLES
22
ASSESSMENT AT-A-GLANCE
Assessment is an important part of how VIU grows and plans for the future.
14
34
44
VIU’S ONLINE EDUCATION
Dr. Parker talks about the importance of
online education.
LEADERS OF TOMORROW
Do you have what it takes to be a leader
in the workplace?
INTERNATIONAL CUISINE
Delicious recipes from around the
globe.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
3

CAMPUS NEWS
UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Issue 8, Summer 2017
PRESIDENT
Dr. Isa Sarac
PR SPECIALIST
Jane Bondarenko
ARTIFICIAL LINGUISTIC SYSTEMS:
TECHNOLOGY AND LEARNING WITH DR. SACHS
13 | VISITING SCHOLAR
PROGRAM
INTERNATIONAL
INSPIRATION
12
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Holly Jones
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Anastassiya Lapikhina
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Khalid Albishi
Abror Nazirov
Nihal Balci
Dr. Angie Parker
Dr. Alicia Campi Dr. Rebecca Sachs
Dr. Emma Grace Denitsa Sokolova
Holly Jones
Tvrtko Vujity
Christina Koonts Rebecca Yu
Anastassiya Lapikhina
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
20 | INTERNATIONALIZING
PSYCHOLOGY TO
ADDRESS GLOBAL NEEDS
26 | ENGLISH: A POWERFUL
TOOL
32 | JUMPSTART YOUR CAREER
BEFORE GRADUATION
36 | THE ROLE OF PROJECT
MANAGEMENT FOR
GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS
PMO
38 | LOVE IS...
40 | IT ALL STARTS WITH
EDUCATION
42 | FINDING INSPIRATION
FROM MONGOLIA
49 | THE WRITTEN WORD
DESIGNER
Erica Bethel
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Saji Thomas
Rajapradeepan Rajendran
EDITORIAL OFFICE
4401 Village Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 591-7042
A NOTE TO READERS
The views expressed in the articles are
authors’ and not necessarily those of
University Magazine or Virginia International
University.
No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or any
means, electronic or mechanical, including
photo copy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system without written
permission.
Copyright © 2017 All rights reserved.
Printed in the USA
Virginia International University
4 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

WELCOME TO READERS
VIU.EDU
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. – Babe Ruth
In school, at home, and at work we often become complacent to
everything that is going on around us. We become comfortable.
But there comes a time when comfortability becomes something
else; it turns from a positive view into a negative one and one day
you ask yourself “how did I get here?” Those questions force us
to stop and look directly at whatever we are facing; we have to
reevaluate the who, the what, and the how. It is an essential step
in creating a stronger sense of self.
This issue of The University Magazine focuses on assessment, not
only of the university but also on a personal level and how we
draw on continuous improvement to change the world around
us; maybe it’s telling the stories of the unsung heroes, assessing
failures to come out stronger on the other side, or simply
continuing to honor your culture while living in a new country.
Learning to find strength and inspiration is an important aspect
of continued growth. We, as individuals or organizations, need
to continue to assess and decide on what is best for our future
goals. No one got to their destination without a plan. Failure is
a natural outcome to many ideas and plans but we cannot allow
that to stop us from achieving our goals. Success in our personal
lives, career, and education means learning from our mistakes
and then being able to recognize the warning signs that lead us
down that path.
At VIU we celebrate the everyday accomplishments of our
diverse faculty, staff, and students; our diversity is what gives us
strength and inspiration for our continuous improvement.
Best,
Holly K. Jones
Editor
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
5

Virginia International University, School of Business presents:
Theory, Practice, and Research
OCTOBER 19th-20th
EARLY REGISTRATION
ENDS JULY 15, 2017
VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY, 4401 Village
Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030
For more information, please visit conference.viu.edu/ibc
CALL FOR PROPOSALS:
Feb. 15, 2017 - May 1, 2017
THEMES:
Economics/Finance
Graduate Scholars
International Management
Across Borders
Marketing
Project Management
Technology
SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS
VIU is certified to operate in Virginia by SCHEV. Accredited Member, ACICS.

CAMPUS NEWS
VIU.EDU
CAMPUS NEWS
12 | ARTIFICIAL LINGUISTIC SYSTEMS:
TECHNOLOGY AND LEARNING WITH DR. SACHS
13 | VISITING SCHOLAR PROGRAM
14 | SHAPING VIU’S ONLINE EDUCATION
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
7

CAMPUS NEWS
EXPLORING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIU IN THE DC METRO AREA
VIU representatives participate in a Lunar New Year celebration at Fashion Center in Pentagon City.
As the Summer 2017 semester begins our
Admissions and Marketing department
is expanding its reach to the domestic
market that resides in the Washington,
DC metro area. Virginia International
University (VIU) has been known for its
diversity amongst its student body and we
are now expanding our marketing efforts
to the local community. VIU remains
committed to providing high-quality and
affordable education to both residential
students and our international students who
come from all corners of the globe. The
International Admissions and Marketing
Division is concentrating on forming new
partnerships with Agents who refer students
to attend VIU and focusing efforts on the
Top 10 markets for international student
recruiting. Enhanced messaging and
community outreach that speaks to our
Domestic and International Markets will
showcase the VIU difference for both our
on-campus and online education programs.
On January 4th, VIU’s marketing
department welcomed Ms. Deborah
Brent as the Associate Vice President of
Enrollment Management and Marketing.
As VIU looks forward to sustained growth
for the future, our marketing is poised for
21st-century communication that includes
an enhanced website, digital platforms,
social media presence, targeted videos,
and email messaging. VIU’s branding
will highlight our global perspective in the
higher education realm that truly speaks to
our unique campus experience.
VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY'S ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT
Under the direction of Dr. Michael Perini,
Organizational Assessment became a
formal component of VIU’s Office of
Institutional Effectiveness in the Fall of
2016. Reporting to the Associate Vice
President of Quality Assurance, Ms. Christy
Koonts, the department’s goal is to facilitate
the collection and use of information
on performance goals and related
administrative experiences in order to
improve the effectiveness of organizational
operations. Each employee has a role at the
institution and that individual contributes
to the success of a singular department.
In turn, these departments all aid the
collective achievements of the institution
at large. Organizational Assessment is used
both at the organizational level and on the
academic level and is a key component of
planning and implementation. Assessment
endeavors to analyze the roles of both
the departments and their individuals so
as to create a community of sustainable
growth and achievement. In 2016, this
process began in earnest with the revision
of data collection and the formalization
of departmental committees, meetings,
and reports. In 2017, the formalization
of assessment processes will continue
and through the hard work of staff, the
University will be primed to move forward
in its goal to provide the best education
experience possible for its students.
8 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
Laina C. Lopez presents at the VIU Law Seminar.
REDEFINING THE WORLD OF
BUSINESS AT VIU
Over the last several months, the School
of Business hosted their inaugural
International Business Conference entitled
“Initiating, Expanding, and Sustaining
Global Business Success” to provide
participants with quality educational
and networking opportunities in order
to enhance their careers, operations
procedures, profitability, and other aspects
critical to successfully conducting business
in the global community.
In November 2016, the School of
Business was able to co-host a career
presentation with the Career Center;
stressing the importance of continuous
learning and career innovation, including
self-education and skills improvement in
order to stay current and meet the needs
of employers.
In February 2017, the School of Business
co-hosted two International Law Seminars
with the School of Professional Development.
The sessions reviewed common litigation
issues that face international and domestic
businesses and discussed ways to lessen
the risk of being sued in employment
discrimination lawsuits.
We would like to introduce and
welcome our newest members to the team.
In October 2016, Dr. Grace Klinefelter
became the Dean of the School of Business.
In November 2016, Dr. Paula Cherry
joined us as our Associate Dean and Dr.
Ademola Asaya joined the team as our
Project Management Program Chair. The
newest members have brought with them
extensive knowledge in their fields and are
eager to serve our students.
VIU students strengthen their interview skills.
STAND OUT TO EMPLOYERS
In February 2017, the VIU Career Center
held a career assessment workshop on how
to enhance skills in a job search. VIU was
honored to have Robert Brandau, Founding
Director from a Career Confidence, as a
guest speaker. The organization aims to
provide job search skills education. Mr.
Brandau advised students on how to build
business connections through networking
events within the DMV area, how to make
a LinkedIn profile stand out, and how to
prepare for a job interview. Mr. Brandau
then spoke about career and skills in
demand for 2017, followed by an open Q
and A session for students. Attendees at
the event learned how to improve their job
search after graduation and beyond.
1. Start with self-assessment. Analyze
your strengths and weaknesses and the
type of job you are looking for.
VIU celebrates the Lhochar (New Year) Celebration with the Tamang Society of Greater Washington .
VIU EXPANDS THEIR COMMUNITY OUTREACH
VIU was represented by staff participating in
the Lhorchhar Lunar New Year Celebration
on February 3, 2017, in Reston, VA and
the Lunar New Year Celebration events
on February 11, 2017, at the Fashion Mall
in Pentagon City. Our team was able
to provide attendees information about
VIU’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees as
well as certificate programs while enjoying
the festivities and performances honoring
Asian culture. VIU is preparing to have a
successful Spring 2017 semester and will be
part of many community events and college
fairs in the Washington, DC metro area.
2. Create your online career brand.
Employeers are turning to social media to
research potential employees.
3. Develop stories that showcase your
skills. People remember stories- tell a
story about yourself in 30 seconds.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don`t
hesitate to ask for an advice a person you
just met at the networking event!
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
9

CAMPUS NEWS
The ICSCT Conference November 4-5, 2016.
SCIS EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
The School of Computer Information
Systems hosted its first international
conference, November 4-5, 2016. The
ICSCT Conference exhibited presentations
from distinguished faculty from all over the
world. It also featured notable executives
from the technology community, including
Ahmar Abbas, the Vice President of Global
Services at DISYS, and Terry Roberts, the
Founder and President of WhiteHawk
Inc. The “WE I YOU Ted Talks” Club at
Virginia International University hosted
a presentation by Dr. Chakib Chraibi on
December 7, 2016, entitled “Surviving the
Titanic: An Introduction to Python for Data
Science.”
The STEM Institute is organizing its
first Summer Boot Camp for high school
students, July 17-20, 2017. The mission
of the STEM Institute is to promote
and organize service, educational and
research initiatives in the STEM fields in
order to foster high-quality, innovative
STEM education and research in the local
and global community. The camp will
feature sessions on coding, robotics, and
cybersecurity.
CREATING EDUCATIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
Mr. Prashish Shrestha represents VIU at the ICEF Conference in Dubia, UAE.
Dr. Suleyman Bahceci and Mr. Prashish
Shrestha, VIU’s Executive Vice-Presidents,
enjoyed meeting with the Educational
Consultants that attended the ICEF
Conference in Dubai, UAE.
During VIU’s Educational Consultant
Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal, Dr.
Bahceci and Mr. Shrestha met with VIU’s
established Educational Consultants. In
addition the Executive VP’s met new faces
and formed future partnerships for referring
students to study at VIU.
During ICEF North America, the VIU
team met with agents from all around the
world to increase recruitment efforts. The
three day event was full of workshops for
international educators about country
specific recruitment as well as wellorganized
meetings with agencies that wish
to recruit students for US institutions.
10 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
THE IMPORTANCE OF
DIVERSITY
Performers showcase traditional Ethiopian dances.
On February 28, 2017, the Student Affairs
Department held its second annual African
Heritage Celebration. VIU was honored
to have Intern Mack Dieudonne Voumbo
and Secretary Sarah Marie-Chantal
Andely, from the Embassy of Republic
of Congo, Oliva Kavishe and Nassra
Missana from the Embassy of the United
Republic of Tanzania, and representatives
from the Nigeria Embassy in attendance.
VIU's neighbors, the Gardens at Fair
Oaks, escorted resident, Mrs. Tutu, who is
originally from Egypt. Attendees enjoyed
dishes native to Egypt and Ethiopia for
lunch. Ethiopian Dancers performed
three different traditional dances along
with delightful singing. The event closed
with a beautiful and entertaining Egyptian
Folklore performance.
VIU students gain interview skills at a career workshop.
STAY CONNECTED WITH VIU
FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID & VETERAN’S BENEFITS WORKSHOP
VIU held its first Federal Financial Aid and
Veteran’s Workshop event on February 23,
2017. This workshop is a quarterly offering
to provide important financial and benefit
information to our prospective students in
the local DC, MD, and VA market. VIU is
proud to be a Military-Friendly University
accepting Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits
for those who have served our country.
Informative presentations were conducted
VIU guests learn about educational financial aid benefits.
by Ms. Busanee Luemrung, Financial Aid
Officer, and Ms. Martha Huaman, Assistant
Registrar and VA School Certifying Official.
As part of a community service, guests that
attended were given valuable insight into
options for financing higher education
with Federal Financial Aid and how to
utilize Veteran’s Benefits to invest in one’s
future. VIU looks forward to providing this
complimentary service for 2017 and beyond.
Since November, the Alumni Association
has organized several events: 2016
graduation send-off for the youngest VIU
Alumni; a Happy Hour; and a Professional
Career Advice Seminar: Interview tips and
Potential Employers.
The seminar started as an idea from
VIU alumni who were sharing experiences
about their search for jobs and asked for
opportunities to meet with employers. For
the event, Ms. Taylor, from the Career
Center, invited employers who are actively
hiring.
Employers were asked to answer
questions from alumni like: can you share
with us your company’s work culture and
the type of services/resources that you offer?
What positions are you currently seeking
to fill? What are the requirements to be
considered for the openings? Can you share
with us more information and insight about
the interview process? And, what career tips
or suggestions would you offer entry-level
candidates seeking employment?
At the same time, employers gave
some tips to alumni and students on how
to build their resumes, the importance of
internships, how to dress for an interview,
and the importance of networking.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
11

CAMPUS NEWS
ARTIFICIAL LINGUISTIC SYSTEMS:
Technology and Learning
with Dr. Sachs
DR. REBECCA SACHS, from VIU’s School of
Education, recently published a co-authored article
in the academic journal Studies in Second Language
Acquisition. The paper, entitled “Establishing Evidence of
Learning in Experiments Employing Artificial Linguistic
Systems,” focused on the benefits and challenges involved in
employing artificial linguistic systems (ALSs) in second language
acquisition (SLA) research.
ALSs are languages that researchers design themselves so that
they can conduct controlled learning experiments without
needing to worry about certain types of prior linguistic
knowledge that the research participants might already have.
The more similar these ALSs are to real languages, the more
accurately such experiments can simulate the cognitive processes
involved in learning languages outside the research lab. However,
as Dr. Sachs and her co-author Dr. Phillip Hamrick point out,
participants have a variety of other pre-existing biases and
behavioral tendencies that need to be taken into account. Since
many of the methods researchers have been using to establish
evidence of learning in this area do not address these issues
sufficiently, the article provides some recommendations for how
studies with ALSs can be improved.
ABSTRACT:
Artificial linguistic systems (ALSs) offer many potential benefits
for second language acquisition (SLA) research. Nonetheless,
their use in experiments with posttest-only designs can give
rise to internal validity problems depending on the baseline
that is employed to establish evidence of learning. Researchers
in this area often compare experimental groups’ performance
against (a) statistical chance, (b) untrained control groups’
performance, and/or (c) trained control groups’ performance.
However, each of these methods can involve unwarranted
tacit assumptions, limitations, and challenges from a variety
of sources (e.g., preexisting perceptual biases, participants’
fabrication of rules, knowledge gained during the test), any of
which might produce systematic response patterns that overlap
with the linguistic target even in the absence of learning during
training. After illustrating these challenges, we offer some
brief recommendations regarding how triangulation and more
sophisticated statistical approaches may help researchers to draw
more appropriate conclusions going forward.
About the co-author: Phillip Hamrick is Principal Investigator of
the Language and Cognition Research Laboratory and Assistant
Professor of TESL in the Department of English and at Kent State
University.
Source: Hamrick, P., & Sachs, R. (2017). ESTABLISHING
EVIDENCE OF LEARNING IN EXPERIMENTS EMPLOYING
ARTIFICIAL LINGUISTIC SYSTEMS. Studies in Second
Language Acquisition, 1-17. doi:10.1017/S0272263116000474
12 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
VISITING SCHOLAR PROGRAM
During summer 2016, VIU had the honor of hosting Mr. Seoghwan Kim, as a visiting
scholar in the Project Management program. We sat down with Mr. Kim to talk about his
experiences at VIU and why Project Management plays an important role in business.
How did you hear about
VIU and why did you decide
to study here?
I wanted to study Project
Management courses near
Washington, D.C. when I
decided to train overseas last
year. I searched for affordable
universities and found VIU
was the best place to complete
my training and applied with
the help of faculty and staff.
What is your favorite thing
about VIU?
The faculty and staff have
many different kinds of
passions. I enjoyed that VIU
is a small university but is
constantly growing.
Tell us about how was your
life back in your country?
I am in charge of Defense
Acquisition Education at
Korea National Defense
University. Studying Project
Dr. Suleyman Bahceci presents Mr. Kim with his certificate in Project Management.
Management is a great help
for me, as I have to teach and
develop my work constantly.
Where have you traveled
outside of your country and
the United States? What
interested you in those
countries, or traveling in
general?
I enjoy traveling. While
training in the USA, I traveled
whenever I had the chance;
I visited Niagara Falls,
Boston, New York, Atlanta,
Washington, D.C., and
northern Virginia.These travel
opportunities provided great
experiences and knowledge
for me.
What special opportunities
(scholarships, work
opportunities, internships,
special projects, etc.)
have you received while
studying here?
I was able to concentrate
on my studies by the active
support of the faculty, staff,
and university’s facilities.
I audited a PM class and
presented its study results with
the help of Dr. Tessema.
What do you like about
studying at VIU and living
in America?
I liked studying Project
Management at VIU.
Tell us something about
your professors? Are they
engaging, hands-on or
supportive?
I am grateful for the support
of those who helped me
during my training at VIU;
especially, Dr. Victoria Ashiru,
Dr. Steve Onu, Dr. Dereje
Tessema, Ms. Tam Emanuel,
Ms. Yoon Hwang. I wish the
VIU tremendous success in
the everything they do.
The visiting Scholar
Program is available
through the Office of
Student and University
Affairs and is a joint
effort between VIU and
various international
universities. A
customized program, it
is designed specifically
for Professional
Development.
To be qualified for
this program, the
faculty needs to be
introduced to VIU by
their current educational
institution including a
full Curriculum Vitae
background and
qualification.
VIU looks over each
scholar on a caseby-case
basis based
on their background
and program topic.
Applications are
approved and processed
by the Office of Student
and University Affairs
and the Office of
Quality Insurance and
Compliance.
To find more
information about VIU’s
School of Professional
Development visit:
www.viu.edu/sce.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
13

CAMPUS NEWS
SHAPING VIU’S
ONLINE EDUCATION
Online education is growing by leaps and bounds, with 75% of
higher education institutions offering at least 50% of courses
online by 2019. Online learning is providing students across the
global with flexible options to pursue their educational goals. In
the United States alone, about half of current college students
have taken at least one online course.
Congratulations, Dr. Parker
on your award. What is it
exactly?
The Fulbright Senior Research
Scholarship is a program of
the United States Department
of State Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs. It has
given me an opportunity
to assist Rhodes University,
Grahamstown in the Eastern
part of South Africa and
I was there for 4 months.
I was assisting 5 different
universities in South Africa
setting up online programs
with infrastructure, assisting
with interviews, data, and
structure to gain success with
the online programs.
What was the application
process and should others
apply?
The process begins with the
lengthy application which
takes up to couple of months
to apply. A potential candidate
has to hold PhD as one of
the conditions. Applicants
are reviewed, interviewed
VIU’s Dr. Angie Parker is committed to the
future and growth of online education and is
proud to collaborate on online courses at VIU.
Currently, VIU offers all on-campus courses and
degree programs online with VIU Online.
and nominated. In my case,
Rhodes University needed
a Fulbright Scholar which
made me a perfect candidate
to assist. I would encourage
people, yes. This process is
an excellent opportunity to
do it. I would be glad to refer
students but would have
to be a specific individual.
Opportunity is small and it
is important for an applicant
to have experience, who
met requirements of the
application, performed
specific work, and gained
qualifications through work
and life.
You have been with Osher
Lifelong Learning Institute
Curriculum Committee.
Can you share your
experience?
I have served Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute Curriculum
Committee (a group of over
120 lifelong learning institutes
funded by the Bernard Osher
Foundation, dedicated to
providing excellent education
for adult learners, and to
extending the demographic
served by traditional
universities) for almost
2 years. It is a beneficial
program for seniors, 50
years+, who are taking
courses interesting to them.
How do you stay in touch
with what really matters
most-the students?
That’s true. Students are
number the #1 priority.
Through the technology,
Skype, phone calls, emails, I
provide encouragement when
needed. When they are taking
a course online, they seem
all alone on this planet and I
always encourage them to call
and keep in touch.
How has your experience
and position you hold with
VIU helped to shape your
vision of online education?
I have participated in
instrumental design and
administrating teaching the
online courses for VIU. I
started a year and a half ago
and enjoy working with the
School of Education. Through
the roles of the instructor and
designer, I have worked with
most importantly, students. I
realize that it all has to work
together, that we all have to
cooperate and collaborate
to create strong learning
environment for our students.
Do you have any
suggestions and initiatives
in mind?
I hope that there will be
increase in number of
students at VIU both oncampus
and online, but
mostly, online. It is so
beneficial for students to have
an access to the online courses
as an opportunity to learn and
to take the knowledge outside
of the classroom. I really
hope VIU expands its online
coursework.
Would you prefer teaching
online or on-campus?
Online. When you work with
students on-campus, you get
to know only 10 students and
those who are sitting in the
front row only; you lack the
time to know them all, as one
of my examples when I taught
a big group at Arizona State
University. Online, you get
to know all the students and
learn more about them.
14 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
VIU.EDU
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
16 | TVRTKO VUJITY: A JOURNALIST’S QUEST TO GO
BEYOND BORDERS
20 | INTERNATIONALIZING PSYCHOLOGY TO
ADDRESS GLOBAL NEEDS
22 | ASSESSMENT AT-A-GLANCE
26 | ENGLISH: A POWERFUL TOOL
28 | CHATBOTS
32 | JUMPSTART YOUR CAREER BEFORE
GRADUATION
34 | LEADERS OF TOMORROW
36 | THE ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR
GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
15

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
TVRTKO VUJITY:
A Journalist’s Quest
to Go Beyond Borders
BY TVRTKO VUJITY
You would never know from looking at him, that Tvrtko Vujity (pronounced
Tu-Vret-Ko), has spent the majority of his professional journalism career in
some of the world’s most dangerous places. He is upbeat and outgoing, with
an exuberance for life and the lives of others. From Chernobyl to North Korea
and one of Africa’s poorest countries, Tvrtko does not let anything stop him
from making the world a better place through his humanitarian journalism.
Tvrtko visited Virginia International University’s main campus one afternoon to
discuss his experiences in journalism and how he continues to draw inspiration
from the world around him to keep going after seeing the horrors he says
are “straight from hell.” His experiences are overwhelming and motivating;
encouraging us to see a person’s soul and connect with them as fellow humans.
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VIU.EDU
The Right Path
Finding the right path in life isn’t the
easiest thing to do. I didn’t choose
journalism, journalism chose me. I
was born in Hungary as a 7th generation
Croatian which makes me half Croatian
and half Hungarian but I am fluent in
both Hungarian and Croatian. I had
been thinking about attending university,
when I realized that getting hands-on
experience would excel my career path
more than my degree. During the Serb
and Croatian conflict in 1991, I knocked
on the door of the Hungarian National
television channel; I told them that I
am not a professional but I speak fluent
Serbian, Croatian, and Hungarian so I
can be your translator. It was a win-win
situation for everyone and I started taking
notes, observing how journalists work.
At that time, I was traveling 3 hours each
way every day to the conflict areas, which
was very boring.
“I received the highest prize for journalism,
which is called the Joseph Pulitzer Memorial
award, even though I wasn’t a journalist.”
A friend was living in the city of Osijek,
so I decided to stay there. The Hungarian
news representatives and I were supposed
to meet every day at 9 am, but one day the
region was blockaded by the Yugoslavian
National Army. There was ongoing
fighting with troops and I was trapped
in the city. I was the only foreigner there.
I called the Hungarian National TV to
get me out. However, they couldn’t help
me because of the blockade. I was the
only one who could tell the media about
the current situation from within the
blockade.
It was a fall of 1991, the phone lines were
still working and my mother called me.
She told me that she heard my voice on
the national news channel as the exclusive
correspondent for the Hungarian
National TV. She was screaming at me
to get out and come home. I told her if I
could I would! I wanted to get home.
I spent 89 days trapped in the region.
Four days after I left the city, the BBC and
the American news asked me to report
on the situation and I told them that
I didn’t speak English. I never had the
opportunity to learn English in school.
They [International News outlets] told me
that my English vocabulary of about 50
words was excellent. I remember my first
report was short: “all bloody floors- big
war big war- very dangerous- everything.”
I realized that I am the best but the worst.
I was the only one. During the conflict,
no one wanted to ask Serb or Croatian
journalists to go. I am a Hungarian
citizen and everyone within the city knew
that. So I spent 89 days in the region,
and after I was brought to the refugee
camp I was given to the Hungarian
authorities. I received the highest prize
for journalism in my country, which is
the Joseph Pulitzer Memorial Award (the
Hungarian Pulitzer), even though I wasn’t
a journalist. I was also given a scholarship
to attend a university; that’s when I
started to learn what I was supposed to
do before. Being there changed my life.
Journalism has changed my life in many
ways, but that was the first time.
My personal and professional objectives
changed 17 years ago. My faculty teacher
once mentioned to me “If you would
be a journalist- everything is allowed,
but never lie.” I have been lying for last
17 years of my life. My life completely
changed on Friday, August 11th. Sorry, I
have to back up a bit. My home country,
Hungary, we are a nation of 10 million
of people. During WWII we lost 600,000
people; they died and disappeared in
the Soviet Union and at Auschwitz. It
was a common fact that after V-day
soldiers, POW’s came back to Hungary
from labor camps in Gulag in 1946-1948
and one person returned in 1968. That
means for years after the end of WWII,
we received information that there is,
perhaps, a POW in a mental hospital in
Tatarstan, Russia. I knew if I said that
I am a journalist, they would not allow
me to take a video that would embarrass
them- the fact that no one ever asked this
gentleman where he is from; just said
he was a mentally ill person. So I tried
to figure out who was traveling to this
region. Which ended up being no one but
bear hunters. We filled out documents
for myself and my cameramen to be bear
hunters in the spring of 2000; we went
to the city of Kotelnich which is on the
border of Tatarstan, part of the former
Soviet Union and we paid $800 to go into
the area to report to meet this old person.
We found him and figured out he was a
Hungarian because he spoke Hungarian
fluently. He never told anyone his name. I
was involved in his rehabilitation process
because 55 years after he left Hungary, I
was the first person who talked to him
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
in Hungarian; it was a deeply touching
moment in my life. And after a month
we recognized that this was a man whose
name was engraved on a statue for heroes
that died. We conducted a DNA test and
found his siblings who are still alive. On
September 17th we gave him back to his
family.
The Importance of
People & Family
I
have a wonderful wife and
3 children. Being born in
a communist country, we
didn’t have the opportunity to
learn English back home. It
wasn’t prohibited, it just wasn’t
available. I didn’t have the
opportunity in my childhood
to see different cultures or
languages. In 1990, I turned
back when I saw a black person in
Hungary because, I had never seen a
black person before- only on TV. I had
my oldest son attend his kindergarten
class in the small African country of The
Gambia. I want to show my children all
the different nations. To make them open
minded creatures to all cultures around
the world. My sons’ opportunity to learn
English is much better than mine. I want
to educate them in a different way than
myself. This is my passion too- I never
give them expensive gifts; I give them
experiences instead. So I think from
this experience
of attending
kindergarten in
this remote village
in The Gambia for
a few months- he
recognized that there
are no differences in
skin color or religions
with others. He’s not
playing on an iPhone or on a computer,
but he is respecting African life. They
went to Haiti to work with me as junior
counselors in an orphanage that was
established by the Hungarian Baptist Aid
organization, for which I am a goodwill
ambassador. That is the most I can give
my kids- opportunities. The oldest are 14
and 13 now and I’m glad to show them
the good and the bad. We are planning
to go to Alaska, then to a small Hawaiian
village where they have a bio farm. We
went to an orphanage in Haiti, so next, we
will go to an orphanage in Sri Lanka.
Nick Vujicic is a good friend of mine. He
was born in Australia. He is a Serbian
guy, and he was born without arms and
legs. I invited him to Hungary and we
had an event together to show that a
man without arms and legs can still be
very happy- happily married, with two
children. He is always smiling.
I adopted a Muslim girl. She was an
orphan from Somalia, she had been
abused by many men and people during
the war. We escaped from Somalia and we
went to Hungary and she became part of
my family. I learned her religion [Muslim]
just to be familiar- I learned everything
just to try to be able to socialize with
her; give her something to connect with.
When we escaped from Somalia, she
asked me “would you marry me?” I told
her that I have a wife and in this country,
we have only one wife and I that I don’t
want to marry her. I wanted to be able
to give her a better life. It was a huge
challenge to explain to someone who is
coming from a very different world what
is this type of democracy.
A couple of years ago I met a girl- it was
one of the biggest challenges of my life. I
was challenging myself, she was very hard
on herself. She is a disabled person; she
is completely deaf. She is very beautiful
but unfortunately was abused by her
father. Her father was an alcoholic and
died. She was very angry because he
degraded her because of her disability
Why The Gambia
is Special to Me
The Gambia is located on Africa’s west
coast surround by Senegal and is the
smallest country in the mainland of
Africa.
The Gambia, the smallest African country is special to me because they are very poor
and are smiling all day. If I cross the border between Virginia and Maryland I see the
traffic sign, Welcome to Maryland all business is welcome, and I realized that in this
country business is a top priority. So many people are concerned about money; how
much can you earn? People call me and say I have a very special offer just for you; you
could get X amount of money. Money is important to me just to be able to achieve
the kind of things that I do. I need money to go to Alaska, to go to Haiti, to go all
around the world. But The Gambia; absolutely poor people- absolutely happy. The
sun is up, I am happy. It’s raining, I am happy. I am happy because I have my family; all
of my children together. I have enough to eat.
I have been to so many places where people are dying or having a war. So you will
not see me as a desperate person. You will not see me angry at my children, I am not
angry at my wife. I am not angry at anyone; I am happy because I have everything
that I need. My goal is to go to every country in the world. I want to experience all
food, all beer, touch all culture. That is everything I want to do.
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VIU.EDU
saying things like “stupid child.” I met
her in Hungary and we started to work
together. I told her please do not have fear
of others because you are strong enough
to achieve your goals. She went on to
become the only disabled person in the
EU to win the Miss Universe Hungary.
After she went on the TV show Megastar
to sing in sign language. I learned sign
language to communicate with her. It
was my job to be her interpreter and
after I recommended to the Office of the
Hungarian President to have her as the
sign language interrupter for the New
Year address to the nation; this is her
fourth year. I wrote a book about her, The
Speech of the Queen. She held a speech
in the Hungarian National Assemblynot
just for the President but also for
the disabled. It was my mission to build
her as a strong person because I tried to
explain to her that I cannot help because I
am not disabled. You are more interesting;
you have more opportunity to show
people “if I could do that so can you.”
Passion through Journalism
ournalism has become shorter because
of social media. I publish directly to
my Facebook page sometimes, I
bought some electronic devices to
communicate in a better way. I have had
Facebook access basically everywhere
except for North Korea. Everything is
how I see it live- about everyday heroes.
Everything is about this idea that
journalism could improve, journalism
could develop, journalism could help
your life. Many many times I’ve felt it; a
person comes to me and says “I thought
my problem was the biggest in the world,
but yesterday I saw your story and I
recognized that I have no problem.”
I use Facebook to connect with people
now. I have over 210,000 followers now.
When I make a short video and post it
to Facebook, I am using that platform
to connect with people. This is very
open communication- I’ve never had
that before. I didn’t know what kind of
possibilities and opportunities it has to
offer and I have to communicate by using
all possible channels. I enjoy connecting
with my audience via the Facebook live
feature. I want to show how them that I
am open to everyone, people are trusting
me [as a journalist] and are traveling with
me all around the world.
I hold presentations, not to educate- I’m
not cleverer than other people, but maybe
I have more experiences. I just gave two
evening talks in London. Recently a
woman reached out to me and told me
that she has to have a surgery but delayed
it because she wants to come to London.
She told me that it [the speeches] give
her more power than surgery. I have
my power and I’m using my power. My
power is that my books [have sold] over a
million copies and if I have a TV program
it’s over a million viewers and this is a
power. And I have to use it in a good
way and not in a bad way. I like to show
people everyday heroes that are not in
tabloid newspapers dealing with plastic
surgeries and parties. I want to show
everyday heroes who are not famous, but
real, like doctors or firefighters.
These people are making a difference in
the lives of other people; they are putting
themselves out there to save people and
go into places no one else wants to go.
And if they can do that successfully, what
“Everything is about this
idea that... journalism
could help your life.”
kind of problems do you have? If you
think about the problems that you have
today; I’m sure you would say it was a
traffic jam or computer issues; but after
seeing these wonderful amazing people,
their accomplishments, you would say
who care about my printer`s issues, that
is a not a problem at all. I would like to
touch people- touch their spirit, touch
their heart, their emotions.
Some time ago, a woman named,
Gabriella, came to one of my
presentations. Two months later I
received a letter from her stating she
fulfilled her lifelong dream of completing
a marathon. So I cannot- this is not a
Pulitzer Memorial Award- helping to
inspire people like her is bigger than this
kind of human world.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
19

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Dr. Emma Grace is a Department Faculty at The Chicago School of Professional
Psychology, Washington, DC Campus. She is a Chair of numerous dissertation
committees and teaches doctoral level courses in international psychology.
Internationalizing
Psychology
to Address Global
Needs
BY DR. EMMA GRACE
Psychology has long been viewed as an amenity for
privileged class and labeled as a Western discipline
that is inappropriate and ineffective in non-Western
social context. Although from its inception, psychology aimed
to study various cultural groups and contexts, such attempts
were short-lived. While the founder of psychology, Wilhelm
Wundt, published his fundamental work entitled Elements of
Folk Psychology in 1916 (Wundt, 1916), his attempts to widen
the cultural scope of psychological inquiry did not find much
support throughout the 20th century (Heine, 2012). Despite the
efforts in several subfields of psychology, such as cross-cultural,
cultural, and indigenous psychologies, to challenge this status
quo, the mainstream psychology mostly remained indifferent to
studying populations outside the Western hemisphere (Berry,
2013; Heine, 2012).
The call for internationalization of psychology urged to address
three major imperatives: moral, intellectual, and professional
(van de Vijver, 2013). These imperatives reflected the ethical
responsibility of psychology to include in its research the
populations that have never been studied before so that they
too can benefit from evidence-based psychological services.
According to van de Vijver (2013), internationalization of
psychology is an irreversible process and it must continue to
develop further if we want psychology to be a better science that
is more inclusive and universally applicable.
This call has been answered when the first doctoral program in
International Psychology was launched in the United States, at
the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. The graduates
of this program have conducted numerous dissertation research
studies worldwide. Most of those studies tackled the issues
that have never been studied before or were understudied.
The wide variety of research topics included war, genocide,
displacement, gender-based violence, moral trauma and akrasia,
albinism, and other issues. The research data were collected in
Iraq, Kuwait, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, South Africa,
Cameroon, Dominica, Costa Rica, India, Australia, and many
other countries. These studies helped to overcome a sample and
population biases of mainstream psychology by conducting
research in underrepresented countries and including social
groups that have not been previously studied. Utilizing various
research methods, such as a mixed methods design, grounded
theory, netnography, photovoice, and other approaches, these
studies addressed a method bias of mainstream psychology that
has traditionally been utilizing quantitative research methods.
The process of internationalizing psychology will continue
further as more international psychologists are now working
to advance the field. There is a need for more bilingual and
multilingual researchers in the field of international psychology
who could conduct data collection in the native language of
research participants. This would help address the language
barriers that affect the validity of research results, despite all
efforts to prevent the linguistic bias using back translation
20 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
and other techniques. This would also increase publication of
psychological research findings in multiple languages, as the
monolingual psychologists have limited knowledge of foreign
psychologies due to the language barriers.
Furthermore, there should be more research conducted with
vulnerable populations, such as children, elderly, incarcerated
people, indigenous populations, ethnic and religious minorities.
Across countries, these populations have been most affected
by transgenerational issues such as complex trauma, poverty,
discrimination, and violence that have been perpetuating
throughout human history. Over a century ago Wundt (1916)
wrote that “Naturally, the will does not become an influence
definitely affecting the course of events until individuals
have become consciously aware of the interconnectedness of
historical life” (Wundt, 1916, p. 514). Therefore, it is important
that international psychology utilizes the historical perspective
when studying psychological phenomena to overcome these
perpetuating issues in future.
It has been my great pleasure to learn about Virginia International
University last year when I presented at two conferences
organized by School of Public and International Affairs and
School of Education. This article serves as a reminiscence of my
presentation on internationalization of psychology.
References
Berry, J.W. (2013). Global psychology. South African Journal of Psychology,
43(4), 391–401. DOI: 10.1177/0081246313504517
Heine, J. S. (2012). Cultural Psychology. New York: W.W. Norton.
van de Vijver (2013). Contributions of internationalization to psychology:
Toward a global and inclusive discipline. American Psychologist, 68(8).
761-770. Wundt, V. (1916). Elements of Folk Psychology. London:
George Allen And Unwin Ltd. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/
elementsoffolkps014744mbp
COLOR
PSYCHOLOGY
COLORS AND MEANINGS
Why do we often associate color with the science of
psychology? Colors play a major part in affecting our behavior.
Even the 7 sins are seen in color: green with envy, red for
lust, etc. We can associate every color with a specific mood or
energy because of psychology. Everyone’s perception of colors
is different and is dependent on environment, gender, age,
experiences, religion, nationality. For example, native tribes
living in the jungle have an entirely different perception of the
color green than people raised in big cities. The combo of red
and yellow together is shown to trigger hunger and is widely
used by the fast food industry.
COLOR PSYCHOLOGY AS THERAPY
RED was used to
stimulate the body
and mind and to
increase circulation.
BLUE was believed
to soothe illnesses
and treat pain.
Ancient civilizations including the Egyptians and Chinese
practiced chromotherapy, or the use of colors to heal.
Chromotherapy is sometimes referred to as light therapy or
colorology and is still used today in a holistic healing manner.
Art therapy is also widely used as a healing tool
bringing the belief that art is life enhancing.
ORANGE was used
to heal the lungs and
to increase energy
levels.
YELLOW was
thought to
stimulate the
nerves and
purify the body.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
21

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
22 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
AT-A-GLANCE
BY CHRISTINA KOONTS
Assessment plays an
important role in an
organization, Virginia
International University
included. The role
assessment plays impacts
everyone who has a stake
in VIU.
The process allows for
the Office of Institutional
Effectiveness to
better help plan and
implement strategic
plans for different staff
departments as well as
the deans of VIU’s schools
of study.
Creating strong and
effective plans for all
aspects of the university
allow for continued
growth and overall
achievement. Assessment
is an integral part of how
VIU’s future is shaped.
WHAT IS ASSESSMENT?
Assessment is being able to give value or
importance to something; for an organization
it determines what we do as departments
and individuals, and then work to improve
our work and processes in those avenues. In
the context of higher education, assessment
is defined more narrowly and specifies a
particular assessment use. Assessment in U.S.
colleges and universities is now understood as
a means of developing and improving student
learning and teaching:
Assessment is the systematic collection, review,
and use of information about educational
programs undertaken for the purpose of
improving student learning and development.
(Palomba & Banta, 1999 [2015], p. 4)
SO WHAT IS ASSESSMENT USED FOR?
Improving performance, both academically
and organizationally! Simply put, assessment is
defined as continuous improvement.
WHERE IS IT USED?
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE),
overseen by Associate Vice President Ms.
Christina Koonts, recognizes that assessment
is conducted through different measures for
a variety of assessment uses, though with a
common aim of systematically using evidence
to improve institutional effectiveness.
Assessment at VIU, then, happens in four areas:
(a.)
School-level
programmatic
assessment of student
learning (for all
degree and certificate
programs).
(c.)
Evaluation of nonacademic/support
and
student affairs units.
(b.)
Bachelor degreelevel
programmatic
assessment of general
education learning.
(d.)
Institutional
assessment/evaluation
of educational
and administrative
effectiveness.
With respect to (c), evaluation of nonacademic/support
and student affairs units
is defined by the Office of Institutional
Effectiveness as follows (adapted from Banta &
Palomba, 2015):
Assessment: Aggregating individual measures
for the purpose of discovering group strengths
and weaknesses that can guide improvement
actions.
WHY DOES ASSESSMENT MATTER?
With the constant changing work environment,
there is a periodic need to review how jobs are
defined, departments are organized, processes
are structured, and problems are managed. The
goal of assessment is to assist managers and
deans in implementing effective action plans
and appropriate solutions toward achievement
of organizational objectives.
In essence, the point of assessment is not the
sheer collection of reports and data; it is instead
the application of the data to promote changes
and developments within the organizational
culture and operations. Collection without
analysis and application is fruitless.
At VIU we conduct assessment both
organizationally and academically.
Organizationally, we conduct goal-setting
exercises in each department, all of which are
tied to the strategic goals of the institution. This
process is important because it is what drives
fulfillment of our institutional strategic plan.
We have a direction that we need to go in, and
by monitoring and evaluating performance
and achievement, we are able to ensure that we
are getting there. Academically, we are looking
to fulfill student learning outcomes for each
program. All assessment is centered around
measurement of what learning is taking place.
We want to be sure that our students learn
what they set out to, in order to be successful
after graduation. Additionally, we are able to
find weaknesses in the programs and drive
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
23

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
curricular improvement, keeping the programs
relevant and up-to-date, and providing a better
product for VIU students.
WHO DOES ASSESSMENT IMPACT?
The short answer? Everyone! The structure
is part of a systematized and organized
process regulated by the Office of Institutional
Effectiveness.
Individual departments are responsible for
the oversight and maintenance of assessment
within their organization. This is accomplished
by having an embedded focus on the analysis
of assessment as essential components of each
department, both academic and organizational.
Therefore, departments are responsible for
forming and maintaining assessments and
assessment practices within their respective
areas. Given that each organizational function
is unique, all departments are tasked with
determining a structure and function that
is most conducive to their roles within
the institution. As a result, the roles of
all individuals at an institution might be
articulated by the formalized structure of the
work of the OIE.
WHAT ARE GOALS OF ASSESSMENT?
The most important information that VIU
departments report to the Office of Institutional
Effectiveness (and what VIU must report to
regulatory bodies) is how assessment results
are being used toward improved or developed
organizational and educational processes
and procedures. We all want to improve, as
individuals and departments and provide
the best working and learning environment
possible in a sustainable manner. We want our
student services to be strong, just as we want
our curriculum to be strong and relevant.
Assessment helps us to take an objective look
at what it is we are doing in the day-to-day
operations to determine what is working well,
and what is not working well. We can then
readjust and align our objectives to be more
focused, with the intended result of a better
experience for all of the VIU community.
WHEN IS ASSESSMENT NEEDED?
Assessment never stops. Assessment at VIU
involves the analysis and interpretation of
information on employee and departmental
performance as a basis for identifying needed
improvement or development of educational
and organizational processes.
IS IT AN ON-GOING PROJECT OR
SOMETHING THAT IS LOOKED AT
DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF TIME?
Analysis relates to producing assessment
results and involves summarizing, arranging,
presenting, or otherwise rendering assessment
data for interpretation and decision-making.
VIU departments are asked to summarize
and report results for all assessment data. For
quantitatively-oriented data, reporting can be
summaries of aggregated performance ratings
or scores (e.g., percentiles, etc.). For qualitative/
textually-oriented results, departments can
summarize prevailing trends or themes in the
data (among other examples). However, it is
an ongoing and continuous process that truly
never ends.
HOW DO YOU USE THE INFORMATION
GAINED THROUGH ASSESSMENT?
VIU’s OIE monitors steps the collection and
use of data carefully. OIE (and SACS COC) is
interested in knowing what VIU departments
are learning about the effectiveness of their
organizational processes on the basis of
assessment results, and, where achievement or
improvement has not happened as expected,
what actions directors and employees are
taking to enhance the quality of departmental
delivery. This essentially establishes the use of
assessment data for continuous improvement.
The use and reuse of data/information occur
over the lifetime of an assessment cycle and
is intended to learn and grow along with the
department (and employees).
ASSESSMENT
CYCLE
IDENTIFY
EXECUTE
PLAN
REVIEW
Identify opportunities
and goals within each
department.
Plan how departments
can achieve goals and
improve processes.
Execute your plan into
action.
Review how the plan
affected the department
and organization as a
whole.
24 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

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Register Online Now: conference.viu.edu/icct/2017
EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS AUGUST 31, 2017
The School of Computer and Information Systems at Virginia International University is
proud to host the International Conference on Computing and Technology.
The conference will be a two-day event with presentations from distinguished faculty
and other notable speakers from the technology community.
Some of the topics covered at the
conference will be:
• Cybersecurity & Networking
• Data Science & Business Intelligence
• Software Engineering & Applications
• Information Systems & Innovative
Technologies
For more information, please
contact conference organizers by
email at icct@viu.edu

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Khalid Albishi is head of General Studies Department at Bisha College of Technology
and reviews editor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He studied English at King
Khalid University, Saudi Arabia and University of Technology, Australia.
ENGLISH
A POWERFUL TOOL
BY KHALID ALBISHI
English seems to be interfering in all endeavors of modern world.
The effect of this phenomenon seems to be changing people’s lives
and future goals. I’ve seen many privileged and underprivileged
individuals affected by English. In the college where I work as an
English lecturer and in my life, I’ve witnessed many stories. The main
player of these stories is the English language!
In Saudi Arabia, it is uncommon to find people
starting to learn English early in their life. Different factors
are affecting this situation. The factors include, but are not
limited to, personal, social and financial factors. It is normal to
find that many people have failed to achieve their dreams as a
result of their illiteracy in English.
English is connected to people’s development in various ways.
Where I teach, English determines your eligibility to receive
your scholarship and maintain it. Also, the students who seek
to proceed in their studies and get higher degrees must meet
a certain mark in English or pass a comprehensive English
program. Interesting to mention, where I teach, policy makers
think that the English language is subsidiary subject and
therefore they do not allow English teachers to proceed in their
higher education. This is happening during the golden age where
Saudi Arabia adopted one of the most ambitious scholarship
programs in the world and almost everyone had a chance to
receive a full paid scholarship.
“English is one of the
most powerful tools in the
present world.”
English disadvantaged circumstances takes many forms.
Tollefson (2000) states a Filipino girl’s story. She was amazing
speaker of English. However, she faced many rejections in jobs
26 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
“Many successful
stories could happen
when someone learns
to speak English.”
ENGLISH
BY THE NUMBERS
English is the most widespread language
in the world and increases the chances of
getting a job
One out of 5 people understands English.
offered in the United States because of her Filipino accent. On
the other hand, English has a great impact on many speakers,
whether as native or second language speakers. Many successful
stories could happen when someone learns to speaks English.
During the Middle Eastern refugee crisis, we’ve seen how
English helped many migrants who looked for better lives in
Europe, Canada, Australia, United States and many other English
speaking countries.
Yassen is a Syrian refugee. He managed to flee to the US before
the executive order of president Trump’s travel ban of seven
Muslim-majority countries. Yaseen escaped from the tragic
civilian war looking for safer and a better life for his family. He
did not speak English when he first arrived. During his stay
in the US, he integrated with the American community. He
started to speak English which helped him be more productive.
Yaseen found support from one of his friends whom he met
while in the US. This friend helped him open a restaurant; the
restaurant evolved and helped Yaseen participate in elevating his
community and also spend some income on charity.
700 million speak English as a 2nd or 3rd
language.
1.3 billion are students of English every year.
Four out of the top 5 biggest companies.
in the world speak English as their primary
language.
More than 65% of websites are made in
English.
80% of business communications worldwide
take place in English.
A friend of mine was among those privileged people who
learned English early in their life. It was a result of self-learning
and internal motivation. Consequently, English became his
best tool in life and seems to be his gift. Somehow, all major
changes in his life are connected to the English language. With
the help of English, he found an appropriate job. He was able
to communicate with others whom he was not sharing with
a common language. He seems to be better than others in
achieving his goals which were mainly connected to English.
No matter what opinion you have on English. It is one of the
most powerful tools in the present world. And it will have a
magical effect on you at some point in your life.
References
Tollefson, J. 2000, ‘Policy and ideology in the spread of English’, in J. K.
Hall & W Egginton (eds), The sociopolitics of English language teaching,
Multilingual Matters, Clevedon, Great Britain.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
27

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
CHATBOTS
Bots are text-based artificial intelligence
programs that allow organizations to have
conversations with audiences. They operate
in real time and address a growing need for
customer service in the online world.
28 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
BOT FUN FACTS
• The average bot session is
12 messages lasting 160
seconds.
• The most common message
received is “hi” clocking in at
72%.
THE CHATBOT TREND
With the increasing popularity of messaging apps and advancements in AI,
developers are creating new ways to communicate with customers while
reducing their costs. The future possibilities for chatbots are boundless as
it seamlessly fits into how people use technology in their everyday lives. As technology
grows it allows for new ways to have conversations with companies on a personal level.
• In addition to “hi” and “hello”
“?,” “hey,” “help,” “yes,” and
a “thumbs up” top the list of
most common phrases used.
• Images are being more
popular to send during
conversations with bots.
• 12% of conversations with
bots are using asking for a
joke or funny saying.
• 29% of people use bots when
making an online purchase.
• There are more than 30,000
bots on Facebook.
• In China, the most popular
bot is Xiaoice.
1. AMAZON ECHO
Amazon's Alexa became a surprise hit
in 2014. Most ask Alexa to play music or
answer questions, but she can also order
from Amazon's full catalog.
2. SIRI
Currently, Apple's Siri is the most famous
chatbot. With the integration into
AppleTV, Siri allows users to search via
voice commands through individual apps;
now you can find your next binge-worthy
TV show on Netflix or plan your next
vacation on Tripadvisor.
3. KIK
Kik, a popular chat app, is changing how
people are shopping online. Their partner
bots like H&M can show you outfit
inspirations and purchase options.
4. FACEBOOK MESSENGER
Facebook launched their chatbot API
in 2016 to better intergrate business
interactions through their Messenger
app. Users can use the chatbot to order
flowers, order an Uber, or shop with a
personal shopping assistant. To date there
are over 30,000 FB Messenger Chatbots.
In 2014 Microsoft introduced
Xiaoice, pronounced Shao-ice.
700 million people chat with
the bot more than 60 times
a month when they have a
broken heart or lost a job
because they feel like they can
chat with her unbiasedly.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
29

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Holly Jones is the Communications Manager at VIU.
She graduated from the Florida State University with
a BA in PR and a MA in PR from Kent State University.
VIU ALUM EKIM KAYA:
CHANGING THE BOT GAME
BY HOLLY JONES
Ekim Kaya, CEO and founder of
Botego, built his company on
recognizing the need bots were
able to fill - 3 years prior to Apple
acquiring the digital assistant Siri.
Back then, the only mainstream
bot was Microsoft’s MSN Bot -
which was answering questions
based on terms from the Encarta
Encyclopedia.
“Kaya is a true
believer in taking a
step back to look
at the situation
from a broader
view of everyday
problems before
achieving a
creative solution.”
Ekim Kaya is the man behind the
scenes, responsible for changing
how bots are used to streamline
business in an ever-increasing online
world. A Virginia International University
alumni, Kaya focuses on building
conversations through the bots his
company Botego creates. The key to his
success? Perseverance.
Prior to attaining his master’s degree
in Management Information Systems
at Virginia International University,
Kaya worked as a call center agent for
an internet service provider circa 1997.
This experience led him to realize that
there was a systematic problem with
phone-based customer support: 80% of
the questions represented only 20% of the
whole knowledge base. Customers were
basically asking the same questions over
and over. Nearly all of the problems were
about account credentials or computer
or modem settings. It was the perfect
candidate for a self-service tool to solve.
Bots have proved to be perfect tools to
increase customer satisfaction while
reducing customer service costs; they
have the ability to give human features
and interactions creating a new user
experience.
Kaya isn’t a developer or even an
engineer, even though he studied
electrical engineering as an undergrad, he
is an entrepreneur at heart and it shows.
His company, Botego, was not always the
successful, highly regarded bot company
it is today. Founded in 2007, Botego,
almost went bankrupt not once, but twice;
having made huge mistakes, incorrect
assumptions, and missing crucial
opportunities. Kaya devoted so much
time and effort into the organization that
he refused to see it fail. He wanted to
see if all the disappointment was worth
it- would he be able to pull it off? For
Kaya, the third time was a charm, and his
persistence paid off through new clients
and a research and development project
that helped the company pay the bills.
Statistics show that 96% of businesses fail
within 10 years, but thankfully Botego is
one of the 4% who survived. Fate would
have it that tech-start up Facebook,
helped Kaya’s dream take hold in the
business world- and only weeks prior
to Facebook’s bot announcement, he
was considering closing Botego’s doors.
Kaya focuses on the needs bots fill for
businesses to be successful and recently
published a book on it entitled Bot
Business 101.
Technology continues to grow at a rapid
pace and his company is no different
operating with three different teams
in three different countries, spanning
two time-zones and boasts clients
from 81 countries. 20 years ago this
would have been unimaginable to some
degree. Where there is a need, there is
imagination, and Kaya is living proof of
that concept- having identified a solution
to a common problem in 1997.
Kaya credits much of his success to his
overall educational journey. Stating things
like, “formal education should never
satisfy any student in the information
age.” Encouraging everyone to become
aware of their strengths and weaknesses
as early as possible; create their own
external stream of information, focusing
on those strengths to be able to gain new
skills. The acquired skills help create
personal value and value for others
allowing for future success in life and
in business. Hands-on experience and
discussion are just as important as any
lecture or textbook.
30 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU
Alumni Association
Plant the seed for a stronger network
Connect with VIU
graduates from 100
different countries
worldwide.
Receive a 10%
tuition discount for
your next graduate
program.
Take advantage of
special offers from
VIU business
partners.
Stay Connected!
Send all VIU Alumni Association membership
inquiries to alumni@viu.edu.
4401 Village Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030
Tel: (703) 591-7042
/VIUAlumniAssociation
/VIUalumni
VIU is certified to operate in Virginia by SCHEV. Accredited Member, ACICS.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
YOUR CAREER BEFORE GRADUATION
BY DENITSA SOKOLOVA
NETWORKING
• Identify people you can network with: other alumni,
professors, and students are easy places to start.
• Follow-up with new networking contacts with a note or
email.
• Keep in touch with people to build your network of
contacts through relationships. Think about the long-term
impacts of a large network.
INTERNSHIPS
Coursework prepares students for the theoretical aspects
of each career field while internships provide practical
and hands-on experience. Internships allow students to
simultaneously connect coursework with on-job training.
BEFORE YOU INTERVIEW
• Do your research. Know the company that you are
interviewing to be able to answer their questions
accordingly.
• Know who will be interviewing you, and learn about their
background.
• Know your strengths and weakness.
• Dress for the job you want.
32 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Rebecca Yu is the HR Director at VIU. She graduated from the University of
Virginia with a BA in Psychology and Cognitive Science. Since 2002, Rebecca
has been managing HR departments for various organizations.
BY REBECCA YU
OF TOMORROW
New graduates often enter the workforce with the idea that they are the “leaders of tomorrow”
because that is what all of the old clichés have told them. They have long-term goals of landing
themselves a “leadership role” and often connect that with achieving success. But what is a
leadership role? What does it mean to be a leader?
Leaders are not appointed, promoted, or hired to be a
leader. You do not become a leader automatically because
you are a manager, an executive, or even the founder of a
company. You may be a manager, but managers manage data,
projects, and processes; people cannot be managed. You may be
an entrepreneur who can organize and operate a business, but
leadership is about more than keeping a company afloat. While
there may be an expectation of you to be a leader as you rise
up the ranks, not all people in positions of prestige, power, and
status are leaders. In fact, the vast majority of people are not the
leaders of tomorrow.
Leaders lead by example and inspire others to change. Effective
leaders gain the respect of their followers and can influence
them to want better, to do better, to be better. A leader does
not control the team by giving orders, but is whole-heartedly a
part of that team. You lead a team by working alongside your
people to help them and inspire them to achieve more, ultimately
moving everyone toward a shared mission and vision. Mahatma
Gandhi did not give orders or instill fear, but he got an entire
nation to follow his lead because of genuine inspiration.
If your goal is simply to be successful in your personal pursuits,
you may not be cut out to be a leader. But if your goal is to drive
your organization to be successful, then you’re on the right track.
When we live in a culture where personal success is defined
as having achieved popularity, profit, or distinction and where
“Leaders lead by example and
inspire others to change.”
competition has taken front stage, sometimes it can be hard to
focus on the bigger picture. Leaders direct their focus away from
themselves and toward the larger goal of building a successful
organization. They still have ambition, but that ambition lies in
the success of the organization, not themselves. A good leader
is not concerned with being in the spotlight, but is focused on
results. The best way to measure the success of leaders is not in
their personal success, but in the success of those who follow
them.
Now, it is not necessarily objectionable to say that your goal in
life is to be personally successful and prosperous; after all, that is
the American Dream, right? But you shouldn’t confuse or equate
your position or personal success with that of being a leader.
Leaders guide others to achieve success and appreciate what a
34 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
LEADERSHIP SIMPLIFIED
Effective leaders gain the respect of their followers and can
influence them to want better, to do better, to be better.
A leader does not control the team by giving orders but is
whole-heartedly a part of that team. You lead a team by
working alongside your people to help them and inspire them
to achieve more, ultimately moving everyone toward a shared
mission and vision.
1. INSPIRATION
To be a leader is to have a deep passion for fulfilling a mission
and for inspiring others to follow you.
2. INTEGRITY
It takes putting aside your own self-interests for the sake of the
greater good.
3. EMPOWERMENT
Building up others and appreciating their contributions
instead of feeling threatened by them.
4. PASSION
Having greater visions of where your company is trying to go
while leaving the path open for others to grow into leaders.
high-performing team can accomplish rather than make their
career about outdoing everyone else and rising to the top.
No degree, no courses on leadership, and no extended time
in a job is going to make you a leader. It is your attitude, your
humility, your willingness to serve, your ability to communicate,
and your sincere desire to make a difference that will naturally
make people want to follow you. Don’t just aspire to be
successful, aspire to lead. As Gandhi said, “Be the change you
wish to see in the world.” Make a difference.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
35

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Anastassiya Lapikhina is a certified Project Management Professional
with more than four year’s experience in international development, higher
education, and e-commerce sectors spanning the US, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.
THE ROLE OF PROJECT
MANAGEMENT FOR
GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS
BY ANASTASSIYA LAPIKHINA
To be successful in a globalized world, large organizations,
be they international organizations, non-governmental
organizations, or corporations, must spread their
offices across more than one country with a hope of lowering
operating costs, moving the product closer to the customer, and
to optimize the management process. This tends to increase
the variation of business practices across the organization and
as a result the organization grows and becomes more diverse.
There is more and more need to ensure continuality in business
practices across the organization to maintain the organization’s
reputation or brand and to assure an efficient use of resources.
In this context, a Project Management Office (PMO) can be of
great value.
The responsibilities of the PMO can range from providing project
management support functions to actually being responsible
for the direct management of a project. By establishing a PMO,
organizations are able to establish a single methodology to
manage projects, as well as having one common entity that
has a high level view of the entire project status within the
organization.
STANDARDIZING PROCEDURES
The PMO is like a parent to all projects, providing guidelines,
policies, and standardizing project work. The exact role and
responsibilities of the PMO varies among organizations,
depending on business needs and the nature of projects run
by the organization, but the necessity remains for all large
organizations whether they are called the Project Support Office,
or the Program Office, or even grandly the Project Management
Centre of Excellence.
Variation in business cultures and practices across offices is a
key reason why PMO are implemented. Differing standards can
lead to misunderstandings among stakeholders can result into a
higher project failure rate. PMO solves this problem by providing
a standardizing policies and procedures, applying a consistent
project delivery method, and providing project tracking which
leads to consistent expectations amongst all stakeholders. The
PMO serves to align projects with strategic business goals and
unify the project work.
PMO
CENTRALIZED COMMUNICATION
The PMO becomes the common ground to develop a way of
working on projects globally and to keep stakeholders informed
worldwide with up-to-date and accurate information. In large
organizations with many employees it can be challenging
to achieve similar procedures and effective outcomes from
all projects. A single PMO entity provides centralized
communication about projects and continuity between projects
by keeping track of lessons learned, helping project managers
to become a part of the bigger unit, and providing them with
the best practices across from give similar projects across the
organization.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
One of the biggest challenges of implementing a PMO within
a large organization is often an institutional resistance to
change. Organizations are built on their employees who might
perceive a PMO as a barrier - slowing down project progress
and bringing high amounts of documentation and bureaucracy.
This can be overcome by explaining the benefits to project
managers and other project stakeholders, giving them feedback,
consulting during project implementation, and by providing
them with ongoing training on approved project management
tools, procedures and techniques. Ideally, PMOs should be
run by certified experts such as a PMP (Project Management
Professional) certificate holder that can bring industry expertise
familiarity with the best project management practices. Any
global organization that does not have a PMO, should stop and
consider, “why not?”
36 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION
VIU.EDU
INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION
38 | LOVE IS...
40 | IT ALL STARTS WITH EDUCATION
42 | FINDING INSPIRATION FROM MONGOLIA
44 | INTERNATIONAL CUISINE
46 | FROM CAIRO WITH LOVE
49 | THE WRITTEN WORD
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
37

INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION
Love is...
BY NIHAL BALCI
It is so hard to talk about love - it can’t be described,
understood, limited, or defined by borders. We
are all born with a need to love and be loved;
we never outgrow it. We don’t always know
how it works, just like bees making honey
unaware of the chemical composition
of the miraculous sweetness. We
can’t explain love with physics.
Einstein said gravitation is not
responsible for people falling
in love. We say love is blind,
but we give so much
importance to clothes,
make up, and accessories.
We say our heart is broken,
but we continue to love.
We would not drink out of
a cracked glass, but just as we
would not give up drinking
water if all the glasses were
broken, our broken heart still
carries the water of life. Besides,
maybe we should keep getting
it broken until it really opens up.
38 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
LOVE IS THE BOND BETWEEN ALL THINGS - the
light and life of existence. We love ourselves, our families,
the place we live, our nation, living things, the world, and
the whole universe. We feel pleasure when people we love are
happy, and we feel pain at their pain. Sometimes it is hard to
see something as so valuable or wonderful, particularly when
there is plenty of it to go around or when it happens all the
time. We forget that every healthy baby born is a miracle. We
are surprised by one that has seven toes, not the ones who are
perfect. How many of us are grateful every time we swallow
something, take a breath, sleep, or even go to the bathroom? If
somebody loses sleep, or loses a kidney, then they know how
good it was when they had it. Maybe sometimes we should think
in the negative to see how it is right now.
For instance, let’s assume there wasn’t love in the world. Just
think: nobody loved their spouses, their kids, their jobs,
their country, employees, students, or friends. The trees feed
themselves with muddy water, but feed their kids (fruit) with
sugar, milk, and honey. What if they didn’t? What if they just
became selfish? What if your God didn’t love you? Didn’t
listen to our prayers, and punished us with every little mistake
we made? Would the sun still come up and smile at us in the
morning? Would rain fall to give life to soil? Maybe not...
The sun loves the plants, the plants love the sun. Animals like
plants, and we love all of them. Love connects everything and
everybody together. It forms families, turns a job or a class into
fun, and makes labor pains bearable. It makes this big, scary,
dark world, a home.
Whose faults do you see more clearly - those you love or those
you don’t love? Doesn’t love hide all flaws and even turn flaws
into something you might love later?
If I had to make a recipe for love, I would add more compassion
than passion. Lots of relationships start with passionate love,
but they will last longer when there is compassion. Love is not
always looking at each other; sometimes it is simply looking in
the same direction.
Our nature consists of a body and a soul. The body is to the soul
what a purse is to the gold it holds. It is the spirit that matters,
not the body. When the soul leaves the body, they do not let it
stay at home. They bury it quickly. Our bodies are like a torch.
Our reason, knowledge, and love are the light coming out of it.
They light up our way. Remember that the two containers in
us, the mind and the heart, never fill up. The more you learn,
the more you can learn; the more you love, the more you can
love. Our souls can also be compared to a pool. Our behaviors,
habits, our five senses, and what we see, hear, and feel with them
“If I had to make a recipe
for love, I would add more
compassion than passion.
Lots of relationships start
with passionate love, but
they will last longer when
there is compassion”
are like taps filling it up. What is in the pool depends on what
flows from the taps. What do you want to fill it with? Love, hate,
gossip, prayer, nice words, apps? You pick...
Love is the greatest motivator of all time. The wind and the sun
argue about who is the strongest. The wind points to a guy on
the street and says it will make the man lose his jacket. However,
the mightier it blows, the harder the guy holds on to his jacket.
When the sun shows its face, he takes it off willingly. Love and
fear are two very strong feelings. You can make your kids eat
healthy and you can make your students study; you can make
your employees work hard and, in general, you can make people
do things by intimidating them with harsh words, but this
motivation is temporary. When you are not looking, they will
go back to their old ways. But if it is in their heart, if they love it,
you don’t have to be watching them all the time. It is impossible
to for me to not remember Rumi, the heart of the circle of
guidance of his time, when thinking about love. People from all
religions were drawn to him like spiritual butterflies drawn to
light. He has been titled, “The Sultan of Lovers.” His is divine
love, a fiery one with constant longing. During separation, he
burns with fire. He shows no discontent though, because of the
requirement for passion. Refraining from complaint is a sign of
loyalty towards the beloved. For him, death is like a festival; it is
a means for unity with the loved one. Rumi unifies the love of
God with the love of humanity. He came to the conclusion that
to love humans is to love God. A Turkish saying - we love all
creation for we love the Creator - works in parallel with this.
Even if I don’t know what to say about love, I hope I can at least
feel it and spread it. I hope all of us have lives filled with infinite
love. Love that will make us love more, that will help us to be
better people, and to really feel that we are alive. As Rumi says,
“Every mortal will taste death, but only some will taste life.”
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
39

INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION
IT ALL STARTS
WITH
EDUCATION
BY ABROR NAZIROV
Education plays an important role
in everyone’s life and in many ways
shapes the people we become later in
life. Education is the core of who I am;
it is my passion.
40 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
Abror Nazirov is an Uzbekistan native working on his MBA at VIU. Mr. Nazirov
is a young entrepreneur who founded and remotely runs his own language
school in his home country.
I
grew up in rural Uzbekistan, we didn’t have a lot, but I did
have school. It took me a while to realize that education
would provide me the platform to achieve whatever I
wanted. It drove me to work harder in school. I went to a lyceum
and learned English prior to college. I knew that this was my
future; education was the future. It opened doors and provided
me with opportunities.
Uzbekistan has a sustainable education system which is
undergoing serious reforms to increase the quality of education
and prepare skilled professionals who can contribute to the
growth and development of the country. The education system
is set up differently than here in the United States. Education is
divided into pre-school, school, vocational and higher education
systems.
Pre-school education is the responsibility of parents, that is, they
pay tuition fees for their children’s education. However, the state
provides free schooling in all state schools as well as vocational
colleges and academic lyceums. Young children attend primary
school starting at age 6 and enter the US equivalent of 1st grade.
Students attend this school for 4 years and then enter general
secondary school at age 10 and encompasses US school grades
5-9. This system closely matches that of the education in the
United States, however, when a student reaches the age of 15
or US grade 10, schools in Uzbekistan offer upper secondary
schooling at a lyceum or gymnasium. A lyceum is similar to
11th and 12th grades in the United States. Because Primary and
Secondary schools are compulsory for all students in Uzbekistan
private schools were nonexistent until 1999.
Upon leaving school, learners must choose either a vocational
college, where they learn the basic and important aspects of their
chosen profession and qualify in that field or an academic lyceum
to prepare for higher education at universities.
Higher education comprises four-year intensive study at an
institute or university. The government supports individuals
who demonstrate higher academic results. Each year, up to
30% students with the highest results are awarded state grants.
The government also supports those who do military service
with devotion and good discipline. Every year a number of
servicemen, who successfully qualify during their military
service, are awarded 25% bonus scores in entry exams. This
makes individuals more inspired and prepared to serve the
prosperity and development of the country.
However, the education system is also facing challenges to be
overcome. The country needs experienced and skilled specialists
in all regions including rural areas. Therefore, special attention is
being paid for private education. Private companies and centers
are growing in number every year. They are responsible for a
share in the preparation of competitive and skilled cadres who
possess up to date knowledge of foreign languages, computer
technologies, and professional skills.
Education has placed me at a crossroads sometimes and life
has given me a lot of unexpected challenges over the time. But,
learning isn’t just inside the classroom; it’s all around us.
Upon graduation, students can enter university
or specialized vocational training.
POST-SECONDARY
Ages 15-17: Similar to grades 10-12 in the US.
or**
Ages 15-17: Similar to grades 10-12 in the US.
TECHNICAL SECONDARY
UPPER SECONDARY(LYCEUM)
Ages 10-15: Similar to grades 5-9 in the US.*
GENERAL SECONDARY
Ages 6-10: Similar to grades 1-4 in the US.
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Ages 3-6: Program costs are paid by parents.
PRESCHOOL
UZBEKISTAN
EDUCATION TIMELINE
* Primary and Secondary school is mandatory for all students.
**Students have the opportunity to choose between general upper education which
provides studies to enter university; or a technical vocational school.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
41

INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION
Kazakh man in traditional clothing in the desert
mountain of Western Mongolia. PHOTO CREDIT:
ISARESCHEEWIN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
FINDING INSPIRATION
FROM MONGOLIA
DR. ALICIA CAMPI
Modern day Mongolia has a deep and rich history. The country is unique because it
is a vibrant Asian democracy which has successfully embraced the free market and
the globalized world, but retains its true nomadic traditions and culture. Nomadism
is not dead there nor just a tourist attraction; herders living with their horses, goats,
sheep, yak, and camels are a sizable minority with real political clout.
42 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
Abundant with natural resources,
Mongolia is creating their
own modern day “Silk Road,”
called the “One Belt One Road,” to
boost economic benefits. At VIU’s
2016 Conference on Politics, Conflicts
and Development, Dr. Alicia Campi
presented on the country’s security
strategy and why as a developing nation it
is inspiring to watch them create the once
vast empire grow once more. She writes:
“2017 is the 30th year anniversary of
diplomatic relations between the United
States and Mongolia. During these years,
the Cold War ended and Mongolia
became a democratic country which
reconnected with Asia and then the
world. The Mongols in the democratic
era declared their nation a nuclear-free
weapon zone, as well as rejected foreign
military bases and military alliances.
It has become adept at utilizing old
and developing new national security
stratagems to navigate its complex
Eurasian continental environment. It
developed a foreign policy strategy called
the ‘Third Neighbor Policy’ after the
collapse of communism in the 1990s,
which was expected to protect its national
interests by extending Mongolian ties to
large developed democratic economies
such as the U.S. and break the historical
overwhelmingly dependent relations
to its two giant border neighbors of
China and Russia. However, in the last
few years it has been forced to expand
its ‘third neighbor’ definition to a more
multi-pillar, Asian continental one that
includes India, Turkey, Persian Gulf
nations, Vietnam, and even Iran, in
hopes of diversifying trade partners for
its minerals and finding new sources of
energy and consumer goods.
Mongolia’s vast mineral resources,
especially in coal, copper, gold, uranium,
oil, and rare earth minerals, had an
available market in rising China that
could be reached without a modern
transportation infrastructure or massive
investment of FDI in downstream
industries. However, this path to riches
and development during the past 10
years only led to Chinese monopoly of
Mongolia’s economy and exploding
domestic concerns about how to
Genghis Kahn, roughly translated to ‘universal ruler,’ was one of the world’s most
formidable military leaders. During his time (1162-1227), he united the individual
Mongol clans and ruled over the largest empire to ever exist around, 11 and 12
million contiguous square miles. The unification and expansion of the empire lead
to some important advancements including the basis for the modern day postal
system, religious freedom, and abolishing torture; but these advancements do not
come without pitfalls. Kahn was known as a ruthless leader and used his vicious
image as a way to spread terror into neighboring empires.
Very little is actually known about the Mongol leader, and there are no portraits
or sculptures to have ever survived. The account scholars do have, of the leader,
are often contradictory; but most describe him as a tall man with strong features
including long hair and a bushy beard. One account claims Kahn had red hair and
green eyes- which may not have been unusual among the diverse Mongol people.
preserve the country’s independence.
Mongolia believes that through its own
efforts to build trust among the nations
in its region and by declaring itself a
permanently neutral nation that will
not endanger its border neighbors it
can win China and Russia over to its
policy of being an economical transit
corridor for Sino-Russian trade. This
would be an economic boon to all three
nations, increase Eurasian integration,
and strengthen regional frameworks
for connectivity and national security.
All of this dynamism is why Mongolia
continues to be an inspiration to small,
developing countries in the world, as well
as to me and other researchers who study
it.”
Dr. Alicia Campi is one of the for-most
experts on Mongolia; helping lead two
years of preliminary negotiations which
in turn led to formal diplomatic relations
between the United States and Mongolia
in 1987. For forty years she has been
studying the history, culture, economics,
and religion of Mongolia, a country far
distant from the United States and her
own family background. As an adolescent
she found inspiration for this country
through reading biographies of its
most famous citizen, Chinggis Khan or
Genghis Khan.
“Mongolia and its people constantly
amaze me and keep me interested
after 40 years of study. The people are
not typically Asian in mentality, nor
just explained by 70 years of Sovietinfluence.
They have lived between 2
great civilizations for centuries. Their
experience of being the conquerors of the
known world during the Mongol Empire
800 years ago still lives in their souls.”
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
43

INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION
Share your recipe! Submit your
favorite recipe to magazine@viu.edu
to be featured in our next issue.
Uzbek Palov
(Lamb and Rice Pilaf)
Prep Time: 15 mins, Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins, Servings: 10-12
International
Cuisine
VIU strives to represent diversity in all aspects of life,
including food and drink. Check out some delicious
recipes from around the world!
Ingredients
2 lbs fresh lamb, cubed
2 medium onions- cut in half
circles ¼ inch think
5 medium carrots- washed
and julienned
3 ½ cups of rice
1 bulb of garlic washed
(optional) if the skin is to thin
remove the top layer only*
1 cup of canola oil
3 tsp of salt
1 ½ teaspoon of ground
cumin (or 1 tsp of ground
cumin & ½ tsp of whole
cumin)
Pinch of freshly ground black
pepper
8 cups of water
Directions
In a large cast iron pan heat oil on medium high. Once hot, cook
each side of the lamb for 30 seconds or until a golden brown
color is reached, add the onions on top. Add pinch of the cumin
and half of the salt and the black pepper. Stir continuously until
onions are caramelized.
Add carrots to the pan along with the remaining salt and cumin.
Continue stirring until carrots are soft, reduce heat to medium
and add 8 cups of water, and bring to a simmer. Add garlic
bulb and simmer for 1 hour. Remove garlic bulb and add in
rice. Liquid should be about ½ in above rice, add more water
if needed. Add garlic bulb back into the palov. Once rice has
absorbed half the water remove the garlic.
Cover pot with a lid and simmer for 8-10 mins. Stir occasionally
to prevent burning. Reduce heat to lowest temperature available,
let rest for 20 mins. Take out large pieces of lamb and cut into
smaller portions. Plate on top of palov. Enjoy!
44 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
Khuushuur
(Mongolian Fried Dumpling)
Prep Time: 30 mins, Cook Time: 10-20 mins, Servings: 4
Ingredients
¾ pound ground beef
1 medium size of minced
yellow onion
3 to 5 tablespoons of water
Salt
Ground black pepper
Caraway (optional)
Oil for frying
1 cup flour
½ cup warm water
Directions
Mix minced meat and onion. Add water until the mass is smooth
to work with. Add salt and spices taste. Mix flour and water to
create a pliable dough. Let it rest for 15 min. Cut the dough into 1
¼ in thick slices. Roll the slices and cut into 1 ½ in pieces, flatten
the pieces with a finger. Roll the dough into 4 in circles making
the center slightly thicker than the edge. Place about 1½ tsp of
the meat mixture and fold the circle in half so that the edges meet
over the meat and pinch edges together to seal.
Fill a large skillet halfway with vegetable oil and heat to 325°F.
Using tongs, carefully place the dumplings in the hot oil, flipping
once halfway through cooking until golden brown, about 5-8
mins. Repeat with the remaining khuushuur and serve.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
45

INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION
Eager to share her optimism
and willingness to create an
impact on the world, Asmaa,
draws inspiration from
growing up in the culturally
diverse city of Cairo, Egypt
and breaks out of her
comfort zone to take control
of her destiny while living
abroad in the US.
ASMAA
ELMENIAWY
A current Virginia International University student, Asmaa
Elmeniawy, shares her life perceptions and cultural
experiences after moving to the United States from Egypt.
Living abroad, she is striving to create an impact on her
local community and for her family back home in Cairo.
46 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
from
How will you make the
world better by studying
healthcare management?
My family always taught me
the importance of helping
others without waiting for
something in return. They
also taught me that some
things we cannot buy in life
and one of them is our health.
That is why I wanted to go
into healthcare since I was a
child. I originally wanted to
be a physician but my father
once told me physicians
can diagnose problems but
pharmacists are the ones who
cure it. He encouraged me
to go to pharmacy school
to be the reason someone
becomes healthier and
happier. I believe healthcare
management will take my
career steps ahead and I
will be able to work in a
multinational pharmaceutical
company; which will give me
a chance to work on different
medications to save more lives
and make the world better
place for everyone.
What is a common
misconception for
international students
coming to study to the
United States?
There are a lot of misleading
stories we see in the media
and watching movies about
the USA. One of the biggest
misconceptions is that college
life is full of fun and parties
and students do not need to
study a lot. This is completely
not true. When I came here I
realized the education is not
that easy as it is portrayed,
especially when it comes
to higher education. Here,
everyone earns their degree.
Another misconception is that
US society is dangerous. We
all see movies full of violence,
crimes, guns, drugs, robbery,
etc. Personally, I found all
these movies are misleading;
I never felt unsafe while
walking the in streets of US.
The last misconception that a
lot of international students
believe is that the American
life is easy and all Americans
have luxury jobs, cars, houses,
and big bank accounts; which
I believe is not true in any
nation; Americans have to
work hard too.
Did you learn more about
yourself living away from
home?
Living alone in a different
country made me become
more independent, as I do
everything by myself. I have
no family here so I had to
learn and adapt without any
directions from anyone. I
grew so much as a person
and professionally while
living alone. I learned that
I love my family so much; I
love my Egyptian heritage
and culture. And for sure I
know how much I love and
miss Egyptian food. The
biggest different I found
when I came to the USA is
the transportation, it’s very
easy in Egypt to find public
transportation or a taxi
anywhere you go, and the
metro is everywhere.
What did you try for the
first time here in the USA?
Because Egypt is a tourism
country I already had
experience with different
cultures and tasting their
food as well. In Egypt, we
have a large diverse group of
restaurants from around the
world. We even have diversity
among Egyptians as it
depends on where you live in
Egypt- you will have different
attire, food, and slang. The
only thing I have tried here
in USA that I did not have
a chance to try at home is
different types of dance. The
US is a very diverse country
with different nations, since
living here I have tried Indian
dance, Cuban dance, Latin
dance (salsa, bachata) while
learning more about each
culture.
What is a difference
between living in Egypt
and America?
When I first arrived here
I found it hard to move
from place to place without
having a car. Coming from
the very crowded streets of
Egypt where the population
is more than 90,000,000;
Cairo by itself is more than
22,000,000- so it’s very busy
in comparison with Fairfax,
Virginia. The weather is a big
difference; it snows in some
areas of Egypt but we never
had snow storms. That was a
new experience for me when
I came to the USA. Lastly, in
Cairo you can find stores that
are open 24 hours, I found it
very hard in the beginning;
throughout the day there is
life in the streets and cars
zooming around [in Cairo].
The malls close at 12 am,
sometimes later; it was a big
change for me when I found
that most of the stores in
Fairfax close by 10 pm.
If you could go back in time
and tell a younger version
of yourself about coming
to the USA, what would it
be?
I would give the little girl a
hug and tell her to be patient
and strong. I would say “one
day you will be a reason why
a lot of people are happier.
You will make a difference in
many peoples’ lives and your
family will be proud of every
step in your journey.”
I don’t think that I would
change any of my decisions
I made in life because I
generally think through
all the outcomes. The only
change that I would make is
to share my feelings with my
family and tell them “I love
you” more often- I did not
know that I will be in the US
all by myself.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
47

INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION
Koshary
(Egyptian Lentil and Rice Pasta)
Prep Time: 15 mins, Cook Time: 1 hour 35 mins, Servings: 10-12
Ingredients
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups uncooked white rice
3 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1 (16 ounce) package
uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup beluga lentils, soaked in
water 30 mins.
1/2 tsp. salt
5 onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
4 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Chickpeas
Directions
Heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium high heat. Stir in rice until fully
coated. Add 3 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil,
cover, and reduce heat to low; simmer until rice is tender about
20-25 mins.
In a separate pan bring water and pinch of salt to a boil. Cook the
macaroni until slightly firm. Drain pasta and cover to keep warm.
Rinse lentils and add to pot of 2 cups of boiling salted water,
reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 mins. or until tender.
Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high, add
onions and cook until brown. Add garlic and cook additional
1-2 mins. Remove from heat and place half of onion mix in a
saucepan. Mix in vinegar, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, black
pepper, salt, cumin, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and reduce heat
to medium-low and simmer 10-12 mins. Plate rice, macaroni,
lentils, and top with tomato sauce. Garnish with chickpeas.
Koshary Dakka Sauce
(Egyptian condiment)
Ingredients
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp.s lemon juice
2 tbsp.s white vinegar
Salt
Directions
Put 2 cups water, the coriander, cumin and chili together in a pan
and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the garlic,
lemon juice, vinegar and salt, to taste. The sauce is ready to serve
when cool. This sauce can be stored in the fridge and kept for up
to one week.
48 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

VIU.EDU
The
Written
Word
Are you looking for a good book to
pick up this summer? Take a
recommendation from our VIU
faculty and staff.
Submit your book review to magazine@viu.edu to be featured in our next issue of University Magazine.
Summer 2017 University Magazine, VIU
49

THE WRITTEN WORD
A Whole New Mind
BY DANIEL PINK
SUGGESTED BY GRACE
KLINEFELTER, PH.D., DEAN,
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
A Whole New Mind discusses
the need to business people
to focus more attention on
developing their right-brain
aptitudes. As business people,
we naturally gravitate to the
left side functions and now
he suggests we focus on the
right side. The book discusses
such “right brain” qualities as
inventiveness, empathy, telling
stories, and being involved in
“design thinking.”
Executive Presence: The
Missing Link Between
Merit and Success
BY SYLVIA ANN HEWLETT
SUGGESTED BY: MARK L.
ROBINSON, PH.D., FACULTY,
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
This book is a must read
for any business student as
it focuses not only on the
amount of content knowledge
but also have to visual
appeal. Both subject matter
knowledge and a professional
business appearance are
critical to landing the first
job or to be considered for
promotion.
Drive
BY DANIEL PINK
SUGGESTED BY: GRACE
KLINEFELTER, PH.D., DEAN,
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
I recommend this book
because it discusses the
idea of how to motivate
employees and how many of
the motivation tools that we
think of as successful (such
as paying more money to get
people to work harder), do
not always get the results we
need. A very interesting look
at what it takes to motivate
people in the workplace today.
How To Win Friends and
Influence People
BY DALE CARNEGIE
SUGGESTED BY: PAULA CHEERY,
PH.D., ASSOCIATE DEAN,
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
You can’t go wrong with
smiling and always being
a good listener. The timetested
advice in this book has
carried thousands of now
famous people up the ladder
of success in their business
and personal lives.
Research Methodology:
A Step-by-Step Guide for
Beginners
BY RANIJIT KUMAR
SUGGESTED BY: ZELALEM
CHALA, PH.D., FACULTY,
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
I recommend this book
because it provides an easy,
logical and accessible styles
and techniques of designing
and implementing research
projects. It is particularly
written for those with no
prior experience in research
problem identification;
setting research goals
and objectives; literature
reviewing; selecting research
tools; collecting, organizing
and analyzing research data;
and writing research report.
This book is essential reading
for undergraduate and
postgraduate students in the
business and international
relation embarking on
quantitative or qualitative
research projects.
The World is Flat: A Brief
History of the Twenety-first
Century
BY THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
SUGGESTED BY: SUSHMA
SHUKLA, PH.D., FACULTY,
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
This is a great book about tech
boom and its impact on the
global economy.
Tuesdays with Morrie
BY MITCH ALBOM
SUGGESTED BY: SAIID
GANJALIZADEH, PH.D., FACULTY,
SCHOOL OF COMPUTER
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
This book is a thought
provoking story that gives
young adults a different rather
larger perspective about the
world. It shows you wisdom
through an honest exchange
of a terminally ill professor
and one of his students. You
will laugh, cry, and enjoy
while reading this book.
The Ultimate Question
2.0: How Net Promoter
Companies Thrive in a
Customer-Driven World
BY FRED REICHELD
SUGGESTED BY: MARK L.
ROBINSON, PH.D., FACULTY,
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Today’s business lives or
dies based on the number
of profitable customers it
can attract and retain but
also on recommendations
from friends, family, and
colleagues. The Net Promoter
system provides a powerful
solution for building a
customer-centric culture
throughout the entire
organization.
Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-
Speaking Secrets of the
World’s Top Minds
BY CARMINE GALLO
SUGGESTED BY: JEFFERY
PRATER, DIRECTOR, LIBRARY
Public speaking is one of the
most valuable and marketable
job skills to master. Learn tips
and suggestions on how to
improve your skills.
50 University Magazine, VIU Summer 2017

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