Provost at the IU Bloomington campus Lauren Robel featured the School of Global and International Studies prominently in her annual address on campus developments. Robel delivered the “State of the Campus” on Tuesday, Feb. 2 in Presidents Hall.

During her address “Fulfilling the Promise for All,” Provost Robel noted how the IU Bloomington campus as a whole has embarked on a renewed investment in teaching and learning covering the world. “Our global engagement in every school on the campus has never been higher,” Robel said, “and it brings benefits that are specific and critical to the teaching, research, and service of our faculty, and the education of our students.”

During a section of the speech focused on developments of new schools and programs, the Provost spoke of the latest SGIS hires, the new partnerships of the school, an upcoming conference, and of course, the fall visit of the secretary of state:

The School of Global and International Studies has hired new faculty in Chinese Politics, Security, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, and in the languages that are among the school’s distinguishing strengths. It has entered into a relationship with the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington to explore the relationship between governance and democracy in transitional societies; joined with the best international studies schools in the country to found the Carnegie International Scholars Consortium; and, of course, moved into the spectacular new Global and International Studies Building. A highlight of our fall semester was the visit by Secretary of State John Kerry. JonZachary Forbes, of Indianapolis, a junior in the school, blogged of meeting the Secretary:

“Part of me was still sure this was not actually happening. All that ended, though, when the incredibly tall, charming, relaxed, and all around attention-grabbing Secretary walked out the door, walked over, and sat down right next to me. Regulation of breathing was a necessity at this point. He had a warm smile as he eagerly waited for us to pose him questions regarding world politics and international relations.”

JonZachary rallied: He will remember that moment for the rest of his life.

This May, Congressman Lee Hamilton and Senator Richard Lugar, both faculty members in the school, will convene the first annual conference on America’s Role in the World, bringing together leading scholars and practitioners to address issues likely to confront the next U.S. president. Building on the enormous strength in languages and area studies with growing expertise in international studies, the School is already claiming a place as a major voice on international affairs. And it is creating exciting new collaborations on the campus, such as the work of Steve Vinson, a professor in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, and Bernie Frischer, a professor of Informatics, to offer students immersive 3-D virtual tours of ancient Egypt—work that builds on the astonishing work Professor Frischer has done in digital archaeology and on the area studies expertise in the school. The entire campus owes a debt to Dean Lee Feinstein and the school’s faculty for the work they have done to open these opportunities to our campus.

You can see Provost Robel’s speech online and read it here.