The Undergraduate Human Rights Program organizes human rights events and activities throughout the year. You do not have to be a human rights concentrator in order to attend.
If you would like to receive email updates about upcoming events, please sign up for the UHRP listserve.
In addition to the UHRP events, students are encouraged to attend events that the Institute for the Study of Human Rights hosts and co-sponsors throughout the year. ISHR also maintains a calendar and listserve of events that are organized by other organizations both on and off campus.
Spring 2012 Events
CCE Summer Internship Programs Information Session
January 23rd - 5:00 to 6:00 PM, Center for Career Education Conference Room
Did fantasies of summer and travel, all the while gaining professional experience, catch your attention? Great, stay tuned: these programs have a new look and structure for the 2012 season. What does this mean for you? There are more locations offering program benefits that include becoming part of a community dedicated to your professional and personal development, taking part in pre-departure trainings, networking events, post-program reflections, and cultivating relationships with Columbia alumni around the globe. These sessions will highlight the ins and outs of the program, the application process and timeline, participating employers and former intern’s experiences. Event Website
Film series: Escape Valve with Q&A with producer Jocelyn Courtney
January 31st - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Jocelyn Courtney was a Fullbright scholar in El Salvador. As a result of her research, she co-created the documentary Escape Valve which aims to portray the causes, realities and consequence of child gangs in this small Central American country. Ms. Courtney is currently a lawyer, with experience in criminal and human rights law. She will conduct a discussion after the documentary and will be available to answer any questions.
Film series: A Promise to the Dead: the Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman
February 7th - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Directed by Peter Raymont, 2007. 96 minutes. World-renowned playwright Ariel Dorfman led a fascinating life as an artist and cultural advisor to President Salvador Allende. But when the Chilean government fell during a military coup in 1973, he managed to survive and fled his homeland. Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman is an exploration of exile, memory, longing, and democracy as seen through the eyes of one of America’s literary treasures.
Student Internship Panel
February 15th - 6:30 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Considering an internship in the field of human rights? Student panelists will discuss how they obtained their internships, their responsibilities, what they learned from the experience, and what suggestions they may have for students considering an internship. Brief presentations will be followed by Q&A with the audience.
Film series: Backyard
February 21st - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Film by Carlos Carrera. 2009, 122 min. An idealistic policewoman arrives in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, to investigate the murder of a young woman found in the desert. The film incorporates the reality of the massive number of unsolved crimes against women, including kidnapping, rape and murder, in the border town located in the backyard of the United States.
Open House Human Rights Undergraduate Program
Time and location TBD
Interested in majoring or concentrating in human rights? Want to learn more about the program? Columbia College, General Studies, and prospective students are welcome to attend our open house.
CCE Spring Career Fair
February 24th - 11:00 to 4:00 PM, Alfred Lerner Hall
The Spring Career Fair will include organizations from many industries including finance, consulting, consumer packaged goods, media, marketing, advertising, and more and is open to undergraduate and graduate students. We welcome students who are interested in internship as well as full time opportunities. It is a unique and productive way to meet Employers looking to hire students and alumni from Columbia University. For further information regarding this event, please contact Center for Career Education by sending email to careereducation@columbia.edu.Event Website
Film: Las Abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo and the Search for Identity
Children of Argentine Dirty War in collaboration with UNC and Columbia Journalism
Tuesday, February 28th - 7:30 to 9:00 PM, Stabile Student Center
UNC documentary about the 35 year crusade of the Abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo. Las Abuelas banded together in September 1977 to find their missing grandchildren, most born between 1975 and 1980. Cabandie is one of an estimated 500 children given for adoption after their mothers were abducted during the seven years of state-sponsored violence in Argentina in the late 1970s and early 80s. Cabandie is one of 104 "children" who have been found and whose story is the central theme of the film.
Major Discovery! From Classroom to Career in Columbia College
Tuesday, February 28th - 11:00 to 1:00 p.m., Lerner Hall, Roone Arledge Auditorium
Stop by to get food and valuable insider advice from CC juniors/seniors about majors. Also take advantage of joint advising by Career Counselors and Advising Deans about majors and careers. Amazing raffle prizes too!
Major/Concentration Mentor Event - Human rights majors and concentrators will also be at attendance to talk to first and second year students about the human rights program
This event is for you if you are a CC sophomore or first-year:
- Still debating between majors or thinking about a concentration
- Wondering ‘what you can do with a major in…’
- Hoping to land an amazing internship to explore a career path
- Looking for ways to study or work abroad
- Searching for ways to connect with alumni to learn about career paths
- Looking for student clubs to join to connect your academics and career
Registration suggested in advance, but not required.
Eligibility: This event is open to all Undergraduate students in Columbia College.
Open House Human Rights Undergraduate Program
February 29th – 1:00 to 2:00 PM, IAB 1302
Interested in majoring or concentrating in human rights? Want to learn more about the program? Columbia College, General Studies, and prospective students are welcome to attend our open house.
Meet with faculty and program advisers and learn more about the academic and extracurricular opportunities available to human rights students. Current and prospective students are encouraged to attend!
Please spread the word to friends and colleagues who might be interested in our academic programs.
Food will be provided!
Make LinkedIN WORK for YOU
February 29th - 5:00 to 6:30 PM, Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Center for Career Education, Conference Room
You have a LinkedIn profile, now what?
Join us to learn how to EFFECTIVELY use LinkedIn to support your job/internship search. In this workshop, we will cover ways to identify career opportunities and hidden jobs on LinkedIn; navigate LinkedIn to secure informational interviews; and connect with Columbia alumni, hiring managers and industry professionals.
This workshop is appropriate for students and alumni who have attended the LinkedIn Labs workshops or have spent time updating their own LinkedIn profile. For those that missed our LinkedIn 101 workshop, check out the following webinars:
LinkedIn 101: Getting to Know the Basics
Film series: Shouting in the Dark
March 6th - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Bahrain: An island kingdom in the Arabian Gulf where the Shia Muslim majority are ruled by a family from the Sunni minority. Where people fighting for democratic rights broke the barriers of fear, only to find themselves alone and crushed. This is their story and Al Jazeera is their witness - the only TV journalists who remained to follow their journey of hope to the carnage that followed.
This is the Arab revolution that was abandoned by the Arabs, forsaken by the West and forgotten by the world. This documentary recently won the Foreign Press Association Documentary of the Year award in London.
Networking 101
March 19 - 5:00 to 6:00 PM, Center for Career Education Conference Room, Lower Level East Campus
To help practice and prepare for Media Networking Night, attend this workshop. CCE will discuss the strategy to meet alumni and employers at the event as well we will practice elevators pitches and how you will introduce yourself to others!
Film: Children of Argentine Dirty War in collaboration with UNC and Columbia Journalism.
February 28th – 6:00-8:00 PM, Location TBD
Film series: Presumed Guilty
March 6th - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Film by Roberto Hernández, Geoffrey Smith. 2008, 87 min. "In December 2005 Toño Zuniga was picked up off the street in Mexico City, Mexico, and sentenced to 20 years for a murder he knew nothing about. A friend of Toño's contacted two young lawyers, Roberto Hernández and Layda Negrete, who gained prominence in Mexico when they helped bring about the release of another innocent man from prison. Looking into Toño's case, Roberto and Layda managed to get a retrial--on camera--and enlisted the help of filmmaker Geoffrey Smith (The English Surgeon) to chronicle the saga. Shot over three years with unprecedented access to the Mexican courts and prisons, this dramatic story is a searing indictment of a justice system that presumes guilt"
Film series: No One Knows About Persian Cats
March 20th - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Film by Bahman Ghobadi. 2009, 106 min. Follows a pair of young musicians, recently released from prison, on a mission to take their rock band to Europe. Forbidden by the authorities to play in Iran, they plan their escape abroad with a fast-talking music promoter. Vowing to play one last show before leaving Tehran, their dangerous mission takes them on a free-wheeling journey through the city's vibrant and diverse underground scene, home to an estimated 2,000 illegal independent bands.
Stand Out from the Crowd: A Strong Resume in a Weak Economy
March 22nd - 12:00 to 1:00 PM
Info: www.careereducation.columbia.edu/alumni/careerdev/seminarseries
With fewer jobs and more candidates, this webinar will examine resume strategies which will move your resume to the top of the hiring manager's pile and help get you an interview. Career Counselor Karen Palevsky will share tips on how to target your resume for specific positions, account for gaps, freelance/consulting, volunteer, and self-employment, and most importantly to highlight and quantify accomplishments that set you apart from the competition. The webinar will also cover resume formats, the use of Summary Statements and Objectives and the one or two page debate.
Human Rights Essay Contest Colloquium
March 23, 12:00-2:00 pm, IAB 1219
Please join us for the Human Rights Essay Colloquium to hear the finalists present their papers. Topics will include - land grabs, R2P, the Catholic Church and human rights, and indigenous rights and foreign aid. This is a wonderful opportunity to engage with the work of your fellow students, provide them feedback, and participate in a lively discussion with students and ISHR faculty. A light lunch will also be served.
ISHR Brownbag: Current Developments at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Work of AMICC, ISHR's New ICC Program
March 26th, 12:00-1:00 pm, IAB 270B
Brownbag discussion with Convener John Washburn and Deputy Convener Matthew Heaphy of the American Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition for the International Criminal Court (AMICC).
The International Criminal Court delivered its first verdict on March 14th. John Washburn and Matthew Heaphy will discuss The Prosecutor vs. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and other current ICC developments, including the Kony 2012 campaign and its relationship to the ICC.
Speaker Oren Ipp - Afghanistan and Democracy Promotion
March 27th - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Oren Ipp is an international development professional with more than ten years’ experience in democratic governance. His expertise is in fragile and post-conflict governance, with a regional focus on Afghanistan and South Asia. Oren has worked in the areas of security sector reform, political party development, election support, legislative strengthening, and civil society capacity building. Within these functional areas, Oren’s primary focus has been on programme design, management and monitoring and evaluation.
Oren is currently an adjunct assistant professor at New York University (NYU) as well as a consultant for a number of organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, and the consulting firm Development Transformations. Recent projects have concentrated on international support for post-conflict political settlements, the role of development assistance in counterinsurgency efforts and political party development. During 2006-2008, Oren was based in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he directed the national and sub-national legislative programs of the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Women for Hire New York Career Expo
March 28th - 10:00 to 2:00 PM, Hilton New York, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
Info: http://womenforhire.com/career_expos/spring-2012/new-york-career-expo-march-28-2012/
Included in this free four-hour event:
- Power Seminars: Top tips and tricks on acing a challenging job search
- Mentor Match: Candid advice from another professional in the trenches
- Perfect Pitch: Nail your quick intro to wow everyone you meet
- Resume Reviews: Instant feedback on this all-important document
- The Interview: Experts will evaluate job seeker’s interview skills
- Engaging Employers: Access to the people who’ll get you in the door
- Exceptional Connections: Phenomenal talent to trade ideas and leads
Disability & Employment Video Contest - Deadline March 30th
Submit Online
Info: https://www.disability.gov/employment/news_%26_events
Contest Seeks Creative Videos That Challenge Perceptions about Disability & Employment
The Campaign for Disability Employment has announced the launch of its second nationwide video contest to promote the talent and skills that people with disabilities bring to America’s workforce and economy. A follow-up to a similar contest held in 2009, this year’s competition seeks videos in several categories to supplement the CDE’s award-winning “What can YOU do?” public education efforts. Submit your entry by March 30, 2012.
This information was recently added to Disability.gov. To learn more visit https://www.disability.gov/employment/news_%26_events.
Film Series: The Sari Soldiers
April 3rd - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Film by Julie Bridgham. 2008, 92 min. Documentary that follows six Nepalese women on the forefront of the civil war in Nepal and the escalating instability and violence that is engulfing the country. Over the course of a year, the film follows these women on the different sides of the conflict and witnesses the challenges they face as women taking such a strong role in a male dominated society, and why they are willing to risk their lives to make a difference in Nepal.
Academic Job Search Workshop and Recent Alumni Panel
April 5th - 1:00 to 3:30 PM, East Campus, Lower Level, Center for Career Education Conference Room
Info: Click Here to Visit Website.
The first part of this event will be a workshop focused on the academic job search. This workshop will focus on the job-search timeline, the documents for academic applications, how to succeed in the on-campus interview, and how to manage negotiations. The second part of this event will be a panel of students and alumni that have recently gone on the job market. Hear from the panelists their experiences on the academic job market and how to best prepare for this search.
Film series: To See if I’m Smiling
April 10th - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
Film by Tamar Yarom. 2007, 59 min. The story of women who served in the occupied territories. Tamar Yarom studied film at the London Film School and psychology at the Hebrew University. Her diploma films were screened at festivals around the world. Her documentary credits include Laundry and Witches. Sob Sister, Tamar Yarom's drama debut, won the Best Drama Award at the 2002 Haifa Festival. Selected filmography: Sob Sister (2002). Written by Haiffa Film Festival.
Human Rights Career Panel
Tuesday, April 17, 6:15-8:00, IAB 707
The ISHR is busy preparing another Human Rights Career Panel for our Graduate and Undergraduate students for the Spring Semester. Panelists working in various human rights related fields will discuss career paths and potential opportunities in New York City.
Check here again soon for more information!
Growing Your Green Career: Building a Sustainable Future for You and the Planet
April 18th - 12:00 to 1:00 PM
Info: Click Here to Visit Website.
Join this webinar to demystify the Green sector and get a realistic perspective of growth and trends in the field, ways to build experience, and tips on finding opportunities. All participants will receive a resource guide to a green job search subsequent to the webinar.
TO REGISTER AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, please click on this link: Green Career Registration
Global Health & Innovation Conference 2012, Presented by Unite For Sight, 9th Annual Conference
Saturday, April 21 - Sunday, April 22, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
The Global Health & Innovation Conference is the world's largest global health conference and social entrepreneurship conference. This must-attend, thought-leading conference annually convenes 2,200 leaders, changemakers, students, and professionals from all fields of global health, international development, and social entrepreneurship. Register during January to secure the lowest registration rate.
End of the Year Celebration
May 1st - 6:00 to 8:00 PM, IAB 707
