UCO Archives Online Exhibits

The UCO Passport Program:

A Global Competency Initiative

 The UCO Passport Program is a university initiative offering students experiences that promote an understanding and appreciation of global and cultural diversity, while providing educational and entertaining cultural events for UCO students and the surrounding community.  Every fall, the Passport program selects a country or a region to investigate.    

Susan Spencer taught English and the World Literature survey course at the University of Central Oklahoma from 1996 to 2020.  During her tenure at UCO, she served as Director of Global Initiatives for UCO’s College of Liberal Arts and was the Coordinator of the UCO Passport Program from 2006 to 2012.  In 2020 she donated materials  used in the program to UCO’s Archives and Special Collections.

In addition to Susan Spencer, coordinators of the Passport Program over the years have included Dr. R. Rao, Wayne Stein, James Daro and Bing Li.

The UCO Passport program began in September 2004 with a three-day Italian Festival.  The event included food, music, visual arts and performance artists.

Students in the College of Art, Media and Design erected a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Other events during the festival included Shakespearean drama and  performance of the opera “La Serva Padrona.” 

The focus country of the UCO Passport program in 2005 was India.  A “Festival of Lights” on November 5th featured Indian food, crafts, fashion and music.

UCO Passport to India events offered  during the fall semester included: a Bollywood  film festival, a traveling Indian art exhibit, and discovering India lectures delivered by UCO faculty.   The program ended in December with a study tour to India. 

The featured country  in  2006 was Egypt.  Many of the UCO Passport events for the fall focused on the culture and history of ancient Egypt and its people. 

UCO Passport to Egypt events offered during the fall semester included: A forensic lecture on the mummy of King Tutankhamun--A virtual tour of Tutankhamun’s tomb on the National Geographic website--A lecture titled “Kings and Commoners: everyday life in Ancient Egypt”--"The Winter’s Honeymoon” a play by Egyptian playwright Ali Salim--An exploration of the illicit traffic in antiquities--A lecture on “The Queens of the Nile: Hatshepsut and Cleopatra” 

The UCO Passport program for fall 2007 focused on Mexico and Central America.  Events included: classic Mexican cinema, a lecture by a former Costa Rica Peace Corps  member, traditional Spanish dances, pre-Columbian art and a talk by a  Nicaraguan  political activist.

The Passport to Mexico  and Central America program concluded with a study tour in May.

In Fall 2008, the UCO Passport Program showcased China. The initial event was an explanation of the Passport Program followed by a travel documentary on Beijing.

Other events in the Passport to China program included: A lecture by international businessman Doug Donald on “Doing Business in China” --“Healthy Choices and Chinese Cuisine,” a review of Chinese cooking methods and ingredients by dietician Tiffany Schlinke--a fashion show presenting modern clothing inspired by traditional Chinese dress--Films, music and additional lectures featuring aspects of both ancient  and modern China.

The focus country of the UCO Passport program in 2009 was Turkey.  Events for the program during the fall semester included presentations by two UCO faculty members from the Department of History and Geography.  Dr. Jessica Sheetz-Nguyen’s speech, "Tracking the Ottomans from the Fall  of Constantinople to the Treaty of L'ausanne,” traced the rise and fall of the Islamic empire.  Dr. T.H. Baughman’s lecture, “"Mustafa  Kemal Ataturk, Father of the Turkish Republic,” examined the secular republic that succeeded the Ottoman Empire.

Additional Passport to Turkey events in the fall of 2009 included a lecture by Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol about the “Arab Spring,” an art exhibit featuring ceramic pieces by well-known Turkish artists and a presentation about Turkey’s archaeological treasures.

The featured country  in  2010 was Canada.  UCO Passport events for the fall focused on the culture and history of Canada and its people.  

UCO Passport to Canada events offered during the fall semester included: several appearances by Thomas King, a Canadian writer best known for his work featuring the humor, culture and history of Native Americans--a presentation by Dr. Pauline Rosenau on health care in the U. S. and Canada--a discussion of “Healthy Canadian Cuisine” in Central’s wellness center with Tiffany Shurtz, Central’s Dietetic Internship Director--a presentation on “Canada Geese” by Dr. Bill Radke, Central’s Provost and an ornithologist. 

Among the events held for the Passport to France experience in 2011 was the “Tour de Central” UCO’s own version of the famous “Tour de France” bicycle race. 

Other events celebrating France during  the fall semester of 2010 included: a production of Moliere’s play “Tartuffe” by UCO’s Theater Arts Department--a series of events highlighting the achievements of Marie Curie, the French Physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911--a series of contemporary French films presented at UCO in partnership with the Tournees film festival--an evening of French song presented by the UCO School of Music Vocal Arts Division. 

Plays, concerts, and opera were among the activities highlighted during UCO’s Passport to England program throughout  the fall semester of 2012.

One of the plays offered was Shakespeare’s “Henry V” which was presented in UCO’s Mitchell Hall Theater by UCO drama students equipped with historical costuming and weaponry. 

UCO Passport to Japan events offered during the fall semester of 2013 included: a keynote speech on Japanese Animation--a traditional Japanese show with dance, music and a martial arts demonstration--Japanese workshops on origami, calligraphy, ikebama and more--a  modern Japanese show with animation, music, a samurai performance, a fashion show and taiko drumming.

During the fall semester, artwork by Japanese-American artist Roger Shimomura was on display in the UCO library as part of the Passport to Japan program.  Shimomura was born on June 26, 1939, in the Shimomura family home in Seattle's Central District.  After the attack on Pearl Harbor his family was forcibly relocated and incarcerated in a Japanese Internment camp.  His works often combine traditional Japanese woodblock printing with impressions of the incarceration camps, taken from both his own  youthful memories and passages from the diary  that his grandmother Toku kept for many years.

The UCO Passport Program for fall 2014 was Russia.  Events included a UCO Wind Symphony concert of the works of Russian composers Shostakoich, Stravinsky and Kozhevnikov and a performance by Honored Artist of the Russian  Federation and UCO Artist in Residence Valery Kuleshov. 

Other events in the Passport to Russia Program included: a performance by Russian comedian Gregory Korostishevsky--A lecture on Russian Film History presented by John Springer, Ph. D.--a documentary on “Russia’s Toughest Prisons” by National Geographic-- a screening of the 2010 Russian horror and fantasy film “Dark World”--a Passport to Russia fashion show.

In Fall 2015 the UCO Passport Program showcased Native America.   The opening ceremony on August 24 featured Adrianne Chalepah, a Kiowa and Apache film maker, comedienne and writer.  

Other Passport to Native America events  offered included: an analysis of the novel “Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko--a performance by the Blackbird Family drum and dance troop--a discussion of Native American stereotypes titled #NotYourMascot--a discussion of Native American economic issues--a poetry reading and book signing by Creek poet Joy Harjo .

The opening ceremony for Passport to Global Korea was held September 8, 2016 in Nigh University Center. The event included special guests, opening remarks  and traditional food. Passport events are designated  for global and cultural competency credit for the UCO Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR). 

Films, lectures , artworks and debates were among the activities highlighted during UCO’s Passport to Global Korea  program throughout the fall semester  of 2016. 

The featured country  in  2017 was Germany.  UCO Passport events for the fall focused on  the culture and history of Germany and its people. 

UCO Passport to Germany events included: a presentation by stand-up comedian Lucie Pohl--a discussion of the current U. S. military Involvement in Germany --a performance of the play “Woyzeck” by Gerog Buchner--a presentation on German food culture--a discussion of the Turkish Immigrant experience in Germany--a fashion show focused on Germany’s influence in the world of fashion.

Passport to Israel kicked off with an opening ceremony  at noon August 27, 2018, in the Nigh University Center.  The event included special guests, opening remarks and traditional Israeli food.  Later, stand-up comic Benji Lovitt gave a presentation at  8 p.m. at the ACM@UCO Performance Lab in Bricktown.  Lovitt has been translating the Israel experience through laughter since he arrived from Tel Aviv in 2006. 

Lectures, travel presentations and virtual films were among the activities highlighted during UCO’s Passport to Israel program  throughout the fall semester of 2018.  The  program concluded on November 15 with a fashion show focusing on Israel’s impact on fashion.

Materials related to the UCO Passport Program may be viewed In the UCO Archives and Special Collections Department on the second floor north in Max Chambers Library.