2018 International Education Awards
Georgia State University is proud of its global champions: the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who embody what it means to be a global citizen and who work to advance international understanding across campus and around the globe.
In 2012, Georgia State University began recognizing one exemplary faculty, staff, international student, and study abroad student for their commitment to international education. In 2018, the Sheth Awards were opened to recognize one distinguished faculty member and one exceptional international alum for their achievements.
Eligible faculty, staff, students, and alumni from all Georgia State University campuses are invited to apply for the 2018 International Education Awards: Atlanta, Alpharetta, Clarkston, Decatur, Dunwoody, and Newton.
Award Details, Criteria & Application Links:
Consideration for this award shall be given to current Georgia State faculty who:
- Have a demonstrated track record of global engagement in teaching, service and outreach at Georgia State University.
- Examples include: curricular innovations, study abroad, pedagogy, community outreach, committee leadership, and international student engagement.
- Have made exemplary contributions to the global engagement of the university and its faculty, staff, students, and alumni; to the understanding of global and international affairs; and/or to international communities and stakeholders locally or abroad.
- Faculty members can nominate themselves, and/or;
- Faculty/staff can nominate a faculty member.
Preference will be given to applicants who have made contributions in more than one area of teaching, service and outreach. Applicants must have been employed full-time at Georgia State University for at least two years to be eligible for nomination.
Questions?
E-mail: oii@gsu.edu
Subject heading: 2018 Faculty Award for Global Engagement - Teaching, Service, & Outreach
Consideration for this award shall be given to current Georgia State faculty who:
- Have a demonstrated track record of global engagement in research and scholarship at Georgia State University.
- Examples include: international research collaborations and research on international topics.
- Have made exemplary contributions to the global engagement of the university and its faculty, staff, students, and alumni; to the understanding of global and international affairs; and/or to international communities and stakeholders locally or abroad.
- Faculty members can nominate themselves, and/or;
- Faculty/staff can nominate a faculty member.
Preference will be given to applicants who have made contributions in more than one area of research and scholarship. Applicants must have been employed full-time at Georgia State University for at least two years to be eligible for nomination.
Questions?
E-mail: oii@gsu.edu
Subject heading: 2018 Faculty Award for Global Engagement – Research & Scholarship
Consideration for this award shall be given to a current Georgia State University staff who are full-time non-academic staff and meet one of the following:
- Have a demonstrated track record of leading and/or influencing internationalization in their unit/area and visibly contributing to global engagement at Georgia State over the past year;
- Have made exemplary contributions in furthering international and global education by initiating or supporting programs that enrich the experiences of students, faculty and fellow non-staff members on and off-campus;
- Have made contributions to international education beyond the boundary of their job duties or unit;
- Staff members can nominate themselves, and/or;
- Faculty/staff can nominate a staff member.
Preference will be given to applicants who have made contributions in more than one area. Applicants must have been employed full-time at Georgia State University for at least two years to be eligible for nomination.
Click here for the Application for the 2018 Staff Award for Global Engagement
Questions?
E-mail: partnerships@gsu.edu
Subject heading: 2018 Staff Award for Global Engagement
*Staff of the Office of International Initiatives are not eligible to apply or be nominated for this award. They may however nominate staff.*
Consideration for this award shall be given to current undergraduate international students at Georgia State University.
Requirements:
- Are in F1 or J1 visa status and currently enrolled at Georgia State University;
- A minimum GPA of 3.5;
- One Personal Statement: a statement outlining how you personify global citizenship and inspire the same in others (please include specific examples);
- Have made significant academic achievements at Georgia State University;
- One Academic Reference: a letter from an academic professor detailing significant academic achievements is required (recommender must be different than author of the Nomination Letter);
- Have made exemplary contributions to enrich the campus culturally and further international understanding as evidenced by: leadership, extra-curricular campus activities, and/or community involvement abroad or in the U.S. (such as with school programs, civic group programs, or service projects). Normally, recipients have made contributions in more than one area;
- One Nomination Letter: a letter from someone detailing these exemplary contributions is required (recommender must be different than the author of the Academic Reference);
- A current resume;
- International Undergraduate Students can apply, only.
Please e-mail isss@gsu.edu for the Application for the 2018 International Undergraduate Student of the Year
Questions?
E-mail: isss@gsu.edu
Subject heading: 2018 International Undergraduate Student of the Year
Consideration for this award shall be given to current graduate international students at Georgia State University.
Requirements:
- Are in F1 or J1 visa status and currently enrolled at Georgia State University;
- A minimum GPA of 3.5;
- One Personal Statement: a statement outlining how you personify global citizenship and inspire the same in others (please include specific examples);
- Have made significant academic achievements at Georgia State University;
- One Academic Reference: a letter from an academic professor detailing significant academic achievements is required (recommender must be different than author of the Nomination Letter);
- Have made exemplary contributions to enrich the campus culturally and further international understanding as evidenced by: leadership, extra-curricular campus activities, and/or community involvement abroad or in the U.S. (such as with school programs, civic group programs, or service projects). Normally, recipients have made contributions in more than one area;
- One Nomination Letter: a letter from someone detailing these exemplary contributions is required (recommender must be different than the author of the Academic Reference);
- A current resume;
- International Graduate Students can apply, only.
Please e-mail isss@gsu.edu for the Application for the 2018 International Graduate Student of the Year
Questions?
E-mail: isss@gsu.edu
Subject heading: 2018 International Graduate Student of the Year
Eligibility, criteria and nomination process:
- Nominees must have studied abroad on a Georgia State University sponsored study abroad program or exchange during the past academic year (Fall 2017 - Summer 2018);
- Nominees must be on campus during the Fall 2018 semester;
- Nominations are confidential; however, quotations from the nomination forms will be used when the winner is honored;
- Nominations may come from any Georgia State University staff or faculty member (student nominations will not be accepted).
Click here for the Application for the 2018 Study Abroad Student of the Year
Questions?
E-mail: mystudyabroad@gsu.edu
Subject heading: 2018 Study Abroad Student of the Year
2017 International Education Award Recipients
Dr. S. Rashid Naim is a Principal Senior Lecturer in the Political Science Department. Dr. Naim was born and brought up in India. He earned his undergraduate degree in history with honors from the Aligarh Muslim University in India, a Master’s degree in International Studies from the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India. He also earned another Masters in International Relations from the Australian National University and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Naim has taught and held research positions at the Centre for Islamic Studies at Oxford University in the UK, at the University of California Santa Cruz, and Union College in upstate New York. He has been with the Department of Political Science at Georgia State University since 1993. Dr. Naim’s areas of research and specialization are International Relations, religion and politics, Middle East politics, international relations of the Middle East, South Asian politics and Nuclear Proliferation. He is also a consultant on matters pertaining to Islam, the Middle East and South Asia. Dr. S. Rashid Naim accepts the 2017 Faculty Award for Global Engagement from Dr. Wolfgang Schlör, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Dr. S. Rashid Naim accepts the 2017 Faculty Award for Global Engagement from Dr. Wolfgang Schlör, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Kimberly Lawrence has supported the international exchange programs & international partnerships in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business since October 2014. During this time, the number of business students participating in exchange programs has grown exponentially. Students praise Kimberly for her willingness to go ‘above and beyond’ in guiding them throughout the entire process of pursuing an international experience. Kimberly has made efforts to enrich the experience of our students by establishing a buddy program for incoming exchange students & organizing cultural excursions in collaboration with counterparts in other colleges. Recognizing business student interest for opportunities to spend a semester Spain, she participated in a workshop hosted by the ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones and the association EDUESPAÑA, where she was able to identify opportunities to collaborate with universities in Spain. Kimberly has served multiple times on the selection panel for the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, a grant that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad. Prior to Georgia State, she worked in the Center for International Education at Columbus State University when it received the Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization in 2014, and contributed to its execution of a comprehensive strategic plan for internationalization. She is a member of Phi Beta Delta international honor society and the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Staff award by CSU’s Phi Beta Delta chapter. A member of the National Association of International Educators (NAFSA) and Georgia Association of International Educators (GAIE), Kimberly has contributed to the field with various conference presentations. Kimberly Lawrence accepts the 2017 Staff Award for Global Engagement from Kike Ehigiator, Director, International Partnerships & Agreements, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Kimberly Lawrence accepts the 2017 Staff Award for Global Engagement from Dr. Wolfgang Schlör, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Dr. Gabriela Alvarado obtained her medical degree from the University of Costa Rica, after which she practiced as a primary care physician in a rural area of the country. Discouraged by resource constraints and limitations in the health care system, she decided to consider public health programs as a way to bridge the gap. Dr. Alvarado was awarded a Chevening Scholarship from the UK Embassy in Costa Rica and went on to study Public Health (Health Services Management Stream) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her master’s thesis was a qualitative study on barriers to cervical cancer screening in Costa Rica. Following the completion of her degree she worked at The Carter Center in Atlanta, in the Mental Health Program. Her work focused on developing a monitoring and evaluation strategy for child and adolescent mental health initiatives in northwest Georgia. During her time at the Carter Center, Dr. Alvarado further understood the importance of culture in public health, which is why she decided to pursue a second master’s degree in Medical Anthropology. During her time as a graduate student at Georgia State University, Dr. Alvarado won a prize for best graduate student research, co-authored an article for Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine on Zika, co-authored a chapter for a Springer book on maternal and child health, completed a fellowship at the CDC Office of Minority Health, worked as a research assistant on anthropological perspectives of global health organizations, and co-authored an oral presentation that was accepted for the American Anthropological Association meeting this November. Currently, Dr. Alvarado is completing her thesis research, which is an ethnography of school-based sexual education programs in rural and indigenous communities of Costa Rica. She is also working as Program Manager at the InterAmerican Center for Global Health (CISG), which is an organization that aims to transform global health education by providing ethical, immersive educational experiences for the global health leaders of tomorrow. Dr. Steven Black accepts the 2017 International Graduate Student of the Year award on behalf of Dr. Gabriela Alvarado (not pictured) from Heather Housley, Director, International Student & Scholar Services, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Dr. Steven Black accepts the 2017 International Graduate Student of the Year award on behalf of Dr. Gabriela Alvarado (not pictured) from Dr. Wolfgang Schlör, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Alex Santos decided to take a break in a solid career as a Commercial Director for a Brazilian fashion retail company to pursue his degree at Georgia State University. Higher education is expensive in Brazil, and not an an option for him after he graduated from high school. He had a great career, but the desire and need to improve his educational background was very important to him. When he was 32 years old, he moved to Atlanta with his wife in August 2015 to pursue his undergraduate degree. Atlanta would be the first destination in a longer trip to different cities and countries, but driven by the desire of coming back to school, he enrolled in Georgia State University's Perimeter College. That first – and short – semester was not easy for him, especially being a non-traditional and first-generation student, coming back to the classrooms 15 years after his high school graduation, and learning in another language. After this first challenging semester, he started learning how to overcome the initial struggles and how to manage academic life. Now, as an Honors student majoring in Communications, he serves as a student assistant in the Office of International Initiatives, where he helps develop communication strategies and graphic design projects to promote the university's global initiatives and study abroad programs. Alex also serves as the Vice President of Communications of MINA, the Mentoring Initiative for New Americans at Georgia State University. MINA enables college and university students to help young adults, mostly refugees, to be admitted and succeed in college. When he is not studying or working, Alex's hobby is drawing and painting. He has painted several public art pieces throughout the metro Atlanta area. From murals to utility boxes, he's been part of street art festivals and commissioned pieces for organizations in Atlanta, Decatur, and Avondale Estates. Alex Santos accepts the 2017 International Undergraduate Student of the Year award from Heather Housley, Director, International Student & Scholar Services, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Alex Santos accepts the 2017 International Undergraduate Student of the Year award from Dr. Wolfgang Schlör, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Click here to learn more about Yale Davis. Yale Davis accepts the 2017 Study Abroad Student of the Year award from Stephen Murray, Interim Director, Study Abroad Programs, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Yale Davis accepts the 2017 Study Abroad Student of the Year award from Dr. Wolfgang Schlör, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Dr. Glenwood Ross’ research interest focuses on issues related to urban economics, economic development, and economic pedagogy. He is currently engaged in an attempt to analyze the spatial allocation of economic activity as it relates to minority populations in urban settings, examining the extent to which the populations are under- or over- served by particular retail industries. Another line of research investigates urbanization and poverty trends in post-apartheid South Africa. He is also in the initial stages of introducing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in his teaching and research activities. Dr. Ross is an assistant professor of economics at Morehouse College and the Director of the Economic Studies Abroad Program in South Africa. Dr. Glenwood Ross accepts the 2017 Study Abroad Program Director of the Year award, with Dr. Mourad Dakhli, from Stephen Murray, Interim Director, Study Abroad Programs, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Dr. Glenwood Ross accepts the 2017 Study Abroad Program Director of the Year award, with Dr. Mourad Dakhli, from Dr. Wolfgang Schlör, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Dr. Mourad Dakhli is associate professor of International Business and holds a Ph.D. from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. His research centers on the value-generating processes of human and social capital across different cultural and institutional settings and the implications on learning and innovation. Prior to joining Georgia State University, he served as a faculty member at the American University of Kuwait, and taught at various places including the University of South Carolina, Azerbaijan State Oil Academy (Azerbaijan), the Caucasus School of Business (Republic of Georgia), and others. His prior work experience includes developing and marketing industry training programs, managing capacity development projects at a number of academic institutions, and directing the activities of a bi-national chamber of commerce responsible for the promotion and implementation of a wide array of international trade and investment initiatives. Dr. Mourad Dakhli accepts the 2017 Study Abroad Program Director of the Year award, with Dr. Glenwood Ross, from Stephen Murray, Interim Director, Study Abroad Programs, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017). Dr. Mourad Dakhli accepts the 2017 Study Abroad Program Director of the Year award, with Dr. Glenwood Ross, from Dr. Wolfgang Schlör, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, at the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception (November 13, 2017).
Dr. S. Rashid Naim, 2017 Faculty Award for Global Engagement
Kimberly Lawrence, 2017 Staff Award for Global Engagement
Dr. Gabriela Alvarado, 2017 International Graduate Student of the Year
Alex Santos, 2017 International Undergraduate Student of the Year
Dr. Glenwood Ross, 2017 Study Abroad Program Director of the Year
Dr. Mourad Dakhli, 2017 Study Abroad Program Director of the Year
Previous Winners
Note: International Education Awards were not awarded in 2016.
2015 Staff Award for Global Engagement: Paula Huntley, Business Manager II, Institute of International Business, Robinson College of Business
2015 Study Abroad Student of the Year: Jessica Mitchell
Study Abroad Program: Study Abroad in South Africa; Led by Dr. Glenwood Ross
2015 International Student of the Year: Kerrian Baker, School Psychology, College of Education and Human Development
Home country: Jamaica
2013 Staff Award for Global Engagement: Ashley Mastin, International Specialist, College of Arts & Sciences. See Ashley's video bio here.
2013 Study Abroad Student of the Year: Sara Schuh, Middle Level Education, College of Education
Study Abroad Program: Language, Immigration, and Religion: Comparative Cultural Education in the U.S. and France; Led by Dr. Alyssa Dunn. See Sara's video bio here.
2013 International Student of the Year: Sahil Bajaj, Biophysics, College of Arts & Sciences
Home country: India. See Sahil's video bio here.
