2023 EDIIE Recipients

“At Moravian University, our commitment to creating equitable access to the benefits of global education is at the core of our identity. Our Study Abroad program, which removes barriers and provides fully-funded international trips to undergraduate students, is a testament to our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We believe that every student, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of global education. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Diversity Abroad for recognizing our efforts in creating a diverse and inclusive global learning environment. Your support strengthens our resolve to continue breaking down barriers and fostering equity in access to education and experiences in global contexts. We are excited about the future and look forward to working collaboratively with organizations like Diversity Abroad to further our mission of empowering educators, engaging stakeholders, and connecting diverse students to resources and opportunities in the world of global education.” 

– Dr. Anize Appel, Executive Director, Center for Global Education and Associate Dean, Study Abroad, Moravian University

“I am proud that UIC’s Navigator Scholars and First Year Flames Abroad initiatives have been recognized by Diversity Abroad. These initiatives have been instrumental in generating renewed excitement both by students and campus partners for education abroad after the pandemic. The student participants have demonstrated how formative an international education experience can be in academic, personal, and professional capacities and how impactful early exposure can be. I hope we will be able to take lessons learned from these pilot programs to scale and further tailor for other populations at UIC.” 

– Kyle Rausch, Executive Director, University of Illinois Chicago

“We are honored to receive the Organizational Champion Award, which recognizes FEA’s impact in making education abroad accessible to students. We are grateful to Diversity Abroad for acknowledging the work we have done, and we are humbled by the dedication of people from international education as well as many other sectors to our mission. This award also serves as a driver in our continued work, reminding us that as education abroad evolves, we must do all we can to ensure we are fostering diversity and inclusion in international education by supporting students and by supporting each other.” 

– Angela Schaffer, Executive Director, Fund for Education Abroad

“Thank you, I am humbled by the effort and generosity of the nominators in recommending me for this award. I believe that international education has the potential, and responsibility, to advance equity and justice and to contribute to humanization and liberation around the world. Receiving this award from Diversity Abroad is a tremendous honor that contributes to the joy I get from teaching and to my drive to continue this important and rewarding work..” 

– Dr. David Wick, Associate Professor, International Education Management and French and Francophone Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

 

Dr. David Wick brings over 20 years of international education administration experience to his graduate teaching, scholarship program design and facilitation, and professional engagement with Diversity Abroad. As associate professor of international education management and French and Francophone studies at the Middlebury Institute, Dr. Wick introduces students to research, theory, and practice at the intersection of equity, social justice, and international education. He connects students into the Diversity Abroad and IE community to continually broaden the circle of equity-minded international educators. David is currently teaching the third global cohort of the Future Nobel Laureates Scholarship program who he will bring to Stockholm, Sweden, in December. This project-based course emphasizes inclusive and critical intercultural learning to prepare students to be leaders who will center marginalized and minoritized voices and partner with others to confront the world’s most challenging problems. Finally, David’s teaching extends to the Diversity Abroad professional community. As a presenter, facilitator, and mentor David strives to embody his equity and justice values and to create learning environments in which everyone feels that they belong and has what they need to thrive. In all of these teaching contexts David takes an asset-based student-centered approach with respect for the intersectional identities each person brings to their learning.

“I am honored by this significant recognition and grateful to the individuals who nominated me, the colleagues who have been my co-conspirators and collaborators, and the students who have deeply inspired the work. Cultivating and advancing inclusive approaches to internationalization by creating spaces where international students’ and scholars’ voices are centered, meaningful opportunities for cross-cultural collaborations and connections are informed by cultural competence and humility, and global learning engages a commitment to social justice, has brought deep meaning and purposefulness to my personal and professional life. This award inspires me to continue to contribute to inclusion and belonging in international education.”

-Dr. Asabe Poloma, Associate Provost for Global Engagement, Brown College

Asabe W. Poloma, Ph.D., is Associate Provost for Global Engagement and Director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship at Brown University. In this capacity, she supports and advances Brown’s global strategic priorities and international academic initiatives and partnerships both on campus and overseas. She pioneered and oversees Brown’s diversity and inclusion plan for internationalization. Dr. Poloma also serves as the director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program, a prestigious fellowship funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation with the goal of increasing the number of students from historically underrepresented groups who pursue careers in the professoriate. In addition to her roles at Brown, Dr. Poloma serves as president and chair of the Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad (CASA), a non-profit academic consortium of twelve leading comprehensive research universities formed for the purpose of organizing and delivering rigorous education abroad programs in collaboration with leading world universities. 

Formerly, Asabe Poloma was the associate dean for international students at Brown University, the Executive Director of the Institute for Recruitment of Teachers at Phillips Academy Andover, program staff at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and legislative policy staff aide at Hampton Roads Refugee and Immigration Services. She earned her BA in Political Science from Hampton University, MA in International Relations from Old Dominion University, MS in Management from Columbia University, and Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. As a researcher, her scholarship and publications focus on critical internationalization studies, and race, equity and education in the U.S. and transnational contexts.

““I am deeply honored to receive this award. My work and dedication to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in Study Abroad is a testament to the unwavering support and inspiration I’ve received from my team and colleagues at Northwestern. This recognition strengthens and motivates me to further raise awareness and enhance the diversity of study abroad experiences.” – Carmen Hernández, Study Abroad Program Manager, Northwestern University

Carmen Hernández serves as the Study Abroad Program Manager at Northwestern University’s Global Learning Office (GLO). Before joining GLO in 2018, Carmen advised underrepresented and non-traditional students in Financial Aid at Northeastern Illinois University

“Dr. Pinder’s impact at Emerson College cannot be overstated. He has, quite simply, transformed Emerson’s curriculum, globalizing the college’s programs, while simultaneously advancing diversity, access, and inclusion both at home and abroad. He established the nationally recognized Global Pathways Program, which features nearly 30 faculty-led education abroad programs around the world. Top among these thriving programs are two developed with special attention and focus on attracting and supporting BIPOC students and students from HBCUs. Through creation of these new programs, as well as the restructured and reimagination of the College’s pre-existing international program in the Netherlands, Dr. Pinder’s tireless work has brought a dramatic increase in the number of BIPOC students attending education abroad programs at Emerson. For example, for the Fall ’23 semester, 61% of total enrollment at Emerson’s campus in the Netherlands are BIPOC students” – Dr. Anthony L Pinder, Vice Provost for Internationalization & Equity

Dr. Anthony L. Pinder serves as the inaugural Vice Provost for Internationalization & Equity at Emerson College in Boston, MA (USA).  In his role as Emerson’s chief international officer (CIO), Dr. Pinder is responsible for managing and building on all of the College’s global operations, notably the Emerson European Center at Kasteel Well, The Netherlands.  In addition, Dr. Pinder provides leadership to the offices of International Student Affairs (OISA); Education Abroad & Domestic Programs; English Language Learning (ELL), and initiatives that support international fellowships/awards, international visitors/scholars, and international faculty support services.  He oversees the College’s global partnership development, which have resulted in joint/dual degree programs with institutions in Australia, France, Spain, and Switzerland.  Dr. Pinder established Emerson’s nationally recognized Global Pathways Program, which features over 30 faculty-led education abroad programs around the world.  He leads the College’s faculty development program Curriculum Internationalization & Inclusive Pedagogy Studio. His commitment to equity, access, and social justice (EASJ) is the result of a three-decade career devoted to efforts in this area. He has written and presented extensively on the internationalization of Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs). Critical to this work has been his leadership in facilitating campus climates of belonging for international students and students of color, and creating greater awareness of how their intersectional identities affect their experiences on campus. Under his leadership, Emerson won the prestigious 2020 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization, awarded by NAFSA.  Prior to Emerson, he served as CIO and Assistant Professor of Education at Georgia Gwinnett College, Morehouse College, and Dillard University.

“Kei is a remarkable individual and asset to the Juniata College community particularly through his work in the Center for International Education, commitment to diversity, academic excellence, study abroad, ISSS, and active campus engagement. His servant leadership has touched many lives and will leave a legacy. Kei is the true definition of a global citizen, serving as an ambassador between multicultural groups. He actively seeks new opportunities to help others around the world and his passion and curiosity are contagious. We are so proud of him for his accomplishments. Kei will go far in any path he chooses. ” 

 – Kendall Brostuen, VP of Academic Affairs, EF Study Abroad

 

Kei (he/him) is a senior, studying International Political Economy, at Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and also a student assistant at Juniata’s Center for International Education. As an international student from Japan and an individual who cares about international education as what brings new perspectives to people and institutions, Kei has dedicated himself to promote internationalization at Juniata College. Kei has coordinated campus activities and events where the students can mutually learn different cultures and people. As a small institution, Juniata College has been successfully providing “home” for the students, especially for those who come from all the way different parts of the world. Kei has studied abroad in Sweden for a year and has interned in The Gambia, believing that his actions will inspire peers at his college. Understanding the difficulty of being away from home and being out of one’s comfort zone, Kei has always been spreading the messages of how wonderful it is to challenge oneself  within a campus community and beyond.

“Don’t ever forget the moment you began to doubt transitioning from ‘fitting in’ to ‘standing out.’” Since starting my doctoral program, I’ve struggled to find where I belong in international education – then I met Dr. Taylor Woodman. He reminded me that inclusion is global, challenged me to design the future, and encouraged me to stand out. Well we’re still standing and we’ll celebrate this recognition, but our work is not done yet. My purpose is rooted in helping to marry international education and college athletics, while liberating international athletes to walk in their purpose along the way. Let’s walk. ” 

 – Timothy F. Bryson, University of Maryland College Park

 

Tim Bryson (he/him) is a Ph.D. student in the Student Affairs program at UMD, College Park. Tim’s research focuses on the relationship between internationalization and college athletics, with a deliberate focus on international college athletes in U.S. higher education. Tim is a former Division I NCAA athlete, former NCAA postgraduate intern, and certified athletic trainer. He participated in the NCAA’s inaugural International Student-Athlete Think Tank, has been featured in D1 Ticker, and is the leading voice in public scholarship regarding sport globalization and its impact on international higher education. Tim has served as a Sport Diplomat with the U.S. Department of State and is also a current NAFSA: Association of International Educators RISE Fellow.