Valencia College received an honorable mention in the “Internationalizing the Community College” category for the progress it has made in internationalizing the campus through faculty development for Study Abroad. The Institute of International Education (IIE) announced its 2014 Andrew Heiskell Awards, recognizing Valencia, at their annual conference on Jan. 27 in New York City.
Founded in 1919, the IIE is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance international education and access to education worldwide. The award, named for former chairman of Time, Inc. and philanthropist Andrew Heiskell, showcases the most innovative and successful models for internationalization of campuses, study abroad and international partnership programs in practice today among the member campuses of the IIENetwork, IIE’s membership association of more than 1,200 higher education institutions.
“Receiving this national recognition for our work over the last four years to internationalize the college is an honor and testament to the collaborative efforts of both faculty and staff throughout the college,” said Jennifer Robertson, director of study abroad and global experiences. “In today’s global society, it is essential that our students have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to live and work effectively in a multicultural environment. Through these study abroad experiences and internationalization of the curriculum, Valencia graduates will be well positioned to achieve both their academic and career goals.”
With a goal of increasing student participation in study abroad experiences, Valencia instituted several measures to train faculty who lead study abroad trips and to increase available scholarships for students. The college also engaged faculty in its efforts to internationalize the curriculum at home for students who cannot travel overseas.
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