Outstanding International Educator

The purpose of this non-monetary award is to recognize an NIU faculty member or a Supportive Professional Staff (SPS) member who, over time, has significantly contributed to international education at NIU. The announcement of the awardee will be made at the International Recognition Presentation on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center Sky Room.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Lindell at 815-753-9526 or slindell@niu.edu.

Eligibility and Criteria

Staff members of the Division of International Affairs are not eligible for this award.

Nominees will have enhanced international education at NIU through teaching, research, artistry, public service or student service. Their efforts may include the following:

  • Influencing the internationalization of the curriculum.
  • Teaching courses with significant international content to large numbers of students.
  • Offering active and sustained involvement with NIU Study Abroad Programs, such as teaching courses abroad, advising students about study abroad or engaging returned student abroad participants in their classes.
  • Offering active and sustained involvement with international students and scholars at NIU by advising, mentoring, or hosting international students; working with international student organizations; or assisting International Student and Scholar Services in their work with international students.
  • Demonstrating significant involvement with international exchange or training programs, including hosting international visitors and scholars.
  • Evidencing active and sustained international activity in research or artistry.
  • Providing continued contributions toward multicultural understanding.

Nomination Process

Nominations are solicited from NIU faculty and staff members, department chairs and members of the Council of Deans. You can nominate yourself or any NIU faculty member who meets the award criteria.

To nominate someone, fill out a nomination form. You must also provide the nominee's curriculum vitae, as well as a statement describing how they meet the award criteria. These materials, along with any supporting documents, must not exceed 10 pages.

Nomination Form

The nomination deadline is Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

Selection Procedure

An awards committee established by the Division of International Affairs will review the nominations and select award recipients. The committee may include:

  • Staff of the Division of International Affairs.
  • Previous award recipients.
  • Faculty and staff from NIU academic and support units.

 

Past Award Recipients

  • 2001: Kuo-Huang Han, Ph.D., School of Music
  • 2001: Ladd Thomas, Ph.D., Department of Political Science
  • 2002: Tanuja Singh, Ph.D., Department of Marketing
  • 2003: Susan Russell, Ph.D., Department of Anthropology
  • 2004: Gene Roth, Ph.D., Department of Counseling, Adult and Higher Education
  • 2005: Madan Annavarjula, Ph.D., Department of Management
  • 2005: Dwight King, Ph.D., Department of Political Science
  • 2006: Jorge Jeria, Ph.D., Department of Counseling, Adult and Higher Education
  • 2006: Robert Self, Ph.D., Department of English
  • 2007: Dan Weilbaker, Ph.D., Department of Marketing
  • 2008: Daniel Kempton, Ph.D., Department of Political Science
  • 2009: Gabriel Holbrook, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences
  • 2010: J. D. Bowers, Ph.D., Department of History
  • 2011: Prof. Jon Ashmann, School of Art
  • 2011: Christopher M. Jones, Ph.D., Department of Political Science, University Honors
  • 2012: Jeffrey Chown, Ph.D., Department of Communication
  • 2013: Catherine Raymond, Ph.D., Center for Burma Studies and Department of Art History
  • 2014: Trude Jacobsen, Ph.D., Department of History and Center for Southeast Asian Studies
  • 2015: Abu Bah, Ph.D., Department of Sociology
  • 2016: Ismael Montana, Ph.D., Department of History
  • 2017: Eric Jones, Ph.D., Department of History and Center for Southeast Asian Studies
  • 2018: Jui-Ching Wang, Ph.D., School of Music
  • 2019: Kheang Un, Ph.D., Department of Political Science
  • 2020: Purushothaman Damodaran, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
  • 2021: James Cohen, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
  • 2022: Rhodalyne Gallo-Crail, World Languages and Cultures and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies
  • 2023:  Jeanette Rossetti, School of Nursing