Global Citizenship Awards will be presented at International Dinner tomorrow

From the International Programs Matrix

The International Programs Matrix congratulates the following 2007-08 Global Citizenship Award recipients. They are recognized for their commitment to international and intercultural awareness throughout the UST community.

Thank you to everyone who nominated someone for this award and to every member of the St. Thomas community who is committed to global issues and understanding.

The awards will be presented at the International Dinner tomorrow, Saturday, April 26. The dinner is open to the St. Thomas community. Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office for $8 for UST students and children and $14 for faculty, staff and community members. Children five and under are free.

Here are the 2007-08 Global Citizenship Award recipients:

Undergraduate Student Award: Diego Jaque Pino

Diego Jaque Pino is a senior at St. Thomas and an international student from Chile. An outstanding leader, he has held positions as summer orientation leader, international student mentor, Globally Minded Student Association member, and International Student Representative of the Undergraduate Student Government. In his role on USG, Pino has been a strong advocate for increased international student scholarships at St. Thomas. He has advised faculty, staff and students on the social, economic and cultural challenges of international students. He has reached out to international students and students in the ELS program to help them feel welcome at UST. In the larger community, Pino has worked closely with La Casa Guadalupana, a house of hospitality serving homeless Latino women and children.

Graduate Student Award: Kate Herzog

Kate Herzog was born in Ghana, educated at the University of Ghana and worked in several African nations before coming to the United States. She speaks five languages: three from her native Ghana, as well as English and French. She started the very active International Student Club in the UST MBA program. She personally has reached out to international students, inviting them to her home for Thanksgiving and organizing an international potluck for Full-Time UST MBA students. She also raised money to provide financial assistance for international students by using her connections in the business community, thus creating opportunities for international students to personally connect with people in the business community. Herzog has been instrumental in bringing international speakers to campus, most notably Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, a Ghanian presidential candidate. Among her many other notable accomplishments, Herzog is a board member of two organizations that provide services and support to the people of Africa: Women in Progress and MicroClinics.

Staff Award: Jacob Cunningham, director of the VISION/VIA programs

As the director of the VISION program at St. Thomas, Jacob Cunningham has had a far reaching impact in the advancement of global citizenship and awareness on campus. VISION (Volunteers In Service Internationally Or Nationally) is a program in which student-led groups provide service and work to affect positive social change in the St. Thomas, national and global communities. As a staff member for more than five years, Cunningham has organized and participated in many of the service trips over January Term and spring break across the United States, Latin America, South America, Europe and Africa. He has initiated several new international sites for VISION trips, two of which had first-time trips over this past J-Term in Uganda and the Virgin Islands. He works closely with students to facilitate their development as leaders of these unique programs.

Faculty Award: Dr. Trudi Taylor, Teacher Education Department

Dr. Trudi Taylor has served on the UST faculty since 1988. Since her first days on campus, she has worked hard to bring global issues into the curriculum of the Teacher Education Department. It always has been her goal that every prospective teacher would have a substantial international experience prior to licensure. She has developed and led both semester and January Term study abroad programs for students in teacher education. Her work in developing the course, Classroom Connections for Our Global Future (K-12), has resulted in some powerful and long-term global connections for a number of teacher candidates and their K-12 students. Most recently, she has helped the Teacher Education Department develop a Global Student Teaching program, which will allow students to be placed overseas for a portion of their student teaching requirement. Taylor is an active member of the International Society for Teacher Education and she collaborates with educators from around the world on educational issues. Here at St. Thomas, she has represented a global, inclusive perspective through service on numerous diversity and global education task forces.