Appalachian State University's Global Leadership Awards recognize students, faculty, and staff who have made a significant contribution to advance global learning at the university.
The awards are presented annually and recipients are recognized during the Appalachian Global Symposium each fall.
Walker College of Business International Programs Coordinator Meredith Church Pipes earned the university's Global Leadership Award for staff in 2016.
Pipes states that one of her most meaningful international experiences was as an undergraduate Appalachian student, studying in Mexico for one year, which solidified her interest in other cultures.
After graduation, Pipes pursued other international opportunities including working for a year in Spain, earning a Master's Degree researching language and identity issues on the Uruguay-Brazil border and working for two summers in Honduras for World Camp for Kids.
Pipes is currently working in the Walker College of Business coordinating international programs, among other duties. She has been coordinating the semester study abroad for international business majors, and advises on short-term overseas programs for business students as well.
She has also led and co-led short term overseas programs to Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, France, Malawi, and Turkey.
Each year, Pipes is responsible for the execution of the college's Global Opportunities Conference and handles all of the details from venues to menus, registration and publicity, and speaker travel arrangements.
Under Pipes' leadership, Appalachian welcomed William Kamkwamba, the Malawian author of "The Boy who Harnessed the Wind" in 2013.
Pipes put together panels of renewable energy experts from across campus; she arranged for participation by local high schools; she set up readings from the book for children at the Boone library.
She promoted global learning not just across the ASU campus, but in the community as well. I will end with words from a past nominator. "Meredith has truly demonstrated exceptional leadership in international learning and engagement. Her life models the broad mindset we seek to instill in our students. I believe that her impact on students – on and beyond our campus – makes her more than worthy of the Appalachian Global Leadership Award."
Read more about the 2016 winners at international.appstate.edu.
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