The Walker College of Business recently hosted its annual International Awards Ceremony and luncheon to honor students, faculty and staff from the for their international achievements.
The event took place in the Blue Ridge Ballroom of the Plemmons Student Union, on the campus of Appalachian State University on November 16, 2017.
The ceremony began with greetings from Walker College of Business Associate Dean for Global and Civic Engagement Martin Meznar, Walker College Dean Heather Hulburt Norris, and Jesse Lutabingwa, Appalachian's Associate Vice Chancellor for International Programs.
The ceremony also featured remarks from keynote speaker Jeff Ramsdell, Professor and Interim Vice Provost for Research at Appalachian.
"I greatly value my extensive international experience, as it has led to a stronger embracing of diversity and a much clearer view of others' perspectives," said Ramsdell. "Not just others of different country origin and ethnic groups, but of different thoughts, beliefs and actions."
Ramsdell commended the work of the college and university in promoting international travel in its students. "I am proud of Appalachian's continued efforts to increase the diversity of our students, staff, and faculty," he said. "Producing graduates that are fully literate in global sustainability and the local-to-global connection is absolutely essential to our continued existence."
Walker College Global Civic & Engagement Specialist Meredith Church Pipes presented the student and faculty awards, with representatives of AIESEC and the International Business Student Association (IBSA) presenting awards for their respective student organizations.
View photos from the 2017 ceremony.
The #WalkerAbroad photo competition had numerous submissions and five winners. Participants shared their images from their recent experiences abroad and submitted them to the Walker college using the #WalkerAbroad hashtag. The winners are:
- Lindsay Frohman earned first place for her photo, "Bullfight in Seville" (Spain)
- Matt Zothner received second for his photo "The river brings good luck" (Leaping Tiger Gorge, Lijiang, China)
- Jacob Parlier and Nate Breneman tied for third place for their photos "Alleyway Sunset" (Madrid, Spain) and "Dinner and view" (Moselle River, Liewen, Germany), respectively
- The people's choice winner was Chris Miller for his submission, "Oh the places these things take me" (China).
The Outstanding Senior International Business Major was awarded to two students, Maxwell Gordon and Phuong Vu, in recognition of their exceptional academic success and remarkable international engagement.
Gordon, a 2016 Holland Fellow, is pursuing a double-major in International Business and Economics with a minor in Chinese. He has a clear passion for Chinese culture, completing a language and cultural immersion study abroad program in China and serving as President of the Chinese Culture Club.
Vu is pursuing a double-major in International Business and Finance with a minor in Japanese. She is from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and speaks both English and Vietnamese fluently. She is a member of Chancellor's Advisory Board for Diversity Recruitment and the Vice President of the International Friendship Organization IPals.
The Outstanding Senior International Business Minor Award was presented to Walker Fellow Rachel Drye in recognition of her exceptional academic record and her remarkable international engagement. Rachel is a Computer Information Systems major with a double minor in international business and Spanish.
Guadalupe Rosales earned the Walker College of Business Global Citizen Award in recognition of his meaningful service to the international community and his compassionate global mindset.
Rosales is pursuing a double major in International Business and Spanish and recently studied abroad in Chile. He is active in the international and multicultural community here on campus as a member of International Appalachian and the Hispanic Student Association. He has volunteered abroad through international alternative service experiences as well as US Embassy internship programs.
AIESEC student leader Katie Campana presented the Leaders that Achieve Award to Kamila Cleveland in recognition of her incredible leadership and the AIESEC New Member Award to Julianna Sosa in recognition of exceptional contribution to furthering club goals.
International Business Student Association(IBSA) president, AJ LeShock, presented the IBSA New Member Award to Kimberly Aguirre in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the club's goals. The IBSA Leadership Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership qualities, was awarded to Charles Hinsdale.
The Faculty-Led Program Most Valuable Participant Award went to marketing major Matt Zothner for his outstanding leadership, creativity and engagement as a 2017 Holland Fellow. Zothner is a member of the Association of Student Entrepreneurs and a skilled photographer and videographer, creating an exceptional video of his experience abroad.
Two faculty members received awards from the college. Assistant Vice Chancellor Matt Dull was awarded the Outstanding Faculty-led Program Leader Award, in recognition of remarkable leadership, student support, and cultural depth of knowledge. Dull was a 2004 Holland Fellow himself, giving him a multi-faceted and long-standing understanding of the program. He also served a year as Director for the University of North Carolina System Fudan University Program in Shanghai, China.
Management professor Betty Coffey received the Inspiring International Leaders Award in recognition of her legacy of inspirational international leadership. Dr. Coffey was a Fulbright Scholar at Sichuan University in 2004. She has taught multiple graduate seminars at Nanjing University, Sichuan University and the University of Saint Joseph in Macau. She has also co-led nine faculty-led programs to China since 2002, including taking on faculty leadership of the Holland Fellows program in 2016.
The International Awards Luncheon Celebration is an annual event that brings together the community of faculty, staff and students in the Walker College of Business who value international experiences and work to internationalize the Walker community, both through providing international opportunities for students and through pursuing such opportunities themselves.
#WalkerAbroad photo competition winners with Associate Dean Martin Meznar, left, and International Programs Specialist Meredith Pipes, right
