TSU wins 2016 Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is being recognized nationally for innovation in international education.

It is one of five higher education institutions across the nation to win this year’s IIE Andrew Heiskell Award.

TSU students from Saudi Arabia participate in an international festival of culture in Kean Hall. (Submitted photo)

The award showcases the most innovative and successful models for internationalizing the campus, study abroad, and international partnership programs in practice today. It emphasizes initiatives that remove institutional barriers and broaden the base of participation in international teaching and learning on campus.

For the first time, IIE presented a special award in the category of internationalizing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, with the inaugural award going to TSU for its Diversity and International Affairs initiative.

“We are extremely proud to receive this honor, as it speaks to the exceptional work and importance of the Office of Diversity and International Affairs at our institution,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “ODIA has done an outstanding job cultivating the international student experience into campus life at TSU. Just as important, the staff has strategically implemented international exchange programs with our academic units to ensure students are prepared to succeed in the global market.”

In 2012, TSU had 79 International students, 36 students participating in study abroad, and one faculty member leading a study-abroad experience, according to the Office of Diversity and International Affairs. Campus leadership created the office to provide cultural collaborative initiatives that support TSU’s strategic goals in producing global leaders. The results have shown the new initiative to be a rapid and astonishing success. In three years, TSU’s international efforts grew to hosting 900 International students; helping 121 students take part in study abroad experiences; enabling 12 faculty members leading study abroad experiences with support from four staff members; entering into MOU’s with 26 universities abroad; and signing a commitment with IIE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative.

“It is a tremendous honor to receive this award,” said Dr. Jewell G. Winn, TSU’s executive director for International Programs and deputy chief diversity officer. “And the fact that we’re the first to be recognized in this new category, makes it even more special.”

IIE President and CEO Dr. Allan E. Goodman said all the programs being honored are worth emulating.

“We recommend these programs as models, and hope they will offer inspiration as well as guidance to professionals on other campuses who share the goal of preparing their students to live and work in today’s global environment,” Goodman said.

IIE will present the awards at a ceremony in California on March 11, 2016 as part of its annual Best Practices in Internationalization Conference for campus professionals, which will be held this year at the University of California, Davis.

Department of Media Relations

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About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.