“Diversity Abroad recognises… innovative work [that] supports equitable access to global education”

This year’s awards recognise four institutions, whose work aims to give diverse and underrepresented students equal access to global education and cultural exchange opportunities.

Two winners of the EDIIE Individual Awards and the Global Student Leadership Awards categories will also be recognised at the organisation’s conference on March 4 in Boston.

“Through the EDIIE Awards, Diversity Abroad recognises the institutions, organisations and individuals whose innovative work support equitable access to the benefits of global education that improve student academic success, interpersonal growth and career readiness,” Andrew Gordon, CEO and founder of Diversity Abroad said in a statement.

Recipients of 2019 EDIIE Awards democratise global education through their work, and “ultimately unlock the doors of opportunity the students they serve”, he added.

University of California, Davis will receive the Diversity & Inclusion Champion for its partnership with Child Family Health International, which includes 180-hour clinical internships in hospitals in Oaxaca, Mexico, while students improve the fluency of their Spanish.

The EDIIE Awards Review Committee was impressed by the uniqueness of the UCD program, the comprehensive representation of diverse students who attend it, and the impact it has on the diverse populations of Oaxaca, Mexico, according to Gordon.

“Student testimonials stated that participation in the UC Davis Oaxaca Study Abroad Program shaped their career path, altered their perspective on how to engage as a future healthcare professional, made them feel more culturally competent to treat Latino and indigenous patients, and literally, change their lives,” he said.

Other winners include Democracy Prep Public Schools for its Global Citizens Program, and the University of Auckland, for increasing learning abroad opportunities for its Māori and Pacific students.

Individual awards recognise Shigeru Nic Sakurai, University of Maryland, College Park for their work on inclusive practices in education abroad for the LGBTQ+ community, and Becca AbuRakia-Einhorn’s work to promote opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing students at Gallaudet University.

The Global Student Leadership Awards recognise students from the University of Pittsburgh and Washington State University.

While the EDIIE Awards celebrate work done to advance diversity and inclusion, ensuring all students have equal access to global education is “ongoing work”, Gordon highlighted.

“Progress is being made but there is much work to be done both with how our sector engages and supports students as well as with how we operate our offices and organizations that promote inclusion and belonging,” he said.

“In addition to being members of Diversity Abroad an increasing number of institutions are leveraging our AIDE Roadmap to assess their inclusive practices and set goals for continued improvement.”

The full list of winners is:

• Diversity & Inclusion Champion: University of California, Davis (UCD) Study Abroad in Partnership with Child Family Health International
• Organizational Excellence: State University of New York (SUNY) Oswego
• Student Engagement & Success: Democracy Prep Public Schools, Global Citizens Program
• Outreach, Marketing & Recruitment: The University of Auckland
• Leadership (10+ years experience): Shigeru Nic Sakurai, University of Maryland, College Park
• Rising Star (2-10 years experience): Becca AbuRakia-Einhorn, Gallaudet University
• Graduate Student: Katrina Joy Harrison, University of Pittsburgh
• Undergraduate Student: Nam Nguyen, Washington State University