Call for Nominations: International Student Achievement Awards 2024

Published: September 5th, 2024

Category: Memos

Marta L. Wayne, Dean, UF International Center and Associate Provost

The University of Florida International Center (UFIC) is pleased to invite nominations for the 2024 International Student Achievement Awards. These awards are made annually in recognition of the contributions of UF’s outstanding international students to the global dimensions of UF’s missions of teaching, research, and service.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of these awards. UF’s international engagement has grown over the years, and UFIC is pleased to announce that we have expanded the number of awards in each category. In addition, UFIC will continue coordinating with colleges to award Certificates of Outstanding Merit.

NOMINATION PROCESS
Students must be nominated by their college to be considered for these awards. Colleges are encouraged to work with their department chairs and faculty to identify international students for recognition and are free to develop their own internal review processes. Each college may nominate two students for each degree level.

Nominations should include the following documents:

  1. A letter of support.
  2. An essay by the student focusing on their contributions to the global dimensions of UF’s mission of teaching, research, and/or service (600-word limit).
  3. A current C.V.

Nominees should be students who have distinguished themselves in various ways, including:

  • academic excellence
  • outstanding teaching and mentorship
  • community service and civic involvement
  • leadership and innovation
  • developing creative solutions to global problems

The Alec Courtelis Awards for Outstanding International Ph.D. Students

  • All UF colleges may nominate a maximum of two Ph.D. students for this award.
  • Awardees will exhibit the highest level of research and academic excellence, in addition to an outstanding record of service to the UF community.
  • Five recipients will each receive a $2,000 award and a plaque.

Outstanding Master’s and Professional International Student Awards

  • This award recognizes master’s and professional level international students, including those in law, the health sciences, and related fields.
  • All UF colleges may nominate a maximum of two students for this award.
  • Awardees will exhibit the highest level of academic and professional excellence in addition to an impact on the broader campus or local community.
  • Five recipients will each receive a $1,500 award and a plaque.

Outstanding Undergraduate International Student Awards

  • This award recognizes bachelor’s level international students in any major or discipline.
  • All UF colleges may nominate a maximum of two students for this award.
  • Awardees will exhibit the highest level of academic excellence in addition to leadership and involvement with the broader campus or local community.
  • Five recipients will each receive a $1,000 award and a plaque.

ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility for these awards is limited to international students holding a non-immigrant, J-1 or F-1 student visa in good standing; enrolled full time for the Fall 2024 semester; and maintaining at least an overall 3.0 GPA. College representatives will receive a list of eligible students from UFIC with instructions on the submission process; any questions about a specific student’s eligibility can be addressed to Sharon Brown at sbrown@ufic.ufl.edu.

Nominations must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. Submission instructions for college representatives to follow.

REVIEW AND SELECTION OF WINNERS
A committee including UF administrators and staff will review all nominations and select winners. Nomination packages will be evaluated on the criteria noted above as reflected in the letter and student statements. The five recipients in each award category will be notified by Monday, November 4, 2024, via email.

CERTIFICATES OF OUTSTANDING MERIT
These certificates provide colleges with an opportunity to recognize the exceptional contributions of a broader number of international students. Each college may submit the names of up to six students to receive a certificate (CLAS may submit up to 10, and Engineering may submit up to 15.) Student names must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, October 9, 2024.

Submission instructions for college representatives to follow.
The criteria for choosing students to be recognized will be determined by each college. We encourage colleges to work with department chairs and their faculty to review and consider not just academic achievements but also other ways in which these students have distinguished themselves. Please note there are no monetary awards attached to Certificates of Outstanding Merit.

PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
The awards and certificates will be presented at the 30th Annual International Student Achievement Awards (ISAA) ceremony during International Education Week. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 19th in the Grand Ballroom at the Reitz Union. Monetary awards will be deposited directly into the student’s account and are subject to tax deductions.

Please see our website for more information and past winners:
https://internationalcenter.ufl.edu/international-student-achievement-awards

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