President Lawrence Schovanec recently participated in a Presidential Panel as part of International Week in Washington, D.C.
Texas Tech University President Lawrence Schovanec was featured today (Nov. 13) on the 2018 Sen. Paul Simon Award Presidential Panel in Washington, D.C., as part of International Education Week. Announced earlier this year, Texas Tech was one of five institutions that received the 2018 Sen. Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education.
A recording of the panel can be viewed online. Schovanec spoke on the internationalization of higher education, developing globally competent students and emphasizing the value international students bring to the Texas Tech campus.
“Educating our students in a diverse, culturally rich environment is integral in our contributions to an evolving, globally competent workforce,” said Lawrence Schovanec, Texas Tech president. “The value international students bring to our campuses enriches the overall educational experience for all students.”
Named after the late Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois, a strong advocate for international education and cross-cultural learning, the NAFSA Simon Awards are given in two categories to recognize outstanding innovation and accomplishment in campus internationalization.
The Sen. Paul Simon Spotlight Award recognizes a specific international program or initiative that contributes to internationalization on campus. The Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization distinguishes excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses.
In addition to the 2018 comprehensive award, Texas Tech also received the spotlight award in 2016 for the efforts of its K-12 Global Education Outreach division, part of the university's Office of International Affairs (OIA).
Texas Tech's commitment to internationalization is led by the OIA. The university's ongoing goals include integrating global perspectives into the curriculum, recruiting and supporting international students, providing opportunities to engage faculty and students in international service breaks and study abroad opportunities, furthering intercultural understanding in the community at large, and cultivating strategic international partnerships and external relationships to increase all aspects of international scholarship.
“Texas Tech University has promoted an internationalization agenda that has gained momentum over the years, and it is a distinct honor to be recognized for our efforts with the Sen. Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization,” said Sukant Misra, vice provost for International Affairs. “Learning and discovery of knowledge should know no boundaries, and we truly believe our robust international platform today delivers unparalleled international educational and outreach opportunities for our faculty, staff and students.”
Esther D. Brimmer, NAFSA executive director and CEO, moderated the presidential panel. In addition to Schovanec, presidents from Simon Award-winning universities Babson College, Stony Brook University and Harper College also were featured as panelists.
As a Simon Award winner, Texas Tech is featured in NAFSA's recently published report, Internationalizing the Campus: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities.
