On Wednesday, April 3, the 2013 International Awards Ceremony was held where Mai Jiaqi won the Homer Higbee International Education Award at MSU.

Mai Jiaqi, a sophomore studying marketing in the Eli Broad College of Business, has made her mark as an influential student leader among the international students on campus. Her dedication and passion towards international communication and understanding reflects highly through her work and volunteer activities.

In just over two years Mai has made several significant contribution to MSU and her fellow international students. 

She joined the International Studies and Programs Advancement team in spring 2012 and has been an asset to the office ever since. She has shown extraordinary dedication to the office, supporting the team’s research and data analysis needs, which has contributed significantly to the success and outreach of the office. 

Mai’s determination to build a new student organization was further fostered after she attended the National Leadership Camp: The LeaderShape. As a result, she strengthened her vision to create leadership opportunities for students and help them fulfill their potential. Under Mai’s guidance, members of this new student organization are now building connections with other student organizations and are participating in leadership development programs, many of which were created by Mai herself. 

Additionally, during the summer of 2012, Mai volunteered to be an International Student Orientation Leader where she led incoming international freshmen students. 

Mai’s involvement is not limited to campus. She represented MSU’s international students at two alumni events in Shanghai and Beijing. As an ambassador for MSU, Mai shared her experience as a student and told alums about the exciting developments taking place on campus. 

One of the most impressive characteristics about Mai is her consistent commitment to learning above and beyond her academic curriculum. Her daring efforts and passion to serve as a role model for other students are impressive and make her an outstanding recipient of the Homer Higbee Award.