EAST LANSING, Mich.— On March 21, at its International Award ceremony, the Office of International Studies and Programs (ISP) celebrated staff, students and community members for their efforts to foster international understanding.

Held at the Spartan Club in Spartan Stadium, International Studies and Programs presented 11 members of the Spartan community with awards that have been established to honor several Michigan State University leaders in the areas of international research, teaching and engagement.
 

The pool of nominees and winners demonstrate an extraordinary capacity at Michigan State for international research education and engagement, said Jeffrey Riedinger, dean of ISP.
For example, Linda Racioppi, professor in the James Madison College, is the winner of the 2011 Ralph Smuckler Award. The award, named in honor of a former ISP dean, is bestowed upon a senior faculty member who has had a lasting impact on international scholarship, teaching and public services.
 

Racioppi is receiving the award in recognition of work to advance international research and teaching on gender and social issues with a special focus on post-conflict countries in Central Asia, South Asia and Europe for more than 20 years.

"I am proud to present this year's award winners," Riedinger said. "It is the exceptional efforts of people like these nominees and recipients that forge cross-cultural understanding and make communities like East Lansing a place of learning and innovation that can transform the lives of people around the world."

Racioppi will join 10 other honorees, including MSU faculty members, students, staff, alumni and community members.

Other individual award recipients:
• Todd Drummond is the recipient of the Gill-Chin Lim Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation in Global Studies. Drummond’s dissertation Drummond’s dissertation focuses university entrance examination and their fairness to citizens of different linguistic groups –his work will continue to be significant and applicable in an age of knowledge and globalization.

• Naoko Wake is the recipient of the John Hudzik Emerging Leader Award for Advancing International Studies and Programs. Wake's research applies to a variety of international programs including Asian Studies and the Center for Gender in a Global Context and has demonstrated exceptional depth combing linguistic and anthropological skills. This past year she organized a lecture series that drew scholars to MSU from Northwestern University, the University of California and Indiana University.

• Kerim Ertan received the Joon S. Moon Distinguished International Alumni Award. Ertan earned an MBA from the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management in 1992. Since then he has a progressive career in the power generation industry. Currently he is assisting Turkey develop geothermal fields as a significant power source for the country.

• Richard D. Bellon received the MSU Award for Outstanding Service to Study Abroad. Bellon is assistant professor in Lyman Briggs College and is noted for designing an innovative study abroad programming model that takes lectures and classroom discussion on location and with a alternating schedule allowed more Lyman Briggs faculty to teach programs abroad.

• Michael Harrison is the recipient of the Glen L. Taggart Award for Community Contribution to International Understanding. Harrison was recognized for developing a network of professional which included local attorneys and physicians to assist young Libyan professionals and their families whose education and living conditions were impacted by the civil war that broke out Libya last year.

• Nurten Ural is the recipient of the Charles A. Gliozzo International Award for Public Diplomacy. Ural, the honorary consul general for Turkey in Detroit has focused on increasing economic and business connections between Michigan and Turkey throughout her career. She has also had significant impact on educational programming at Michigan State University working with the Center for European Russian and Eurasian Studies on Turkish language and cultural programming.

• The Homer Higbee International Education Awards were also presented at the ceremony. These awards are presented annually to students and a member of Community Volunteers for International Programs for acts of service that enhance international communication, understanding and cooperation at MSU. The 2011 recipients include:
 Stefan J. Fletcher, MSU Ph.d. candidate in higher, adult and lifelong education, graduate of the MSU College of Law and serving on the Council of Graduate Students
 Kyle D. Martin, a medical student in the College of Osteopathic Medicine and volunteer supporting medical missions in Haiti
 Alla Tayeb a international senior studying psychology and president of MSU’s Saudi Student Organization
 David D. Horner, former director of the Office for International Students and Scholars and president of the Community Volunteers for International Programs.