Atlanta — January 7, 2003

Four University System of Georgia institutions received awards for programs designed to encourage, foster, and improve international education. The awards competitions are part of the Board of Regents’ Strategic Plan initiatives to increase study abroad opportunities and integrate best practices throughout the System, and reflect the Board’s goal of creating a more educated Georgia.

At the Board of Regents’ January 7, 2003 meeting, Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith and Board Chair Joe Frank Harris recognized four degree programs as “best practices” within the University System in the area of international education.

“These four institutions and their outstanding programs serve to strengthen Georgia’s ties to many countries, which will be invaluable as our world continues to become more interconnected,” said Meredith.

Georgia State University’s English and History B.A. Joint Studies Program in British and American Cultures received the first prize, a $10,000 grant. This two-year integrated curriculum provides a full academic year experience abroad. Paul Schmidt, professor of English, accepted the award for Georgia State University.

The second prize was awarded to Georgia Southern University for its B.S. degree in International Trade, which requires all degree-seeking students to complete twelve-credit hour internships, most of which are completed overseas. Dr. Nancy Shumaker, professor and director of the Center for International Studies, accepted the plaque along with a $5,000 grant to help improve program quality and reduce participant costs.

The third-place prize was awarded to Georgia Perimeter College for an A.S. degree in nursing that offers a study abroad program in Costa Rica. Dr. Harriett Nichols, Director of the International Center, accepted the award, along with a $2,000 grant. This program addresses a key workforce need in Georgia by helping to ease a critical nursing shortage, and for training bilingual nurses.

A second competition was held to identify the most internationalized academic unit in the University System. The $10,000 prize was awarded to the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at the State University of West Georgia, represented by department Chair, Dr. Caryl Lloyd. This program was noted for excellence in hiring, promotion and tenure guidelines that incorporate international factors and for the fact that approximately half of all departmental majors study abroad.

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