2022-2023 KU International Affairs Annual Report

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 2022-2023 ANNUAL REPORT

INTERNATIONAL LEGACY Inaugural Hodgie Bricke Memorial Scholarship sends student to Morocco INSIDE: WOODYARD AWARD WINNER STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS • KUIA KUDOS

KUIA 2022-2023 ANNUAL REPORT

Photo: Meg Kumin/KU Marketing

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Photo: Christine Metz Howard

Photo: Meg Kumin/KU Marketing

Photo: Courtesy of Madeline Blake

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Photo: Kevin McCarty

Photo: Christine Metz Howard

5 A year in review: 1) International students smiled for a selfie during Traditions Night as part of Hawk Week, which kicked off the start of the 2022-23 academic year. 2) Members of the KU Lion Dance group entertained the crowd at the International Jayhawk Festival in the spring. 3) KU students traveled to Tanzania in the summer of 2022 to attend The Global Humanities Institute. 4) Carmen Orth-Alfie, KU assistant librarian, worked with Hubert Humphrey Fellows during the summer. 5) KU graduates stood next to their home country’s flag during the International Student Graduation Ceremony in May. 6) KU study abroad student Madeline Blake posed for a photo in the United Kingdom. Front cover: Charlie Johnson, a four-major student, traveled to Morocco this spring thanks to support from the Hodgie Bricke Memorial Scholarship Fund.

He is pictured on Mount Sinai, or Jabal Musa, in Egypt. Read more about his story on page 11.

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MESSAGE FROM THE SENIOR INTERNATIONALIZATION OFFICER

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s our fall semester begins to hit its stride, I am delighted to share our 2022-2023 annual report with you. We have taken a step back to reflect on the impact of our internationalization efforts as a university and assembled a series of stories that we feel reflect KU’s engagement in the world, as well as the depth of our expertise on the world.

Our students, faculty and staff embody a global mindset, a way of seeing the world and our connection to it that underscores our common humanity and shared responsibility to society. This is possible at KU because of our astonishing diversity — diversity of thought, diversity of vision, diversity of experience, and diversity of backgrounds and identities.

Our work and studies span more countries than ever before, just as those who call KU home come from more places around the world than in years past. We have deep and rich partnerships, across KU, as well as with our local, state, national and international communities. We also have an alumni base that extends beyond Lawrence to the farthest reaches of the globe. Those connections keep us informed and engaged, and ensure our work remains as relevant today as ever.

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In the pages that follow, you will read about faculty members who exemplify our values as a globally engaged and responsible university. You will learn about staff efforts to bring the world to KU and get KU out into the world. You will find inspiration in the stories of our students, who have not only discovered themselves at KU but found deep purpose in being here. These are stories of transformation, hope and excellence, and I hope they inspire you as they have me.

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Our community shows us each day that anything is possible, and it is a great pleasure and privilege to be a part of it. Thank you for all that you do as a member of our community. Please know that you are valued and seen and that the KU you fell in love with continues to be a thriving place of discovery. Our exceptional learning community continues to grow, further internationalize and lift each member as we advance society. We have a great deal of important work ahead of us, but we stand on the shoulders of giants and those giants, you, have made our shared future possible.

Charles A.S. Bankart KU Senior Internationalization Officer

The KU International Affairs Annual Report is published once a year for donors and friends of KUIA. SENIOR INTERNATIONALIZATION OFFICER Charles Bankart EDITOR Christine Metz Howard

PRINTING Mainline Printing COVER PHOTO Courtesy of Charlie Johnson

KU INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Strong Hall, Room 300 1450 Jayhawk Boulevard Lawrence, Kansas 66045 Phone: 785-864-6161 Email: intlaffairs@ku.edu Website: international.ku.edu

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and is the Title IX coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY.

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FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT

Woodyard Award Winner

ELIZABETH MACGONAGLE Photo: Christine Metz Howard

Elizabeth MacGonagle, center, stands with Eleanor Woodyard and Charles Bankart, senior internationalization officer, at the award ceremony in April.

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lizabeth MacGonagle, associate professor of history and African and African-American studies, was the recipient of the 2022 George and Eleanor Woodyard International Educator Award.

Given at a ceremony in April, the award recognized MacGonagle’s strong support of the Global Scholars Program, leadership of the Kansas African Studies Center and collaborative work with International Affairs and the area studies centers through public humanities projects such as Coming to the Heartland and the ColLAB: Bridging East Africa’s Health Divides.

Along with her research in African studies, the committee also highlighted MacGonagle’s mentorship and support of students from diverse backgrounds, dedication to securing funding for students to research and study abroad, and efforts to bring African students and scholars to KU. “Dr. MacGonagle’s unanimous selection among a very strong field of candidates recognizes and celebrates her substantial and lasting impact on international education at KU,” said Megan Greene, selection committee chair and professor of history. “The committee recognized her sustained and consistent commitment to international education, research, service and internationalization of the curriculum.”

MacGonagle, associate chair of the history department and Donald Crook Honors Faculty Fellow, came to KU in 2001. For eight years, she served as the director of the Kansas African Studies Center, where she built research networks and secured more than $3 million in federal grants.

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Working closely with International Affairs, MacGonagle was named as the director of the Global Scholars Program last fall. Prior to that she taught the Global Scholars seminar twice and served on the selection committee for several years. As part of the American Council on Education’s Internationalization Laboratory process, MacGonagle served as co-chair of the Curriculum, Cocurriculum and Learning Outcomes subcommittee.

In a joint nomination letter, Shawn Leigh Alexander, professor and chair of African and African-American studies, and Luis Corteguera, professor and chair of the history department, wrote: “She has demonstrated a rich and robust international scholarly commitment, inside and outside the classroom. Additionally, she has worked tirelessly to build an international curriculum and research platform that not only benefits her own scholarly interests but has in many ways been more beneficial to her students and colleagues.”

MacGonagle’s research focuses on the process of identity formation in African and diasporic settings. Her work crosses historical, geographical and theoretical boundaries to examine linkages among nation, culture and ethnicity.

Integral in the enhancement of the popular African and African diasporic studies curriculum, MacGonagle developed courses and secured federal grants that supported innovative teaching practices for other instructors. She regularly offers classes on modern Africa and African history, and she created new courses on sexuality and gender in African history and the liberation of southern Africa with her colleague Hannah Britton,

professor of political science and women, gender and sexuality studies.

In nomination letters, colleagues praised MacGonagle’s mentorship and support of students, particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. She has mentored or led research on 18 undergraduate international research projects and worked closely with 24 graduate students on internationally themed theses and dissertations. Her students have gone on to win external grants, such as the Rotary International Scholarship to study in Ghana, a Fulbright for dissertation research in Namibia and Honors Program Writing Awards.

“These students have won these prestigious awards, in part, because of her diligent attention,” wrote Kathryn Rhine, former KU associate professor of African and African-American studies and geography and atmospheric science, in a nomination letter. “Dr. MacGonagle motivates students to take crucial analytical risks in their work, provides all her mentees with clear and timely feedback.

She balances praise with constructive criticism. She knows when to push and when to hold back, allowing students to gain the autonomy they need to become successful scholars and professionals in international studies.”

Along with Rhine, MacGonagle was co-director of ColLAB: Bridging East Africa’s Health Divides, a humanitiesbased lab focused on health access in East Africa. As part of that project, MacGonagle was instrumental in recruiting exceptional students, securing funding and selecting a faculty member from a minority-serving institution to join the lab’s two-week field school in Tanzania.

“Her collaborative spirit and commitment to studentcentered programming in global contexts embody the characteristics of recipients of the Woodyard International Educator Award,” Rhine wrote in her nomination letter.

MacGonagle has also partnered with Marta CamineroSantangelo, chair of the English department and former director for the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, on the public humanities project Coming to the Heartland, which focuses on the diversity, adversity and struggles of Latin American and African immigrants in the Midwest. Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, the project examines how the digital age affects the stories that immigrants tell, as well as the possibilities for their visibility in the wider community. The project supported the involvement of four Pell-eligible students from underrepresented backgrounds in KU’s Emerging Scholars program.

“Coming to the Heartland is just one example of Liz’s commitment to social justice and the creation of a more inclusive environment for her communities at home and abroad,” Caminero-Santangelo wrote in a nomination letter. “Her leadership priorities reflect a firm commitment to prepare citizens to lead meaningful and socially responsible lives by fostering a critical engagement with the complexities of the world.”

The late George Woodyard, the first dean of international studies, and his wife, Eleanor, endowed the award, which KU International Affairs coordinates. The award recognizes faculty on the Lawrence campus who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in strengthening KU’s international reach in such areas as curriculum development, study abroad programs, relationships with international partner institutions and collaboration with international colleagues in significant research and publications. The award includes a $1,000 stipend.

■ Christine Metz Howard

KUIA KUDOS SAGE Selected for Passport Project Last fall 95 KU freshmen were selected to receive free U.S. passports as part of the IIE American Passport Project, a grant initiative sponsored by the Institute of International Education.

The IIE American Passport Project, which started in 2021, seeks to promote diversity, inclusion, access and equity in study abroad and encourage students to go abroad who would otherwise not participate in an international experience as part of their college education. For students of limited means, studying abroad can require long-term planning and involve financial hurdles, like the cost of a passport, which could bar them from moving forward.

IIE selected KU as one of 40 institutions to receive this unique funding opportunity. Through the IIE American Passport Project, Study Abroad and Global Engagement received grant funds for 25 U.S. passports.

Through the generosity of donors, SAGE contributed additional financial support, enabling up to 95 Pell Grant-eligible KU freshmen to obtain a U.S. passport in fall 2022.

“One of the primary goals of KU Study Abroad and Global Engagement is to increase the number and diversity of students participating in education abroad, such that the population of study abroad students mirrors the KU undergraduate student population across all student profiles (academic discipline and student demographics),” Study Abroad and Global Engagement Director Angela Perryman said. “The American Passport Project directly supports this goal by providing students access to a passport and the resources and motivation to use it during their time at KU.” ■

KU Launches Global Conversations Following last fall’s protest in Iran, KU launched the series Global Citizenship: Critical Conversations about Equity Around the World. A second event was held in the spring on the political situation in Brazil and a third reexamined the ongoing unrest in Iran.

The Global Conversations series focuses on critical conversations about equity in a global context with the hopes of expanding campus literacy on important issues that shape the world. These conversations leverage the knowledge and experience of campus experts as well as students, faculty and staff as they come together to discuss social, cultural and political reverberations of major world events.

The series is sponsored by International Affairs; Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; and The Commons.

During the current fall semester, the series will include conversations on the conflict between Israel and Palestine and modern trade and China.

These events emphasize the value of internationalization and understanding the intersections of culture and identity as a core framework of Jayhawks Rising. ■

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STUDENT SUCCESS Photo: Andy White/KU Marketing

AYLAR

ATADURDYYEVA

Building community and sharing culture

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ylar Atadurdyyeva was sitting in her University Scholars seminar when she had a lightbulb moment: She wanted to be a doctor, but not a physician as she had intended.

“There are physicians who acquire skills to treat you and then there are doctors who are taught how to think outside the box and acquire new knowledge,” Atadurdyyeva said. “That was a turning point for me. I didn’t want to be a physician. I wanted to be a doctor.”

It was a radical thought for Atadurdyyeva, who grew up in Turkmenistan and didn’t know what a doctor of philosophy was until her freshman year of college when she heard her political science professors talk about their research.

The moment of clarity morphed into four majors — microbiology, Slavic languages and literatures, political science, and global and international studies — as well as two minors and four certificates. By the time she graduated last spring, Atadurdyyeva had written four widely ranging honor theses: interactions among the bacteria Wolbachia, fruit flies and fungus; Turkmen wedding traditions; anti-microbial resistance in the European Union; and policy and language use in Kazakhstan.

“The opportunities to engage with undergraduate research changed my life,” Atadurdyyeva said and noted that receiving a full-tuition scholarship at KU enabled her to earn those four degrees.

Atadurdyyeva was attending Cascadia College, a community college in Bothell, Washington, when she met a KU international admissions recruiter at a fair for transfer students. She immediately recognized “the bird” and knew of other Turkmen students who attended KU. She decided to apply to KU, as well as the International Excellence Award, which provided a full-tuition scholarship.

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“When I received word that I received it, at that moment, it was deal sealed for me,” Atadurdyyeva said.

Atadurdyyeva’s time at KU extended far beyond academics. During her four years, she was the director of The Big Event, which connects the campus to the Lawrence community during one day of service, and served on the Homecoming Steering Committee, even though she had never participated in the U.S. tradition of homecoming until arriving at KU. She also was active in Student Union Activities, overseeing finance and partnerships.

Last fall she was one of three students recognized with the KU Alumni Association’s Ex.C.E.L. Award for Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership, an honor that was received in a stadium full of fans during the KU Homecoming football game.

“In my community college, I was part of the student government and activities board, and I knew I wanted to continue that when I came to KU,” Atadurdyyeva said. “I feel happiest when I’m building community in meaningful ways.”

From tabling during student events for the Global Awareness Program to leading cooking classes, Atadurdyyeva was a tireless advocate for international education at KU, GAP coordinator Michelle Ward said.

“As one of only two students from Turkmenistan, Aylar had to educate many in the community on the Central Asian country. She did so with grace and honesty,” Ward said.

When life turned online during the global pandemic, Atadurdyyeva hosted a crash course on Turkmenistan for International Support Services. The group met once a week for four weeks to learn about the country’s food, culture and history.

Last spring, she led a Global Cooking Class for students, teaching them to make the Turkmen dumplings known as manty, an emotionally significant food for Atadurdyyeva. Growing up, her entire family would participate in making the dumplings. Alongside her mother, she would roll and cut the dough, while her brothers and father would fill and shape the dough.

“The component of bringing people together is what makes it special for me,” Atadurdyyeva said. “It’s laborious, but you get to chitchat with your family while making dumplings.”

Since starting KU, Atadurdyyeva hasn’t been home to see her family, so the opportunity to share her culture with the Lawrence community has allowed her to stay connected to Turkmenistan and helped solidify her identity as a Turkmen scholar.

“For the longest time, I was either a Turkmen or a scholar, but those two didn’t mesh in my head because Turkmenistan doesn’t do academia as the U.S. does it,” Atadurdyyeva said. “There was a fracture. Being able to talk about Turkmenistan in an academic setting helped that rupture shrink.”

Atadurdyyeva is taking a gap year to explore graduate schools and is a KU nominee for a Rhodes Global Scholarship to pursue graduate study in the United Kingdom. Her goal is to become a professor at an R1 toptier research university, where she hopes to change the world, one student at a time.

For Ward, Aylar represents the best KU has to offer.

“KU is incredibly fortunate to be part of her story,” Ward said.

■ Christine Metz Howard

International Students 2022-2023

1,707 international

students in fall 2022

4.2%

of KU undergradute students

17.9%

of KU graduate students

7.2%

of KU total student population

111

countries represented

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Fulbright Foreign Students and Language Teaching Assistants Graphics: Font Awesome

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KERONG PAN

Photo: Christine Metz Howard

STUDENT SUCCESS

Gaining a broader perspective and skills for a globalized world

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hen Kerong “Panny” Pan heard that KU representatives were going to be in Zhengzhou, China, she was so excited to learn about the university that she flew two-and-half hours to meet them.

In the four years since, Pan’s enthusiasm for KU has not waned.

Pan, who spent four semesters at the Applied English Center and graduated from KU in 2022 with a master’s degree in special education, said her time at KU gave her a global perspective, improved her language skills, and fostered personal growth, resilience and adaptability.

“Leaving my familiar surroundings and embracing new cultures challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. This process taught me to be flexible, open-minded and adaptable to a different environment,” Pan said. “This skill set will undoubtedly contribute to my success in a globalized world.”

Growing up in Hohhot, which is in China’s northern providence of Inner Mongolia, Pan knew she wanted to work with children. So, she earned a bachelor’s degree in toy design from Tianjin University of Science and Technology, where she began studying early childhood education and child development. After graduation, while most of her classmates took jobs at toy design companies, Pan realized that she was more interested in interacting with children, not being behind the scenes designing toys.

She wanted to be a teacher and learn about education systems outside of China. A family friend recommended she consider KU because of its reputation as one of the best programs in the United States for special education.

AEC Director Valerie Pierce still can’t believe that Pan and her dad flew several hours to Zhengzhou just to meet with KU representatives.

“She was her bubbly and excited self, and I knew she would do well,” Pierce said of the meeting.

While at KU, Pan fully embraced the campus community, even when COVID forced classes online during her second semester. She enjoyed attending the AEC’s conversation groups, where international students practice their English language skills, and appreciated International Support Services’ guidance and assistance.

“I found a sense of belonging by participating in clubs and attending all kinds of events,” Pan said. “I had the opportunity to interact with students from different backgrounds, cultures and nationalities. These interactions not only brought a new perspective but also helped me develop lifelong friendships and connections that extend beyond my time as a student.”

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Through constant exposure to English, Pan’s language skills improved significantly, paving the way for professional opportunities and cross-cultural connections.

After meeting Pan in China, Pierce continued to check in with her while she was at KU. During the International Student Graduation Celebration, Pierce was particularly excited to congratulate Pan. “She is such a success story, and someone who is determined to meet her goals and more,” Pierce said.

Today, Pan is living in Los Angeles and is a lead teacher in a classroom of two- to- four-year-olds at the Stratford School. The school is bilingual, so Pan speaks primarily Mandarin to the children while another teacher speaks English.

Pan said it’s surprising how quickly the young students learn the language, some picking up Mandarin phrases or entire sentences within a few weeks. For Pan, the position is a perfect fit.

“I can use my teaching ability, but also my native language,” Pan said. “It has really brought out my confidence to teach.”

This fall she will continue her education by joining the doctoral program for Education in Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction at Westcliff University in Irvine, California.

“Studying in a different country allowed me to gain a broader perspective and a deeper understanding of diverse cultures and educational systems,” Pan said. “The opportunity to immerse myself in the U.S. educational system, particularly in the highly acclaimed special education department, expanded my knowledge and equipped me with a global perspective that will greatly benefit my career as an early childhood educator.”

■ Christine Metz Howard

Photo: Courtesy of Maria Emma Arcia Lopez

MARIA EMMA ARCIA LOPEZ

Finding academic, social and financial support

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aria Emma Arcia Lopez arrived at KU as a teenager who had been living with her family in Chinandega, Nicaragua. By the time she earned her bachelor’s degree in business analytics, she had learned to cook, have a car, manage a schedule and work a part-time job to cover the rent.

“KU helped me move from a teenager, living with my parents, to becoming a fully independent adult,” said Arcia, who graduated this spring and now works as an application support analyst at Advisors Excel in Topeka.

When exploring colleges, Arcia said it was not an option to stay in Nicaragua because of the sociopolitical situation. She picked KU because it strongly supported international students and provided scholarships and other academic opportunities.

Arcia had never been to Kansas before coming to KU and wasn’t expecting to be among 100-plus other Latin American students when she arrived.

“I thought I was going to be the only one from my country, but then I got here, and the international network of students is incredible,” Arcia said.

Arriving in January 2020, Arcia’s time on campus came to an abrupt halt just as she was settling in and making friends. The global pandemic hit, and in March she returned to Nicaragua, where she stayed through the summer and fall taking online classes.

When she returned to campus in spring 2021, she was determined to take advantage of the opportunities outside of the classroom that were difficult to connect to remotely.

She joined the University and Business Honors programs.

“I was super happy to be back and ready to do different activities than just my classes,” Arcia said.

For Arcia a greater stressor than the global pandemic was the financial burden of college. With COVID-19 and the

sociopolitical climate in Nicaragua, paying for college each semester was a challenge for her family.

“It was bittersweet,” Arcia said. “I was enjoying my time here, but I was worried about the situation. It was stressful.”

To help, KU was flexible with payments and Arcia found part-time work at the KU Bookstore and with KU IT. The family managed a way to cover the expenses until the end of Arcia’s junior year when she wasn’t sure how they would pay. That’s when International Support Services offered assistance through the Mildred F. Law fund.

“That was my salvation,” Arcia said. “I will always be grateful for that.”

Hazel Rogers, special programs coordinator for International Admissions, said Arcia was tenacious in working to finance her education. Rogers is thankful that KU has resources, such as the Law scholarship, to help students like Arcia achieve their goals.

“Maria Emma is an incredible success story. She’s exactly the kind of student we want representing our international scholarship programs,” Rogers said. “In addition to her excellent academic performance, she’s genuine and warm.”

While Arcia said having more financial support earlier would have created the capacity for more opportunities on campus, the experience made her stronger and more appreciative. For example, she is grateful for the support of her family and loved ones, along with the help she received from her professors at the School of Business, the enriching experience of the honors programs and the wide variety of cultures and backgrounds she encountered at KU. “There were so many things as an international student, exchanges and experiences, that were incredible,” Arcia said. “KU is in my heart now. I will never forget about it.”

■ Christine Metz Howard 8

STUDENT SUCCESS

Pursing an international education from undergrad to Fulbright to med school

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zeez Baig developed a life motto after participating in a six-week language program in Argentina the summer following his freshman year: When an opportunity to go abroad arises, take it.

It’s a mindset that convinced him to pursue a Fulbright U.S. Student Award to Spain during the height of COVID and to volunteer at a health clinic in Guatemala this spring.

From Leawood, Baig graduated from the University of Kansas in 2021 with degrees in biology and Spanish. International education helped shape Baig’s time at KU and led to an interest in health care.

He’s currently a third-year student at the KU School of Medicine.

“My experiences at KU internationally just led me to pursue opportunities like the one in Guatemala,” Baig said. “In Argentina I had an experience more specific to language learning. In Spain it was a lot of professional and intercultural teaching experiences. And then in Guatemala, it was more of a medical experience.”

Baig’s first foray into study abroad at KU was a six-week summer language program in Buenos Aries, Argentina. He liked the efficiency of earning nine credits in six weeks but was also enticed by the opportunity to visit the country. Upon his return, Baig wanted to continue seeking opportunities where he could speak a different language and explore other cultures, so he began volunteering as an interpreter at the JayDoc Free Clinic.

At JayDoc, KU Medical Center students provide health care services for underserved populations in Kansas City, many of the clients are Spanish speaking. Baig interpreted for patients as they went through triage, physician visits and the pharmacy, getting a firsthand experience in health care. It was there that Baig decided to pursue a career in medicine.

“I got to see the teamwork aspect of it and the importance of the clinic to the community. There are a lot of people that we serve there who don’t have access to health care, so the clinic is really valuable to them,” Baig said.

Coming into his senior year, Baig decided to take a gap year between earning his undergraduate degrees and medical school and began looking into Fulbright opportunities. He worked with Rachel

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Photo: Courtesy of Azeez Baig

AZEEZ BAIG

Sherman Johnson, director of internationalization and partnerships and the Fulbright program advisor, to apply for the program.

Fulbright has three types of awards available for domestic students: English teaching assistantships, graduate degree programs, and funding for independent research or art projects.

“Azeez is exactly the kind of student who is a great fit for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program: adaptable and resilient, engaged in the community, and sincerely interested in the language and culture of the host country,” Sherman Johnson said. “Fulbright provides recent graduates with an outstanding opportunity to experience life in another culture in a meaningful and in-depth way.”

During his time at KU, Baig had discovered he enjoyed teaching while tutoring through the Supplemental Instruction program and working as a teaching assistant for a microbiology course. When he learned about Fulbright’s English Teaching Assistant program, it seemed like a perfect fit.

“I wanted to pursue something in a Spanish-speaking country because I felt that would be extremely beneficial to not only my language skills but cultural competency and other aspects of communication that can only be picked up from being around people from different backgrounds and their environment.”

Baig’s Fulbright brought him to Madrid where he was a teaching assistant in the biology and health department at the Universidad de Camilo Jose Cela. As a teaching assistant, Baig helped incorporate English into four courses, developing students’ English comprehension and grammar skills and use of English in professional settings.

One of the lessons Baig picked up from his Fulbright experience was the ability to adapt. He remembers a day when he arrived at a classroom full of students and learned the teacher wasn’t there because of a strike. On the spot, he had to figure out what to do for the rest of the class.

“I think being adaptable and being able to just deal with circumstances that you’re thrown in is something that’s extremely valuable and important to working in a Spanish workplace,” Baig said. “That translates really well no matter where you’re working, but especially in medical school.”

One of the highlights of Baig’s experience in Spain was volunteering with the organization Solidarios, which aims to tackle social exclusion among different populations.

Baig was paired with an elderly woman, whom he visited once a week. A native of Madrid, she would tell him stories of the places she had traveled all over the world and critique his Spanish.

“I was really glad I had time in Spain because it gave me that recharge and the life perspective to keep myself motivated as I was going into medical school,” Baig said.

At KUMC, Baig continues to use his Spanish. He volunteers as a medical student at the JayDoc Clinic.

He also belongs to KUMC International Outreach, which traveled to Guatemala over spring break this year. For a week, he worked at a health care clinic and did community outreach in the Central American country.

“I learned about Guatemala and health care from the people’s perspective, but then also from a medical perspective as a provider. It was extremely valuable,” Baig said. “Pursuing opportunities like that has been a huge benefit of being able to speak Spanish and being interested in working with Spanish-speaking populations.”

International Education 2022-2023 1,181 total students abroad 59 countries visited 1,060

students in study abroad programs

121

students in universityaffiliated activities

18 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships awarded

95

Global Awareness Program Certificates awarded

5 Fulbright U.S. Student Awards

■ Christine Metz Howard Graphics: Font Awesome

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KU GIVING

Hodgie Bricke Memorial Scholarship Inaugural Recipients Support from the Hodgie Bricke Memorial Fund allowed two KU students to travel and expand their international education. Charlie Johnson traveled to Morocco to study abroad during the spring semester and Lina Nerio Morales presented her research at a prestigious academic conference in San Diego in November.

Photo: Courtesy of Charlie Johnson

Learn more about the Hodgie Bricke Memorial Fund: international.ku.edu/ hodgie-bricke

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CHARLIE JOHNSON C

harlie Johnson, a four-major student who traveled to Morocco for the spring semester, was the inaugural Global Awareness Program recipient of the Hodgie Bricke Memorial Scholarship.

For more than two decades, Margaret “Hodgie” Bricke built global connections through her work in international education at KU. The Hodgie Bricke Memorial Scholarship provides travel support to one student each semester in GAP, which Bricke founded and considered her most significant professional accomplishment.

With support from the scholarship, Johnson studied in Rabat, Morocco, during the spring semester to continue learning Arabic and gain a greater understanding of North African society and culture.

Tailored courses allowed Johnson to expand his knowledge of Islam, Morocco’s relationship with the faith and the factors shaping contemporary Moroccan society.

Following the academic term, Johnson worked with the Council on International Education Exchange as a CIEE office intern and intercultural advisor. He supported high school and college students studying abroad in Morocco, helping them to acclimate to Moroccan society and leading them on cultural excursions.

“Receiving this scholarship was extraordinarily meaningful to me. Beyond just making my semester abroad possible, the Hodgie Bricke Memorial Scholarship set me on track for a career that I can only hope will be as far-reaching and impactful as Dr. Bricke’s,” Johnson said.

During her time at KU, Bricke welcomed international students and scholars to their new home, serving as a mentor and advocate. In addition to helping bring the world to KU, she created opportunities for Jayhawks to go abroad. Her wit, kindness, keen intelligence and wonderful laugh touched the lives of thousands of people from around the world.

After Bricke’s death in 2020, her friends and family sought to honor her work in international education through the creation of the Hodgie Bricke Memorial

Scholarship, which supports travel funding for GAP students.

GAP, an undergraduate certificate program, combines academics, on-campus cultural activities and international experience. The program aims to offer all undergraduates exposure to and recognition of the larger world.

Long before it was mainstream, Bricke completed an interdisciplinary program incorporating art history, literature, philosophy and religion along with her history major at St. Mary’s College.

Like Bricke, Johnson is pursuing an interdisciplinary curriculum to better understand the world, specifically the Middle East and North Africa. He fell in love with the region after a trip to Jordan to visit his older sister Maddy. The spring break trip in his senior year of high school introduced Johnson to a beautiful new language and culture.

The Lawrence native and Free State High School standout decided on KU after receiving the Chancellor’s Scholarship, which provides $20,000 across four years.

The scholarship and flexibility to tailor his curriculum to include his four majors — religious studies, political science, history, and global and international studies — led him to choose his hometown university.

Instead of beginning his first semester at KU in fall 2020, Johnson took a gap year because of the pandemic.

He conducted an internship with Kansas Representative Sharice Davids in Washington, D.C. In his time with the representative, he researched legislation, drafted internal communications and connected constituents to federal and state services.

In early 2021, he returned to Lawrence, began working at Chipotle and saving for a return trip to Jordan. As a frontline worker, he received the vaccine early. Since the COVID restrictions in Jordan were stricter than those in

Kansas at the time, he took advantage of the cheap airfare to study Arabic intensively for four months at the Qasid Arabic Institute.

This time allowed Johnson to explore the differences between his culture and others, but also similarities.

Conversations on religious extremism, both abroad and in the United States, fascinated him and informed his decision to take on a degree in religious studies. While at KU, he has focused his research on religious extremism and intolerance to gain a deeper understanding of its increasing presence in international politics.

During his first year at KU, Johnson enrolled in Intermediate Arabic, restarted the Jayhawks Without Borders club, worked as a research assistant in the Jewish Studies Department, served on the Dole Institute of Politics Student Advisory Board and became a GAP student ambassador.

“Charlie is one of those rare students I had the opportunity to work with,” said Brooke Stock, Study Abroad and Global Engagement program coordinator for the Mediterranean, Middle East, Africa and South Asia. “He possesses a clear plan as to where he wants to be in the future and how his efforts here at KU will get him there.”

Johnson received a Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowship for summer 2022, completing two semesters of advanced Arabic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With these classes, he neared the end of KU’s frequently offered Arabic courses. So, he began looking for study abroad programs in the Middle East and North Africa, which led to his spring semester in Morocco.

Now a junior, Johnson is contemplating life after graduation but knows his career will have components of humanitarian work and academic research. These are goals that Bricke would have applauded.

■ Michelle Ward

Photo: Courtesy of Lina Nerio Morales

LINA NERIO MORALES L

ina Nerio Morales, a graduate student from Colombia, was the first international Fulbright grantee to receive the Hodgie Bricke Memorial Scholarship.

The Hodgie Bricke Memorial Scholarship honors the legacy of Margaret “Hodgie” Bricke, who was the Fulbright foreign student adviser at KU for many years and a strong supporter of and advocate for the Fulbright program. The fund supports travel to conferences and professional meetings where international Fulbright graduate students are presenting their research or creative works.

Nerio holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the National University of Colombia and a master’s degree in pharmacology and toxicology from KU. She is continuing at KU to pursue a doctoral degree in the same program.

The scholarship covered the cost to travel to San Diego in November so Nerio could present a paper at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. Her presentation was on social defeat and oxytocin regulation of social avoidance and stress-related signaling proteins in female prairie voles.

Nerio’s research is focused on behavioral neuroscience, particularly in the study of social defeat as a risk factor for the development of social deficits such as anxiety and schizophrenia. At the conference, which brought together brain and nervous system scientists from around the world, Nerio had the opportunity to learn and create networks that will support her future academic projects.

■ Christine Metz Howard 12

KU GIVING

Thank You, Donors!

This past academic year, more than 200 donors supported the work of KU International Affairs. Through their generous contributions, KUIA was able to sustain and expand its mission to bring international experiences and opportunities to students and foster a community of support for our international students.

Maryanna Adelman Mackenzie L. Aden Abigail M. Ambrose & Charles Ambrose Charlie Ambrose Anna R. Anderson Laura Arbore Billie D. Archer Charles A. S. Bankart, Ph.D. Peter Bankart Trudy Barker James F. Barnes Bernice G. Beckman & Preston Beckman Josie Z. Bell Richard Benyo Casey R. Biggs & Jacklyn M. Biggs, Ph.D. Beverly Smith Billings Sarah L. Bluvas Kimberly G. Booth & Andrew G. Booth Nicole M. Bourbon Ruth Bradshaw Ian S. Bricke & Jessica D. Bricke Molly Morrison Britt Philip C. Brooks Jr. & Susan M. Brooks Bart P. Brown & Gwendolyn E. Brown Carol Ann Brown & Clifton L. Brown Jr. J. Christopher Brown, Ph.D. & Denise L. Perpich Joan E. Budd, M.D. G. Wayne Burge Janet L. Buttery David M. Byrd-Stadler & Gina M. Byrd-Stadler Cynthia L. Caywood, Ph.D. & David Hay Ally Cazjan William D. Chapman Margaret H. Childs, Ph.D. Bernadette M. Cole & Richard Cole Bridget R. Compton Kathleen Connaghan-Gross Carol Cowles Mary K. Cummins & Jeff Cummins

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Sally Daily & Jerry L. Daily Taras Dauzhenka & Liudmila Dauzhenka Deborah Davies, Ph.D. & Marc Lowenstein, Ph.D. Laurel A. Degernes Cat L. Diebel-Wilson Ethan B. Domke Myrl L. Duncan William L. Duncan, Ph.D. Andrea L. Eickholt Lauren R. Erickson Whitney E. Escalante & Alexander Escalante Margretta O. Farrar-DeVries Donald W. Faught Kathryn E. Favrow The Freeman Foundation David M. Frey & Helen Hao Cheng Sunita Gandhi Kate Gerken & Michael P. Gerken Aaron Gillespie Mary Jo Glanville Dennis Greenhaw & Patricia D. Greenhaw Patricia A. Haegelin-Hiatt & Roger L. Hiatt Julie Chubbuck Hamel, Ph.D. & Gregory L. Hamel, M.D. Taylor D. Hanna-Peterson & Daniel J. Peterson Sandra J. Hannon & Philip L. Hannon David A. Hanson & Jodi L. Hanson James D. Harder Saralyn Reece Hardy Steven E. Hein & Dianna L. Mourn Conrad M. Henderson Tracy Peppel Henry & Robert A. Henry Sara Thiele Heydari & Michael M. Heydari Charles R. A. Higginson & Laurie McLane-Higginson Harley R. Hill Gail M. Hinkel Barbara Diane Holle Nicole Horton Erin M. Hubert

Aaron A. Huerter Stephen R. Hughes & Mary Anne Hughes Jarrod W. Huntley Sara Jackson James K. Jones Lisa K. Jones Holly L. Jordan, DVM, Ph.D. & Teresa Fralix Kristopher K. Keller & Kimberly Loeffert Keller Glen Kemper Jacqueline R. Kenny Steven J. Kidwell Lloyd C. Kirk Jill Kleinberg, Ph.D. Christina L. Kuebler Nathan L. Ladd David F. Lambertson & Sacie Hooper Lambertson Rebecca A. Lang Sherry C. Leonardo Tracie D. Lewis Susan H. Lindahl & Paul A. Lindahl Jr. Richard D. Lipsey Jr. Meghan List James R. Lloyd II & Ann Stueve Lloyd, PharmD Loren M. Malone J. Michael Maloney & Cynthia McNown Maloney Nicholas J. Manoogian Grace H. Marco Jackson T. Martin & Sarah Jackson Martin James I. Masters Patrick A. Mawhinney Dr. Bradley K. Mazon & Thomas E. Coates Mark D. McBride Andrew P. McDonald James R. Mechler & Julia E. Mechler Susan Vernon Meier Erin Collins Menaker Thomas E. Mertz Christine M. Metz Howard Cynthia Ulery Meyer

Susan Y. Millstein Andreas Moller James R. Morley & Vicki L. Morley Frank Morris & Laura Reese Spencer-Morris Abby L. Mueller Barbara E. Mulch, Ph.D.* Merrill F. Mulch, Ph.D.* Marilee Neale Phillip Neuman Van H. Nguyen, Ph.D. Isabel L. Nogues Patricia A. O’Day Laura Burke Olson & Todd A. Olson Karen Hall Orr* Robert C. Orr* Kevin Ost Amanda Thomas Ostreko, Ph.D. David C. Oswald Louise Page Otero Richard S. Paegelow & Chris Tang Rodney K. Parr Christine Pederson David S. Pederson Angela M. Perryman & Michael J. Perryman Cecile M. Petermann Melissa M. Peterson Valerie L. Pierce, Ph.D. John T. Pistorius & Sara Grier Roberta J. Pokphanh, Ph.D. Shannon Doyle Pope & Kenton Buege Joe D. Potts, Ph.D. & Sheryl Kulich Potts Lucy J. Price, Ph.D.

Sydney B. Pursel Emily J. Randel Beth Brady Rands Charles Ranson Claudia G. Reeder, Ph.D. Denise K. Roberts Jean Hardy Robinson, Ph.D. Marilyn M. Roelse Debora M. Roessler Jan C. Rowlett Janette Crawford Rudkin & Thomas A. Rudkin Col. Leah C. Schmidt, USAF, Retired Susan Elizabeth Schmidtberger & Mark D. Schmidtberger Steven M. Schnell, Ph.D. & Lisa Kahn Schnell Kate L. Schroeder Leslie McElfresh Schweitzer Emma J. Scioli & Philip T. Stinson, Ph.D. Deb Jones Scott & David M. Scott Deborah Baer Sevart & Paul C. Sevart Patricia J. Sevart Catherine M. Shafer Raymond J. Shu Victoria Pitcher Sickinger & Michael G. Sickinger Simon C. Skinner & Elizabeth Pederson Skinner, PharmD Lori Slater Erin Smith Kathryn Smith Kathryn L. Smith Melissa S. Spaulding Amy Luiso Stadler

Terry J. Stair & Karen F. Stair Rachel C. Strecker & Shameem J. Strecker Kimberly A.B. Swanson Jessica Townsend Teague Peter G. Torrey & Nancy M. Torrey Nelson C.E. Townsend & Melanie J.P. Townsend Cindy M. Trivilino & Mark Trivilino Christina J. Trotter Susan B. Twombly Katherine F. Tyler Sara J. Van Dyke Barbara D. Van Vleck Donna S. Vestal Robert L. Vroman & Beth Ellen Vroman Anne D. Wallace, Ph.D. Langyu J. Wang Michelle M. Ward Jean M. Wayne Lisa F. Weeks & Dale E. Wheeler David A. White Patricia D. White Allan W. Wicker, Ph.D. & Edna B. Wicker Alice Wilhelmus & Todd Wilhelmus Linda Williams Elizabeth Wilkin Wolfe & Dustin T. Wolfe Walter C. Womack & Sheri Seibert Womack Laura A. Ziegler *Indicates donor is deceased

KU INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD Many thanks for the KU International Affairs Advisory Board’s support and advocacy for internationalization.

Chair Jean Hardy Robinson, Ph.D. Vice Chair James D. Harder Anna R. Anderson Carol Ann Brown B. Wayne Burge Roger L. Hiatt Nicole Horton Jill Kleinberg, Ph.D.

David F. Lambertson Patrick A. Mawhinney Richard S. Paegelow Thomas A. Rudkin Leslie McElfresh Schweitzer Jessica Townsend Teague David A. White.

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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 1450 Jayhawk Blvd, Strong Hall, Room 300 Lawrence, KS 66045-7594

SUPPORT KU INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION Donations to KU International Affairs expand international education opportunities for all Jayhawks. Support bolsters the international student emergency aid fund for those facing financial challenges. Contributions also enable KU to increase study abroad development and international education opportunities across campus.

Give securely: kuendowment.org/givenow Please specify the gift will benefit the International Program Development Fund

international.ku.edu | intlaffairs@ku.edu | 785-864-6161