Global Education Office

Contact: Nicol Tinsley
VCU Global Education Office
Phone: (804) 828-6463
nctinsley@vcu.edu

Richmond, VA (May 2, 2023) — The Global Education Office (GEO) recently recognized student achievement in various programs at its Global Achievement Celebration on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. The celebration honored more than 185 students who were involved in the programs during the 2022-23 academic year, celebrating outstanding achievement, participation and graduation.

Students were recognized for their involvement in the following programs and organizations:

• international student graduates
• English Language Program graduates
• study abroad scholarship recipients
• members of the International Student Support Advisory Board
• exchange students from various VCU partner universities abroad
• Peace Corps Prep certificate recipients
• Global Engagement & Leadership Certificate recipients
• Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for international scholars and staff

Starting off the celebration, Jill Blondin, Ph.D., associate vice provost for global initiatives, spoke to the students, advising them to connect with GEO staff and faculty as resources to help them succeed in their goals.

“I understand the impact that we have on our students, and ultimately, alumni success. It’s important to maintain that contact; we want to see success for you,” she said. “So if I could give advice to the students tonight, to all the students here in the audience, I would say ask, ask for help, ask for guidance and support…your success is our success.”

During the evening, students of each group were recognized for achievement, participation and awards received during the school year. In addition, select students gave presentations about their research and projects, testimonies about study abroad experiences and expressions about their experiences as international students. 

“It was wonderful to see so many of our students who have engaged with Global Learning come together to be celebrated,” said Stephanie Tignor, director of global learning. “It was especially meaningful to hear several of them share the personal, academic, and professional impacts of their international education experiences,” she said. 

“VCU students are doing remarkable work on our campus, in the community, and across the globe, and they deserve to be recognized.”  

The five students who made presentations included Silas Contaifer, a doctoral student of pharmaceutical sciences from Brazil who spoke about his research project; Min Nguyen, a senior earning a degree in interdisciplinary studies, who spoke about her experiences as an international student; Kennedi Woods, a senior fashion major who studied abroad in Florence, Italy in fall 2022; Ruth Haileselassie, a junior political science major who studied “Language and Culture” in Morocco summer of 2022 after winning a Gilman scholarship; and Angela Vega Vega, a freshman majoring in fashion design from Mexico, who presented a video and images of melted wax sculptures that were also on display.

During her presentation, Nguyen spoke about being an international student while at VCU, expressing how her sense of belonging had increased since attending.

“Until this day I wake up and I can’t believe I can call VCU and Virginia my home, because my journey with Richmond and with VCU was so random," she said.

“Belonging is one of the needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. We are human; we need to be socialized, loved, have understanding and belong to something,” said Nguyen.

“And I belong to part of the community where I can see students like me, international, and we get the chance to socialize and to learn about each other. With the help of the people in the Global office, I found, I can call VCU my home,” she said.

View more images from the event.