On April 22 at 3 p.m, the Center for International Affairs will be holding a virtual ceremony to announce the winners of its various Global Citizen Awards. 

The Global Citizen Awards are a collection of seven different awards recognizing different individuals and organizations on campus who advance CWRU’s mission of internationalization, add to the experience of international students and demonstrate the university’s commitment to encouraging inclusion and diversity. The winners of these awards are normally announced during the International Achievement Luncheon, an event which also announces the winners of the Study Abroad Photo Contest. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, the luncheon had to be cancelled. The winners of the 2021 Global Citizen awards will now be announced in a separate virtual ceremony which can be accessed through the Center’s Facebook page. 

Different awards are available for staff, faculty, students and organizations within the campus community. Faculty and staff members are eligible for the International Leader award, given to those who work towards creating, according to the Center’s website, an “inclusive culture of global citizenship” by inspiring students to broaden their worldviews and providing them with opportunities to learn about other cultures.

Students are eligible for a number of different awards. One is the Unsung Champion award, given to students who enhance the international student experience and help to build a sense of community outside of traditional leadership positions or school-organized events. There is also the Spirit of Service award, given to students who are enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers in various capacities in the university. 

International students are eligible for the Laurie D. Zelman International Undergraduate Student award, given to an undergraduate international student who works towards creating an inclusive community on campus and encouraging cross-cultural understanding, and the Elise Lindsay International Graduate Student award, given to an international graduate student who exemplifies talent and perseverance and aims to make the world a better place.

Organizations may be nominated for two different awards. The first of these is the Outstanding Student Organization award, given to a university-recognized organization which has excelled in trying to promote diversity and global awareness through their actions. In addition, offices, centers and departments on campus are eligible for the Outstanding Partner in Campus Collaboration, given to an on-campus group that has collaborated with the Center for International Affairs to organize events and enhance the international student experience on campus.

Any student on campus who is seeking a degree and meets the criteria for the award is eligible for a nomination. Any faculty, staff or currently enrolled student is allowed to nominate organizations or individuals, including themselves, for one of these awards, although self-nominations must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from another party. Winners are chosen by an anonymous committee, and are each given a certificate and featured on the Center for International Affairs’ website. 

Although the window for nominations closed on March 26, it is definitely worth attending the virtual ceremony to see the excellent work done by members of our campus community to promote internationalization and create a better experience for CWRU’s diverse cohort of international students.