International Education Award Recipients

Georgia State University is proud of its global champions: the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who embody what it means to be a global citizen and who work to advance international understanding across campus and around the globe.

In 2012, Georgia State University began recognizing exemplary faculty, staff, international students, and study abroad students for their commitment to international education. In 2018, the Sheth Awards were established to recognize one distinguished faculty member and one exceptional international alumnus or alumnae for their achievements.

2018

Sheth Distinguished Faculty Award for International Achievement

MICHAEL P. ERIKSEN
Founding Dean and Regents’ Professor
School of Public Health
Specializations: Tobacco Control, Cancer Prevention, Urban Health, Global Health, Chronic Diseases & Determinants

Award criteria
“Record of achievement and recognition for international work at Georgia State University and contributions to humanity, science, art, or human welfare have made a positive impact internationally”

Principal Investigator for the China Tobacco Control Partnership, a large-scale international collaboration funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Pfizer, Inc. ($17 Million). The Partnership focuses on changing social norms of tobacco use in China, the epicenter of the global tobacco epidemic. The Partnership funded 22 cities in China to establish comprehensive tobacco control programs and five Chinese universities to create tobacco research Centers of Excellence.
Principal Investigator for a five-year (2017 – 2022), $1 million award from the National Institute of Health’s Fogarty International Center to advance smoking cessation in Hanoi, Vietnam and Shanghai, China and to build capacity among the researchers at Hanoi University of Public Health and Fudan University School of Public Health
Secured a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and the Chengdu Health and Family Planning Commission. The MOC focuses on collaborations and cooperation between the Chengdu Centers for Disease Control and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
Recognized for his international work by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations agency responsible for global health.
Co-author of five editions of TheTobacco Atlas, a publication that provides the most up-to-date global data on the tobacco epidemic.The Tobacco Atlas has been translated into Mandarin, Spanish, and Arabic.
Consultant for Taiwan’s National Health Research Institute that resulted in seven publications
Consultant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish a global tobacco control strategy
Mentor for numerous international students
As Dean, hosted 70 Fulbright Scholars from 26 countries in the School of Public Health
Host of the 2017 and 2018 national Fulbright Global Health Innovations Seminar

Learn more about Dr. Michael P. Eriksen

Learn more about the Sheth Distinguished Faculty Award for International Achievement

Learn more about The Sheth Family Foundation’s endowment at Georgia State University

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement

BAOYUN QIAO (Ph.D. ’01)
Economics
Andrew Young School for Policy Studies
Specialization: Economics of the public sector
Home country: China

Award criteria
“Contributions to humanity, science, art, or human welfare that have helped the citizens of their country and/or the global population, and life activities that reflect the importance of their education at Georgia State University”

Completed his Ph.D. in economics from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies in December 2001 with high distinction
Appointed Dean of the China Academy of Public Finance and Policy at Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE); served as Professor of Economics at Shanghai University from 2004-2007
Adviser to China’s Ministry of Finance on a variety of policy issues, including the establishment of the framework of China subnational debt management, subnational debt risk monitoring system, and municipal bond markets
Advised the State Administration of Taxation of China on building the tax revenue forecasting system for the entire country
Advised governments in over 10 countries including Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea on fiscal decentralization, subnational debt and management, municipal bond market, finance of infrastructure construction, and poverty reduction
Published over 10 books and 30 articles in the area of public sector economics
Delivered keynote speeches at the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank

Learn more about the Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement

Learn more about The Sheth Family Foundation’s endowment at Georgia State University

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

Faculty Award for Global Engagement – Research & Scholarship

RITU ANEJA
Professor of Cancer Biology and Distinguished University Professor
College of Arts & Sciences
Specializations: Molecular Biology, Cancer Research, Cell Biology

Principal Investigator of The Aneja Lab at Georgia State University, a team dedicated to deciphering and tackling the complexities of cancer to more accurately predict patient prognosis and guide selection of most optimal therapies that are directed towards cancer-specific vulnerabilities and the specific biomarker profiles of individual patients
Founder of the International Consortium for Advancing Research on Triple Negative Breast Cancer (ICART)
Chair of the 2017 International Conference on Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Illuminating actionable Biology, held at Georgia State in September 2017
Director of The Molecular Basis of Disease (MBD) Program and Director of Graduate Studies in Biology at Georgia State, where she is responsible for setting vision to enhance graduate education quality and recruit high-caliber graduate students and provide them mentoring
Visited Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) in Hong Kong as part of the Georgia State team to further the conversations on establishing a dual degree Ph.D. program between the two institutions
Helmed various research collaborations and student exchanges for research between Georgia State and China Medical University in Taiwan
Initiated discussions on research exchange with the African Institute of Biomedical Science & Technology, Zimbabwe
Recipient of the 2018 Faculty International Partnership Engagement (FIPE) grant
Recipient of the Society of American Asian Scientists in Cancer Research (SAASCR) Award 2015 for Outstanding contributions in Cancer Research

Learn more about Dr. Ritu Aneja

Learn more about the Faculty Award for Global Engagement – Research & Scholarship

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

Faculty Award for Global Engagement - Teaching, Service, & Outreach

GABRIEL KUPERMINC
Professor of Psychology and Public Health
College of Arts & Sciences
Secondary Appointment, School of Public Health
Specializations: Community Psychology, Youth Development, Resilience, Cultural Variations and Adaptations, Community Health Interventions

Developed and leads Maymester study abroad course: Human Rights in Argentina
Serves on Research Advisory Board of National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities, Casa de Esperanza; national organization working to end domestic violence through research, training/technical assistance, public policy, and community-based programs
Provided consultation and training on group mentoring for middle school aged youth in the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Girls’ Mentoring Program
Served on the organizing committee, Friends School of Atlanta Beloved Community Summit 2012, entitled “Immigration Today: A Hometown Human Rights Crisis”
Provided consultation on evaluation of Healthy Families Program for refugee families in Georgia; Jewish Family and Career Services, Atlanta, GA
Provided consultation on needs assessment of extracurricular programming needs for students of diverse ethnic/cultural backgrounds; Cross Keys High School, DeKalb County, GA
Participant on Emotional and Physical Health subcommittee; International Student Task Force; DeKalb County Schools
Provided consultation on school adaptation of students of diverse ethnic/cultural backgrounds; Sequoyah Middle School,DeKalb County
Steering committee work group sponsored by Hands On Atlanta, focused on promoting academic achievement of Latino youth; Futuro Latino, Atlanta, GA
Consultant for Ambassadors for Education, a program involving international community leaders to assist in enhancing school/family, and community relations; DeKalb Co., GA Public Schools
Research consultant on Mixed Method Study of Impact of Immigration Actions and Policies on Latinx Family Functioning, funded by George Washington University Cross-Disciplinary Research Fund

Learn more about Dr. Gabriel Kuperminc

Learn more about the Faculty Award for Global Engagement – Teaching, Service, & Outreach

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

Staff Award for Global Engagement

FARRAH BERNARDINO
Managing Director
Center for International Business Education & Research (CIBER)
Robinson College of Business

Serves as the managing director of Georgia State’s Center for International Business Education & Research (CIBER) since 2011, overseeing a 1.6 million Department of Education Title VI grant to provide opportunities for international research, teaching, student learning, and experiences
Co-led the proposal for the 2018 Georgia State’s CIBER grant and successfully awarded $1.3 million for 2018-2022, the highest funding of 15 national awardees
Oversees daily operations of Georgia State’s CIBER and leads the planning and execution of Georgia State’s CIBER’s activities
Leads the national CIBER Minority Serving Institution Consortium, composed of 10 other CIBERs which collaborate to lead international business initiatives for students and faculty with a focus on providing resources to MSI institutions
Leads the annual International Business Case Competition, International Business Pedagogy Workshops, and Consortium for International Marketing Research conference
Collaborates with globally focused Atlanta businesses and organizations, such as Diversity Abroad to advance international opportunities for GSU students
During tenure as the Director of Study Abroad for Georgia State University, increased study abroad scholarships from $110,000 to $608,000 and secured a grant from Higher Administration to implement the StudioAbroad software system to transform and enhance the way Georgia State managed study abroad
Co-authored a chapter in The Handbook of Practice and Research in Study Abroad called “Towards Global Citizenship: Low Minority Student Participation and Strategies for Success”
Co-wrote the Coca-Cola Ambassador Study Abroad Scholarship proposal which was successfully awarded
Worked in NAFSA’s International Education Leadership unit with Senior International Officers across the country to advance campus internationalization strategies

Learn more about Farrah Bernardino

Learn more about the Staff Award for Global Engagement

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

Study Abroad Program Director of the Year

CARMEN EILERTSON
Principal Sr. Lecturer, Biology & Medical Science Co-director
College of Arts & Sciences
Specializations: Premedical Education

Study Abroad Program: Clinical Internship in Athens, Greece
Former Director of Research and Director of Operations for two biotech companies in the Atlanta area
Built unique partnerships with WellStar and hospitals abroad to provide important clinical internship opportunities for Georgia State students
Premed Faculty Associate for the Center for Advancement of Students and Alumni at Georgia State
Developed a premedical courses relevant to first year of medical school
College of Arts & Sciences Premedical Advisory Committee
Undergrad Premed Director, Biology
Co-Director Masters in Biology Medical Sciences concentration
Board Member of Atlanta Medical Center’s Research Education Foundation
Recipient of the College of Arts & Sciences Outstanding Teacher Award in 2016

Learn more about Dr. Carmen Eilertson

Learn more about the Study Abroad Program Director of the Year Award

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

Study Abroad Student of the Year

JALISSA SPALDING
Graduate Student, Criminal Justice & Criminology
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Study Abroad Programs:
- West Indies Study Abroad Program: International Perspectives on Criminal Justice & Criminology (Trinidad & Tobago)
- Cross Cultural Perspectives on Health and Respiratory Therapy Services (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
Study abroad aspirations:
- Spring 2019: Destination Dubai: Faces, Facets, and Psychology of a Growing Global City (Dubai, UAE)
- Speak Spanish fluently and plan to go abroad for a longer period of time to be immersed in the culture as well as to have access to the language daily
Graduate of Eastern Kentucky University; B.A. in Criminal Justice with a minor in African/African American Studies, Cum Laude; 2017
Work and volunteer experience:
- Graduate Administrative Assistant in Study Abroad Programs within the Office of International Initiatives
- Volunteer at Friendship Baptist Church; member of the Outreach Ministry distributing food and clothes to those in need.
Career aspirations: Civil-rights attorney

Learn more about the Study Abroad Student of the Year Award

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

International Graduate Student of the Year

EDWIN S. J. MATHIES, JR.
Graduate Student, Public Management & Policy
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
Home country: Liberia

Graduate of the African Methodist Episcopal University (Liberia); B.A. in Public Administration and Sociology, Cum Laude; 2018
Developed Liberia’s first Vacation Bridge Program in partnership with Tuskegee University (Alabama) to provide qualified incoming high school graduates with a summer experience at the university and give them the opportunity to jump-start their academic goals
Founded Educating Youth for Empowerment (EYE/Liberia), a non-profit that seeks to educate and empower vulnerable children and youths in Liberia’s slum communities through sustainable community-based programs
Work experience:
- Project Coordinator; Georgia State University Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) Fellows/Alumni Project
- Student Services Officer and Program Coordinator,African Methodist Episcopal University (Liberia)
- Senior Risk Analyst; Central Bank of Liberia
Professional training:
- Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders Fellow
- Enterprise Risk Management, Risk Based Internal Audit & Combine Assurance; PwC Business School; Accra, Ghana
- Emerging Leaders Conference; World Youth Alliance; Nairobi, Kenya
- Risk Assessment and Emergency Management Course; Tom Associates; Lagos, Nigera
Honors:
- Carolyn McClain Young Leadership Award; Georgia State University
- President’s Academic Distinction Award; African Methodist Episcopal University
- West Africa’s 30 Under 30 Most Influential Personality; West African Network
- Youth Leadership Award; Federation of Liberian Youths
Career aspirations: Public affairs servant leader; executive governor of the Central Bank of Liberia; United Nations Ambassador for Liberia; pro-bono educator for Liberian/African universities

Learn more about the International Graduate Student of the Year Award

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception.

International Undergraduate Student of the Year

PIA-MILAN GREEN
Undergraduate Student, Interdisciplinary Studies – Law and Society
College of Arts & Sciences/Honors College
Home country: Jamaica

Strives to provide an international perspective and inspire prospective students to take advantage of the world and venture beyond geographical and educational boundaries
Participates in student panels in order to share the international student story; travelled to the CIVSA conference in Ohio to represent Georgia State University
Produces University Housing programs that target diversity and how we should not only tolerate it but embrace it; encourages travelling and study abroad programs and scholarships because she has seen how important it is to learn hands-on about different cultures and societies
Fluent in Jamaican Patois; intermediate level in Spanish and Latin
Work experience:
- Ambassador, Welcome Center; Georgia State University
- Intern; Campbell & Campbell Law Firm
- Resident Assistant; Georgia State University
- Project Marketing & Management Intern; Digicel Group Corporate Office: Caribbean, Asia, Pacific & Central America
- Publicity Intern; Columbus Communications
Leadership experience:
- Member, 1913 Society; Georgia State University
- Student Justice; Student Judicial Board; Georgia State University
- Member and Public Relations Chair; National Society of Collegiate Scholars; Georgia State University
- Member; Homecoming Court; Georgia State University
- Member, Caribbean Student’s Association; Georgia State University
- Chair, Golden Key International Honor Society; Georgia State University
- Chair, University Community Council
Career aspirations: interested in the judicial system, global law and policy, politics and ways to ensure just and efficient implementation of each item in society; open her own law firm with two major departments devoted to human rights and law within the entertainment industry; champion of rights against discrimination, unequal opportunity and underdeveloped potential, especially of girls from lesser-developed countries; plans to start her own charity that enables children to attend colleges in more-developed countries where they can receive a more rounded education in a safer environment

Learn more about the International Undergraduate Student of the Year Award

View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

Community Award for Global Engagement

GLOBAL ATLANTA
Phil Bolton, Publisher and President of Agio Press Inc.
Trevor Williams, Managing Editor

Has tracked Atlanta’s connection to the global economy for 25+ years
Serves as the only news source devoted to tracking Atlanta’s rise as a global city and an international hub in business, culture, and education
Offers practical global business content, always with a local angle, that prioritizes actionable opportunities and helps readers navigate the complexities of the global economy with better information, relationships and resources.
Curates and publishes the city’s most comprehensive global calendar of events
2017 – Winner, Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Global Partner Award at the Global Impact Awards
2016 – Finalist, Global Impact Awards, Metro Atlanta Chamber
2015 – International Community Service Award, Technology Association of Georgia, awarded personally to Publisher Phil Bolton
2014 – Winner of the President’s E Award for Export Service, a distinction given by the U.S. Commerce Department on behalf of the White House to organizations that help promote U.S. exports.

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View more photos of the 2018 International Education Award Recipients from the Georgia State University International Honorary Reception

Previous Winners

Note: International Education Awards were not awarded in 2016.