Four ISEP Ambassadors Receive International Recognition
As study abroad alumni, ISEP Ambassadors play an integral role in helping to shape the study abroad experience of both incoming and outgoing students on their home campuses. This past year, ISEP welcomed the nominations of over 200 Ambassadors, its largest group to date. Throughout 2009-10, these volunteers played active roles in offering study abroad advice on Facebook, coordinating multicultural events for their fellow students, and assisting their home ISEP Coordinators with study abroad fairs. Their mid-year and end-of-year activity logs and reports documented their efforts and showed an incredible amount of creativity and initiative in introducing international students to their universities and helping them integrate into a new culture.
After an extensive review of these entries, ISEP is pleased to award the title of
Ambassador of the Year to Rasmus Hindkjaer.
Rasmus spent his semester abroad at Western Illinois University in the United States, and since returning to Aalborg University in Denmark has worked hard to contribute to the international community on his campus and the ISEP Network as a whole. The following are some highlights from Rasmus’s report:
- Arranged airport pickups for incoming students and helped students locate lost luggage
- Led a guided tour of the Aalborg campus and the local city
- Created a Facebook group for Aalborg University for students to network with each other
- Reinitiated writing workshops with his international office to teach incoming students how to best handle project work
- Coordinated a daytrip to the town of Arhus to see the Christmas exhibits and sample traditional holiday food
- Compiled a questionnaire for ISEP students to evaluate their semester abroad. Presented responses to home ISEP Coordinator and brainstormed ideas of how to better promote the ISEP experience.
Make sure to check out Western Illinois University's News Release describing Rasmus' experience abroad.
"“I know I have made a difference to the international students that I have met along the way, and I know they have made a difference to me,” Rasmus wrote of his experience. “The memories and friends I have made as an ISEP Ambassador will last me a lifetime, and cultural competencies and organizational skills I have learned by being an ISEP Ambassador will most definitely help me in my future career"
ISEP is also proud to announce two honorable mention recipients in this year’s contest: Erin Keranen of Central Michigan University in the United States and Tatiana Gence of Université de la Réunion in the French Islands. Erin gave driving lessons to the international students on her campus and invited several of them to travel home with her to Detroit. Tatiana promoted ISEP through the local magazine Métysse and organized information sessions to explain the exchange process to prospective study abroad participants.
In addition to this year’s contest winners, ISEP congratulates Nora Tobin, former Ambassador from Iowa State University (US) and newest addition to the ISEP Central staff. Nora was recently featured as part of USA Today’s All-USA College Academic First Team. Chosen from hundreds of nominated students, Nora was 1 of only 20 students to be showcased for her academic achievements and global initiatives outside the classroom. During her ISEP experience at University of Stellenbosch, Nora oversaw an HIV-prevention campaign that counseled and tested Afrikaner students. To read more about Nora’s outreach efforts, check out the USA Today article here