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Heiskell Awardees

The Institute of International Education (IIE) created the IIE Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education in 2001 to promote and honor outstanding initiatives conducted in international higher education by IIENetwork members. By recognizing excellence and innovation, IIE supports IIENetwork members in their endeavors, encourages the expansion and creation of initiatives based on these successful models, and amplifies the important role of international higher education on campuses and communities. Each winning initiative receives $1,000 to contribute to their ongoing success. 

For more than 20 years, IIE has bestowed 90 IIE Heiskell Awards to institutions and organizations around the world that demonstrate the power and longevity of international education through their impactful programs. With honor and esteem, we carry on the legacy of the award’s namesake, Andrew Heiskell, a former Executive Committee member of IIE’s Board of Trustees who was a renowned international and cultural philanthropist and a long-time supporter of international education.  

The 2024 IIE Heiskell Award Recipients

2024 Winner: Widening Access for International Education 
Northern Arizona University’s Global Citizens Project Scholar

To expand access to study abroad for students who have never traveled abroad and demonstrate high financial need, Northern Arizona University designed the Global Citizen Project Scholars (GCPS) program, which uses campus partnerships to build a network of study abroad supporters who pool financial and human resources to offer the program. The goals of GCPS are to make credit-bearing international education economically accessible to all students through a replicable model and provide multidisciplinary learning experiences for students of all majors to practice global citizenship and apply it to their fields.
2024 Winner: Student Mobility & Exchange 
Iowa State University’s Virtual Exchange+ Transatlantic Summer School 

To lower the barriers to international experience for students, Iowa State University created Virtual Exchange+ programs that embed international experiences in existing coursework. Students from the U.S. and German partner institutions meet virtually and work collaboratively during a course or module on a project-based learning experience. The faculty group who created the Virtual Exchange+ program then used their partnership and funding to create a Transatlantic Summer School on Sustainability which will be hosted in Germany and the U.S. on alternate years.
2024 Winner: Strategic Partnerships 
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen’s Data Science and Society Collaboration 

Building on a strategic partnership that has existed since 1986, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen have established a joint seed fund to support multidisciplinary research collaborations that engage faculty and students in the topic of data science and society. Their aim is to generate sustained research collaborations that address the urgent and shared challenges of using emerging technologies for the benefit of democratic societies while protecting civil liberties and privacy.  
2024 Winner: Models of International Education Financial Support 
Loyola Marymount University’s Gilman Incentive Grant 

Loyola Marymount University’s (LMU) Gilman Incentive Grant provides undergraduate students who receive Federal Pell grants a financial incentive to apply for the Gilman Scholarship. Students who complete and submit a polished Gilman Scholarship application will receive a $2,000 LMU grant, regardless of if they win funding from the Gilman Scholarship. To date, the program has awarded over $45,000 in grants to Pell-eligible students. 
2024 Honorable Mention: Widening Access for International Education 
Florida International University’s COIL Capacity Building Program 

Florida International University’s Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Capacity Building Program provides comprehensive, accessible, actionable professional development to individuals, institutions, and networks worldwide seeking to start, sustain, and expand equitable and inclusive virtual exchange initiatives. 1,169 educators have participated in FIU COIL Design Workshops and Leadership Institutes alone, yielding hundreds of COIL program programs annually that engage tens of thousands of faculty and students in transformational global learning with diverse international peers. 
2024 Honorable Mention: Student Mobility & Exchange
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Real-Life Learning for Unique and Federally Regulated Majors 

Embry-Riddle recognized that federal aviation regulations tied to some aeronautics and aviation majors were preventing students from participating in study abroad. To fill this gap, they designed their own study abroad programs to provide these students with hands-on experiences that magnify the global breadth of their chosen major. Program activities range from embedding students within Aegean Airlines, using unmanned aerial systems to map historic sites, to obtaining a seaplane rating in Alaska.  
2024 Honorable Mention: Strategic Partnerships
Dickinson College & U.S. Army War College’s Cooperative Scholarship

Dickinson College and the U.S. Army War College (USAWC) both support significant international populations in Carlisle, Pennsylvania as USAWC international fellows often bring their families to the U.S. with them. Starting as a grassroots effort, the Cooperative Scholarship uses Dickinson’s existing resources and Multi-lingual Writing Center to fill the needs of the international fellows and their dependents. Through the program, Dickinson can both support the Carlisle community and further internationalize their campus with an infusion of an entirely new international population.  
2024 Honorable Mention: Models of International Education Financial Support
University of Denver’s Cherrington Global Scholars 

The Cherrington Global Scholars (CGS) initiative is a University of Denver (DU) financial support program for study abroad expenses beyond the cost of home school tuition. Undergraduate students with CGS benefits may study abroad in any global destination at the same cost as studying on DU campus. Over the last two decades, the program has supported over 15,000 DU students on a term abroad experience representing over 70% participation in these globally recognized programs.  

    Learn more about the 2024 IIE Heiskell Award winning initiatives

    Previous IIE Heiskell Award Recipients

    Widening Access for International Education

    • Rice University: GREAT Project: Interconnection of Distinct Worlds 

    Student Mobility & Exchange

    • Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Global Projects for All 

    Strategic Partnerships

    • Notre Dame International: Notre Dame Standing in Solidarity with Ukrainian Catholic University 
    • Honorable Mention, Purdue University-Main Campus: Undergraduate Research Experience at Purdue-Colombia (UREP-C) 

    Models of International Education Financial Support

    • Indiana University: IU Global: International Advancement Initiative
    • Honorable Mention, Rutgers University: Access the World  

    Widening Access for International Education

    • Georgia State University: Georgia State University Free Passport Initiative
    • University of Richmond: EnCompass

    Student Mobility & Exchange

    • Northwestern University: Virtual Global Engagement Studies Institute Program

    Strategic Partnerships

    • Babson College: Babson Collaborative for Entrepreneurship Education
    • Louisiana State University: LSU & MENDELU Strategic Partnership

    Models of International Education Financial Support

    • University of Arkansas: International Education Catastrophic Fund

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Rice University: Brasil@Rice, A Corner/”Cantinho” of Brazil
    • Honorable Mention, Texas A&M International University: Reading the Globe

    Study Abroad

    • University of Tulsa: Jumpstart TU
    • University of Otago: A Place to Stand, A World to Explore

    International Partnerships

    • Lehigh University: United Nations Partnership
    • Honorable Mention, Kansas State University: Australian Initiative and Oz-to-Oz

    Internationalizing the Community College

    • Harper College: Global Region of Focus Initiative

    International Partnerships

    • Broward College: International Partnership Centers: The Third Way initiative

    Student Mobility

    • Lehigh University: Iacocca International Internship Program
    • Honorable Mention, De Montfort University: Leicester, England, #DMUglobal

    Study Abroad/Access & Equity

    • University of South Florida: USF Education Abroad Inclusion Initiative

    Higher Education in Emergencies

    • University of Evansville: Scholars for Syria Initiative

    Scholars as Drivers of Innovation

    • Agnes Scott College: Summit Program
    • Honorable Mention, Ferris State University: Beyond Initiative

    International Partnerships

    • West Virginia University: WVU – RUW Partnership

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Virginia Commonwealth University: VCU Globe
    • Honorable Mention, Northwestern University: Program in Global Health Studies (GHS)
    • Honorable Mention, Rochester Institute of Technology: A Blueprint for Global STEAM Education

    Study Abroad

    • University of Massachusetts Lowell: Global Entrepreneurship Exchange
    • Honorable Mention, Baldwin Wallace University: BW in Zambia

    Internationalizing the Community College

    • Ohio State Agricultural Technical Institute: Ghana Research and Education Abroad
    • Honorable Mention, Pima Community College: Mexico Project

    International Partnerships

    • Mississippi State University: Mississippi-Morocco Partnership
    • Honorable Mention, University of Warwick: The International Conference of Undergraduate Research (ICUR)

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Macquarie University: Global Leadership Program (GLP)
    • Honorable Mention, Georgia Gwinnett College: Internationalization of the Curriculum: Engaging the World to Develop Global Citizens

    Study Abroad

    • Northern Arizona University: Interdisciplinary Global Programs
    • Honorable Mention, Indiana University: Global Gateway for Teachers

    Internationalizing the MSI

    • Santa Monica College: Global Citizenship
    • Virginia Union University: Institutionalizing Internationalization at VUU

    International Partnerships

    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: ISIP/INSPIRE
    • Honorable Mention, Northwestern University: International Program Development (IPD)

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Florida International University: Global Learning for Global Citizenship
    • Case Western Reserve University: Plan for Internationalization
    • Honorable Mention, Temple University: International Educator’s Academy

    Study Abroad

    • The University of Iowa: India Winterim International Development
    • Honorable Mention, Sacred Heart University: College of Nursing Study Abroad
    • Honorable Mention, SUNY Oswego: “I Too, Am Study Abroad”

    Internationalizing the HBCU

    • Tennessee State University: Diversity and International Affairs

    International Partnerships

    • Auburn University: Auburn-Keimyung Korea Center
    • Honorable Mention, The Ohio State University: Ohio State One Health Ethiopia Partnership

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Texas Christian University: Discovering Global Citizenship
    • Honorable Mention, Purdue University: Purdue International Integration Initiative (P3i)
    • Honorable Mention, Higher School of Economics in Moscow: Internationalization Program

    Study Abroad

    • SUNY New Paltz: CIP – EOP Study Abroad Initiative
    • Honorable Mention, University of Minnesota: Bridging Loan Program

    Internationalizing the Community College

    • Madison Area Technical College: Community College Sustainable Development Network
    • Honorable Mention, Miami Dade College: Diasporic Knowledge Remittance Study Abroad
    • Honorable Mention, Spokane Falls Community College: 2020 Global Vision

    International Partnerships

    • University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University: Joint Institute
    • Honorable Mention, Franklin University & Wyzsza Szkola Bankowa (Poland) Academic Partnership
    • Honorable Mention, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico – University of North Texas, UAEM – UNT Academic Liaison Offices

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire: International Fellows Program
    • Honorable Mention, University of British Columbia: Africa Awareness Initiative
    • Honorable Mention, University of Hyderabad: Study in India Program

    Study Abroad

    • Clemson University: Engineers for Developing Countries
    • Honorable Mention, DePaul University: FY@broad

    Internationalizing the Community College

    • Lone Star College System: Faculty International Exploration Award
    • Honorable Mention, Valencia College: Faculty Development for Study Abroad

    International Partnerships

    • St. Cloud State University: Partnership with Universidad de Concepcion
    • Honorable Mention, University of South Florida: Ghana Scholars Program

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Susquehanna University: Global Opportunities (GO)

    Study Abroad

    • Wake Forest University: Project MAAP (Magnolia Abroad Access Program)
    • Honorable Mention, University of Pittsburgh: The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership

    Internationalizing the Community College

    • Pitt Community College: International Education Travel Scholarship (IETS)

    Special Recognition: Internationalizing the Professions

    • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Air Traffic Management
    • La Trobe University: Oral Health in Nepal
    • Saint Louis University: Nursing with International Preparation
    • Shoreline Community College: Dental Hygiene Education/Smiles Forever

    International Partnerships

    • Hendrix College: Rwanda Presidential Scholars Program
    • Honorable Mention, Victoria University & University of Texas, El Paso: VU/UTEP Global Engagement & Learning Program

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • University of Kentucky: Discover Germany – Discover USA

    Study Abroad

    • University of Rhode Island: International Engineering Program (IEP)
    • Honorable Mention, University of Georgia: Global Programs in Sustainability

    Study Abroad at the Community College

    • Community College of Baltimore City & Howard Community College: Global Distinction
    • Honorable Mention, Community College of Philadelphia: Student-Faculty International Fellowship Program

    International Partnerships

    • Georgetown University Law Center: Center for Transnational Legal Studies (CTLS)
    • Honorable Mention, The Chinese University of Hong Kong & UNC & CBS: Global Learning Opportunities in Business Education (GLOBE)

    Internationalizing the Campus, Special Focus on Business Education

    • College of Wooster: Global Social Entrepreneurship (Global SE)
    • Honorable Mention: The George Washington University School of Business: The GWSB Global MBA Program

    Study Abroad

    • Northeastern University: Dialogue of Civilization
    • Honorable Mention, Japan Center for Michigan Universities: Intensive Language Study in Japan
    • Honorable Mention, Kennesaw State University: Expanding Access and Enhancing Intercultural Learning
    • Special Recognition, German Academic Exchange Service/DAAD: Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE)

    Study Abroad at the Community College

    • Houston Community College: International Business/Logistics & Supply Chain Management
    • Honorable Mention, Genesee Community College: Nursing and Science (path and biotech) clinical exchange

    U.S.-Spain Academic Cooperation

    • University of Nebraska Lincoln & University of Castilla-La Mancha: Harold E. Spencer Exchange in Teacher Education
    • Honorable Mention, Universidad de Cantabria & Cornell College of Engineering: The Cornell-Cantabria Program (CCEP)

    International Partnerships

    • California Institute of Technology: Dual Master’s Degree program in Aerospace Engineering or Aeronautics and Fluid Mechanics: A Joint Partnership between the California Institute of Technology and Ecole Polytechnique
    • Honorable Mention, North Carolina State University in Partnership with Université Paul Cézanne- IAE Aix-en Provence: Master of Global Innovation Management

    Internationalizing the Campus, Special Focus on Engineering Programs

    • Georgia Institution of Technology: The International Plan
    • Honorable Mention, University of Colorado at Boulder: Internationalization in the University of Colorado at Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science

    Study Abroad

    • Angelo State University: Fostering International Education through Study Abroad: Removing Participation Barriers for Students and Faculty
    • Washington & Jefferson College: The Magellan Project

    Study Abroad at the Community College

    • College of Lake County: Semester-long Study Abroad Program at XAIU (Xi’an International University)
    • Honorable Mention, Howard Community College: Mexico Language Study Abroad Initiatives

    International Partnerships

    • Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis: IUPUI Office of International Affairs
    • Honorable Mention, Ohio University: Research Collabroation via Web-based Technology between the University of Liberia (West Afric) and Ohop University Undergraduates: Best Practices in Microfinance

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Champlain College: Institute of Global Engagement
    • Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM): Strategic Plan for the Internationalization of UDEM

    Study Abroad

    • Clemson University and The University of Kansas: Maymester Study Abroad in Carpi, Italy for Education Majors
    • Honorable Mention, Vanderbilt University: Vanderbilt Initiative for Scholarship and Global Engagement

    Study Abroad at the Community College

    • Scottsdale Community College: Australia and New Zealand: Connecting Communities, Sharing Cultures
    • Honorable Mention, Chaffey College: Study Near & Far, Salt Lake Community College: Vietnam Study Abroad Program

    International Exchange Partnerships

    • University of Georgia: The UGA Tunisia Educational Partnership
    • Honorable Mention, East Carolina University: Global Academic Initiatives

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • St. Louis Community College, Forest Park: Global Education Committee
    • Honorable Mention, Florence-Darlington Technical College: A Global Village for Two Year Institutions–Domestic & Abroad
    • Honorable Mention, Leeds Metropolitan University: Internationalization Strategy

    Study Abroad

    • Rice University & The University of Tulsa: NanoJapan: Summer Nanotechnology Research Program for Undergraduates
    • Honorable Mention, Grand Valley State University: Barbara H. Padnos International Center
    • Honorable Mention, State University of New York at Buffalo: International Comparative Urban Planning “Studio”

    International Exchange Partnerships

    • The State University of New York System Administration: Turkish Dual Diploma Programs
    • Honorable Mention, Bard College: Smolny College–A Joint Venture Between Bard College and St. Petersburg State University

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • University of Delaware: Advancement of a Campus-Wide International Curriculum
    • Honorable Mention, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University: Global Studies Certificate Program

    Study Abroad

    • Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU): Global Opportunities on I-10
    • Emory University: Emory College’s Science Experience Abroad: Study Abroad Program for Science Students
    • Honorable Mention, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire: Removing Barriers and Extending the Reach
    • Honorable Mention, Valdosta State University: Study Abroad Program in Guadalajara

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • George Mason University: Provost’s Advisory Committee on Global Research and Education
    • Honorable Mention, Georgia Institute of Technology: The International Plan
    • Special Recognition, Atlantic Coast Conference Consortium: Atlantic Coast Conference International Academic Collaborative

    Study Abroad

    • Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA): Community and Development Program in Bangladesh
    • Honorable Mention, Glendale Community College: The Baja California Field Studies Program: Field-Based International Education for Community College Students
    • Honorable Mention, Voorhees College: Developing Cultural Context and Intercultural Entrepreneurship Competencies
    • Special Recognition, University of Kansas Medical Center: International Health Electives

    Faculty Programs

    • Central Missouri State University: Maastricht Center for Transatlantic Studies
    • Honorable Mention, University of North Dakota: Shanghai-North Dakota Joint Business Management Initiative

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Santa Fe Community College: SFCC International Education Initiative
    • Honorable Mention, American University: AU Abroad and Abroad at AU
    • Honorable Mention, University of Hawaii – Kapiolani Community College: Island Roots and Global Reach: Kapiolani Community College’s International Education Program

    Study Abroad

    • University of Pittsburgh: The Plus3 Program: An Early Exposure to Study Abroad
    • Honorable Mention, Kalamazoo College: People, the Environment, and Development: Landscape-Based Studies of Southeast Asian Ecosystems and Cultures
    • Honorable Mention, The University of Arizona: Trilateral Consortium on Capacity Building in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies

    Faculty Programs

    • Tecnológico de Monterrey, México: Educational Model

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Northeastern Illinois University: Internationalization of Northeastern Illinois University
    • Honorable Mention, Binghamton University, State University of New York: Languages Across the Curriculum
    • Honorable Mention, Georgia State University: Cross-Cultural Conversation and Service Partners

    Study Abroad

    • Tufts University: The International Research Program: Integrating Study Abroad and International Research
    • Honorable Mention, University of Arkansas: Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural Global Studies Program
    • Honorable Mention, Worcester Polytechnic Institute: The Global Perspective Program

    Faculty Programs

    • Colorado State University: The International Development Studies Faculty Mentoring Program
    • Honorable Mention, University of Richmond: Faculty Seminar Abroad
    • Honorable Mention, California State University: San Bernardino Professors Across Borders

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Chatham College: Global Focus Program

    Study Abroad

    • Fox Valley Technical College: Transatlantic Automotive Technology (TransAutoTEC) Project
    • Honorable Mention, University of Southern Mississippi: Vietnam Studies Program
    • Honorable Mention, Lake Superior College: Mexico Study Abroad Learning Community

    Faculty Programs

    • University of Missouri-Columbia: Global Scholars Program
    • Honorable Mention, University of Richmond: Faculty Seminar Abroad
    • Honorable Mention, Emory University: Faculty Study Trip Program of the Claus M. Halle Institute for Global Learning
    • Honorable Mention, Colorado State University: International Development Faculty Mentoring Program

    Internationalizing the Campus

    • Juniata College: Language in Motion
    • Montana State University: Arabic Language and Middle East/North Africa Cultural Studies Program
    • Honorable Mention, University of Nebraska, Omaha: International Studies and Programs Campus and Community Service Project
    • Honorable Mention, University of Colorado, Denver: International Colleges Program

    Study Abroad

    • San Diego State University: Undergraduate International Business Program
    • Honorable Mention, Barnard College: Study Abroad Communications Project
    • Honorable Mention, Brookdale Community College: Faculty-Led Short-Term Study Abroad Programs