​​Each year, AIEA presents the Harold Josephson Award to deserving graduate students who are making significant contributions to the field of international education. This award was established to honor the memory of Dr. Josephson, a long-time leader in AIEA and Associate Vice Chancellor of International Programs at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, who passed in 1998.

Effective 2017, AIEA  recognizes up to two Josephson awardees, in light of the changing demographics of our field:
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  • The Student Professional Award may be awarded to an advanced graduate student in any field who has already entered the professional ranks, and has distinguished him or herself as an emerging leader in international education. 

  • The Student Award may recognize a graduate student in any discipline who has demonstrated exceptional promise in the field through research, campus activities, or other relevant contributions. 

Award recipients in both categories will be listed in the annual conference program and recognized during the conference. Both recipients will receive complimentary conference registration, and the Student Award recipient will be provided a $1,000 travel grant to attend.
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Pictured (L-R): (top) AIEA Board member, Kalpen Trivedi and 2025 Harold Josephson Professional Award Recipient Krishna Chaitanya Rao Kathala; (bottom) 2025 Harold Josephson Student Award Recipient, Anas Nazmi Almassri and 2025 AIEA President, Paulo Zagalo-Melo

​Criteria and Nomination Process

 Nominees may be at the masters or doctoral level, in any disciplinary area. Nominators are requested to provide the following:

  • A brief narrative providing specific examples of the student’s leadership roles, which may include: research and original scholarship in a relevant field; teaching or advising that is informed by and promotes the values of international education; and/or program development or other relevant initiatives. Nominations may also refer to other tangible recognitions from the home institution (outstanding graduate teaching award, leadership in graduate governance on the campus, campus nomination for Fulbright, NSEP, or other nationally competitive awards).
  • The addition of a curriculum vitae for the candidate is helpful but not formally required. 
Deadline: October 1, 2025

Past Recipients

2006 - 2009
​2006 Recipient - Michele S. Schwietz, University of Pittsburgh
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Michele S. Schwietz is a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Pittsburgh who will graduate in April 2006. Her dissertation, "Internationalization of the Academic Profession: An Exploratory Study of Faculty Attitudes, Beliefs and Involvement Regarding the Internationalization of Higher Education at Public Universities in Pennsylvania," analyzes data from over 800 faculty at nine universities. She received a grant from the University of Pittsburgh and published two book reviews in the journal of College Student Development. Michele received MA in Student Affairs in Higher Education and a BA in Spanish from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Michele completed an internship at IIE in Washington, D.C. and studied abroad in Spain and Mexico. She has over 20 years of experience in research and administration and is the Assistant Dean of Research at IUP. She has written grant proposals funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Kresge Foundation.
​2007 Recipient - Dawn Graham, Purdue University
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Dawn Graham is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at Purdue University. She is presenting her two-year longitudinal study on intercultural competence and problem solving among short-term study abroad students. She has worked at Purdue’s Study Abroad Office for the past two-and-a-half years under the direction of Assistant Dean Brian Harley and Dean Riall Nolan. Her current studies continue to bridge the disciplines of psychology and international education. She studied as an undergraduate in the UK and has traveled to more than 20 countries. Graham received her Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Evansville and her Master of Arts in applied behavioral science: counseling from Valparaiso University in Indiana.
​2008 Recipient - Mark Salisbury, University of Iowa
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​Mark Salisbury is a doctoral student in Student Affairs Administration and Research and a research assistant in the Center for Research on Undergraduate Education at the University of Iowa. He was the co-principle researcher on the University of Iowa Internationalization Assessment Project in conjunction with the American Council onEducation Internationalization Laboratory. Salisbury is also a recipient of the 2007 Paul Opstad Scholarship for his work on behalf of international students. He has over a decade of experience working in higher education, including programming for international and honors students, researching and implementing strategic initiatives for enrollment planning, advising undergraduates, and coaching intercollegiate soccer at three different institutions. He earned his Master’s Degree in American Studies from the University of Kansas in 1997.
2009 Recipient - Elizabeth Stallman, University of Minnesota

Elizabeth Stallman is a Ph.D. candidate in comparative and international development education at the University of Minnesota; she will graduate in May 2009. Her dissertation is a mixed-methods investigation of intercultural competence and racial identity among White American undergraduates who study abroad. She is the lead research assistant on a three-year, federally-funded research project investigating the long-term impact of study abroad on alumni’s global citizenship. She received her M.A. in international educational development from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she also served as assistant director of International Services. She received her B.A. in international politics from Penn State University. From 1994 to 1996 she was a participant on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program for which she taught English to Japanese high school students in Shizuoka, Japan.
2010 - 2013
​2010 Recipient - Martha Bloem, University of Texas at Austin
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Martha Bloem is a second-year graduate student at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on the intersection of education policy and international affairs, and how greater access to higher education leads to sustainable socioeconomic development in developing countries. Ms. Bloem is the Sponsored Student Graduate Assistant in the UT International Office, facilitating the admission and placement of sponsored international students. Ms. Bloem has also served on various selection committees for international education scholarships, and she designed a cultural curriculum for Rice University’s sponsored student programs. Prior to graduate school, Ms. Bloem was the Program and Development Coordinator at Minds Matter of NYC, Inc., an academic mentoring nonprofit that helps high-achieving, low-income high school students in their pursuit of a college education. Ms. Bloem graduated from UT-Austin with a bachelor’s degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology.
​2011 Recipient - Leasa Weimer, University of Colorado Boulder
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Leasa Weimer is a third year doctoral student in the University of Georgia Institute for Higher Education. Currently, she serves as the Graduate Fellow for the Franklin Residential College and works as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of International Education. In addition, she has served as a teaching assistant for the UGA Costa Rica spring break study abroad program and the Global LEAD South African summer study abroad program. In 2009, she lived, worked, and studied for six months as a Graduate Resident in the UGA Oxford program. Her research agenda focuses on the political economy and the international student market. Prior to pursuing a PhD, she was awarded a European Union Erasmus Mundus scholarship wherein she completed a joint master’s degree program, living and studying in Oslo, Norway; Tampere, Finland; and Aveiro, Portugal. Leasa earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder.
​2012 Recipient - Jason Pedicone, Princeton University
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Jason Pedicone is a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Classics Department at Princeton. Over the course of his studies, Jason spent time in the German, Italian, and French university systems. His most meaningful experiences abroad were his Fulbright fellowship to Munich and his year in Rome, where he learned conversationally Latin from Fr. Reginald Foster, the Vatican’s Secretary of Latin letters. These experiences inspired him to found the Paideia Institute in 2011.
The Paideia Institute is an educational non-profit organization with the mission of promoting the humanities through innovative educational programming in Europe. The Institute’s first program−a unique, five-week spoken Latin seminar called ‘Living Latin in Rome’−ran in 2011 and drew international media attention. The Institute is in the process of expanding its programming and has plans to establish a semester program in Rome. It is eager to discuss opportunities for collaborations with potential partner universities. Jason's dissertation is on the Birth of the Lyric Genre in Greece and Rome.
​2013 Recipient - Karen Gardenier, Colorado State University
Josephson Award Press Release 2013 (.pdf) 
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Karen Gardenier is a doctoral candidate in the School of Education at Colorado State University (CSU). The focus of her studies is higher education administration and international development. Her dissertation research utilizes Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning to examine student learning on an alternative break program to Kenya. Part of her interest in this project stems from her own international experiences, including teaching English in Kyrgyzstan as a Peace Corps volunteer from 2002-2004. Karen is an Assistant Director in the Office of International Programs at CSU where she works with Peace Corps programs, US Student Fulbright and several internationally focused academic programs. She enjoys hiking in Colorado, traveling to new places, and art and music from around the globe.
2014 - 2016
2014 Recipient - Christine A. Farrugia,  Institute of International Education (IIE)
Josephson Award Press Release 2014 (.pdf) 

Christine A. Farrugia is Senior Research Officer at the Institute of International Education (IIE) where she leads Open Doors, a large-scale annual survey of international educational exchange in the U.S. She has over twelve years of experience as a university administrator and researcher of higher education. Her areas of expertise include cross-border higher education, the organization and administration of higher education institutions, quality assurance, access to higher education, and higher education policy. Christine is a current PhD candidate in Educational Administration & Policy Studies at the State University of New York at Albany where her dissertation research focuses on cross-border higher education policy in the United Arab Emirates. She also holds Ed.M. and M.A. degrees in Higher & Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
​2015 Recipient - Bethany Galipeau-Konate, Shenandoah University  
Josephson Award Press Release 2015 (.pdf) 

Bethany Galipeau-Konate is Director of International Programs at Shenandoah University. She has ten years of experience in international education, with expertise in international recruitment, short-term education abroad programming, and higher education administration. Bethany recently defended her dissertation focusing on the long-term impacts of a short-term education abroad program on global citizenship outcomes and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership at Shenandoah University. She is a returned Peace Corps volunteer (Mali, 2003-2005) and holds an MBA from Shenandoah University. 
2016 Recipient - Leanna Jenkins, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Josephson Award Press Release 2016 (.pdf) 
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Leanna Jenkins is an International Student Advisor and a graduate student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). In her short time at Cal Poly, Leanna has coordinated numerous international student support programs, and has served on the International Student Retention & Success Task Force. She continually seeks out new initiatives to facilitate international student success, and recently implemented a cross-cultural program that connects international students with the local community. Leanna will graduate in June 2016 with a Counseling & Guidance Master’s degree in Education. Her graduate research focuses on issues affecting international student success and retention in higher education. Leanna’s interest in this area stems from her own experience living abroad in Japan as an international student.
​2016 Recipient - Svetlana Filiatreau, George Mason University 
Poster (.pdf) | Presentation (.pdf)
Josephson Award Press Release 2016 (.pdf) 

Svetlana Filiatreau is the Manager for Global Learning Integration in the Office of Global Strategy at George Mason University. Ms. Filiatreau’s research expertise is in university leadership and education for engaged citizenship, comprehensive internationalization, and development of academic cross-border partnerships. The role of university leadership in student ethical and civic development in Ukraine was the topic of her doctoral research. Svetlana has more than twenty years of combined experience in building cross-border partnerships in higher education, coalition building and community-based development, and teaching in school and community settings. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Theology with the focus in community-based development from Regent College (Vancouver, Canada) and a PhD in International Education from George Mason University.
2017 - 2018
​2017 Recipient - Laura Burbano, University of Oregon
2017 Harold Josephson Award Press Release (.pdf)

Laura Anais Burbano-Bayuelo is a graduate student at University of Oregon in the Department of International Studies. Laura has a BA in international affairs and political studies from Nueva Granada Military University in Bogotá, Colombia. She currently works for the Migrant Education Program at Springfield Public Schools as a bilingual assistant. Laura has worked as community organizer and consultant, graduate teaching assistant, research assistant, Spanish teacher, and co-coordinator of a multicultural summer camp. She is an advocate for migrant students with the goal of increasing awareness of the circumstances that might affect negatively their pursuit of high school graduation. Laura’s research focuses on the impact that Oregon Migrant Leadership Institute has had in the lives of migrant students through the narratives of students who attended the summer program. Her study highlights and expands upon the program’s successful elements, discussions, and strategies that aided students to pursue academic involvement beyond high school.
​2017 Recipient - Brianne Holden, University of California Davis 
Poster (.pdf) 
2017 Harold Josephson Award Press Release (.pdf)

Brianne Holden is a Study Abroad Coordinator at the University of California, Davis. She developed her passion for culture and travel during a high school exchange program in Thailand. As an undergraduate, she studied abroad in Spain before earning her bachelors degree in Global Cultures from the University of California, Irvine. Brianne worked as a Study Abroad Advisor at the University of Oregon, from where she recently graduated with a Master’s degree in International Studies. Brianne’s thesis entitled Third Country Study: The Role of Degree-Seeking International Students as Study Abroad Participants examines the perspective of matriculating international students; and assesses the opportunities, obstacles and resources they experience at the University of Oregon as they consider, prepare for, and participate- or not- in study abroad programs.
2018 Recipient - Melissa Whatley, University of Georgia
Poster (.pdf) 
2018 Josephson Recipient Press Release (.pdf) 

Melissa Whatley is a doctoral candidate in the University of Georgia’s Institute of Higher Education and is a graduate assistant in the International Partnerships division of the university’s Office of International Education. Her research broadly covers issues of access and equity in study abroad. More specifically, her work focuses on two intersecting research strands: the role of students’ finances and their study abroad participation patterns and institutional policies and practices that serve to close existing gaps in study abroad participation. She regularly presents her research at both academic and professional conferences, and has recently published work in both the Journal of Studies in International Education and the NAFSA Research Symposium Series.
​2018 Recipient - Zachary Klim, NYU Steinhart
Poster (pdf.)
2018 Josephson Recipient Press Release (.pdf) 
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Zack Executive Director of Global Affairs and Experiential Learning at NYU Steinhardt, is a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology of Education. His dissertation examines the field of study abroad to deepen our understanding of the determinants of internationalization in higher education and answer critical questions about organizational change. In his leadership role at NYU, Zack oversees study abroad programming, manages internship partnerships and supports the internationalization of research and curriculum. Before working at NYU, Zack served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bangladesh, taught in New York City public schools, managed USAID programming in Burma, and served as affiliated faculty for SIT/World Learning. He earned a B.A. in English Literature and Spanish from SUNY Buffalo and an M.A. in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University.
2019 - 2021
2019 Recipient: Kirsten Davis, Virginia Tech
Poster (.pdf) 
2019 Harold Josephson Awards Press Release (.pdf) 
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Kirsten Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Engineering Education and a master’s student in Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. She is the graduate assistant for the Rising Sophomore Abroad Program, a global engineering course and study abroad program for first-year engineering students. Kirsten’s research focuses on the effective design and assessment of global engineering programs using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Her dissertation will explore assessment methods for global engineering competency, compare student experiences and learning outcomes across study abroad trips to different countries, and identify experiences that engineering students highlight as meaningful during their time abroad. Kirsten has a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Management from Clarkson University and a master’s degree in Higher Education from Virginia Tech.
2019 Recipient: Santiago Castiello-Gutiérrez, University of Arizona 
Poster (.pdf)
2019 Harold Josephson Awards Press Release (.pdf) 
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Santiago Castiello-Gutiérrez is an international student and doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona’s Center for the Study of Higher Education. He is also the Mobility Programs Coordinator for the CONAHEC Consortium. For his dissertation he is studying examples of internationalization strategies that can defy the mainstream Anglo-American model by proposing more ethical and purposeful approaches to internationalization activities. His research has been published or accepted by the journals The Review of Higher Education, The Journal of Higher Education, and Educación Global. Prior to moving to the U.S., Santiago worked for nine years in México. At the Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM) he served as Director for International Cooperation, and later, as the first Director for International Programs of ITESM’s innovative Shared Services Center.
2020 Recipient: Natalie Cruz, Old Dominion University
Poster (.pdf) 
2020 Harold Josephson Awards Press Release (.pdf)  
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Natalie I. Cruz is an advanced doctoral student in Old Dominion University’s Education-Higher Education Ph.D. program. Her research engagement  explores new populations of internationally mobile students, emerging and under-researched regional higher education destinations, and issues of equity and stratification within international higher education. Natalie regularly presents her research at both academic and professional conferences and has published articles in top-tier journals. She currently leads cutting-edge research on high school mobility as part of the Project Research on International Student Mobility (PRISM), uses social network analysis (SNA) to examine the proliferation of emerging regional media hubs as alternative destinations for international high school leavers, and serves as a research assistant on teams such as the Research on International Student Employment (RISE).
2021 Recipient: Philipp Reichert, University of British Columbia, Okanagan and University of Calgary
Poster (.pdf) 
2021 Harold Josephson Awards Press Release (.pdf) 
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Philipp Reichert is currently the Manager of International Programs and Services (IPS) at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan (UBCO), where he leads a diverse group of international educators providing strategic leadership and guidance to the international programs and services department supporting 2400+ international students. His current portfolio includes leading international student advising (immigration, healthcare, academic progression and the pro-active advising program), cultural events and programming, the Intercultural Development Program, and the Intercultural Career Development Program, as well as the Paragon CELPIP Test Centre and team of CELPIP staff members at UBC's Okanagan campus. Philipp completed his Master’s degree with honours in International Relations at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, where he was a Nuffic Huygens scholar, and he recently completed his doctorate at the University of Calgary, where his dissertation focused on the internationalization of higher education and the nexus of government policy, institutional programming, and international student career transitions. 
2022 - 2024
2022 Recipient: Jody Pritt, Georgia State University
Poster .pdf
2022 Harold Josephson Awards Press Release (.pdf) 
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Jody Pritt is currently the director of international student and scholar services at Georgia State University. She is responsible for providing leadership and management for the department which supports over 3600 international students and scholars on their 6 campuses in the Atlanta metro area. She is also a doctoral candidate at the University of Missouri-Columbia in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis program. Jody’s research interest area examines the transformative impact of international education experiences. Her dissertation will explore the impact of study abroad on Omani citizens who studied in the United States exploring themes of reflective learning, identity, and making-meaning. She holds a B.A. in international affairs and an M.A. in student affairs counseling from Marshall University.
2023 Recipient: Janine Knight-Grofe, Durham College
Poster (.pdf) 
2023 Harold Josephson Award Press Release (.pdf)

​Janine Knight-Grofe has 15 + years’ experience in international education practice and research. She is currently Director, International Education at Durham College, responsible for a spectrum of internationalization initiatives, including leadership for education abroad and developing and implementing programs and supports for international students. In 2015, Knight-Grofe was selected to spearhead the development and instruction of a groundbreaking new program called the International Students and Immigration Education Program, a licensure training program for International Student Advisors employed at schools, language schools and post-secondary institutions in both the private and public sector across Canada.

Knight-Grofe is a Ph.D. student, Higher Education, at the University of Toronto,                             
where her research centers on internationalization and equity, diversity and inclusion in Canadian colleges.
2023 Student Award Recipient: Kelber Tozini, The George Washington University
Poster (.pdf) 
2023 Harold Josephson Student Award Press Release (.pdf)
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Kelber Tozini is a Ph.D. candidate at The George Washington University (GWU) in the Education and Inequality program. Originally from Brazil, Kelber spent most of his career back home teaching English as a Foreign Language to teenagers and adults, including working with the Access Microscholarship Program (sponsored by the U.S. Embassy) and the English without Borders, program created by the Ministry of Education. Before moving to the U.S. for graduate school, Tozini worked as an educational advisor at EducationUSA Porto Alegre. He helped his advisees obtain more than 4.5 million dollars in financial aid (no loans) to study in the United States, with several receiving full-ride scholarships.
Tozini identity and experiences as an international student led him to research the experiences of international students across contexts and to create a master’s level course (Special Topics in International Education: The International Student Experience) at GWU that also focuses on this population. Tozini is the current leader of BRASA - Brazilian Student Association DMV Chapter, which connects graduate students studying in the Washington DC metropolitan area. After finishing his Ph.D., he plans to work in international higher education while teaching part-time. Tozini obtained his Licenciatura in English Language and Literature from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, a B.B.A. and an M.S. from Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos and an M.A. in International Higher Education from Boston College.
2024 Recipient: Saher Ahmed
2024 Harold Josephson Award Press Release (.pdf)

Saher Ahmed is  a Ph.D. candidate at the University of British Columbia ​and the Manager of International Student Advising and Intercultural Programming in the Global Engagement Office (GEO) at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Okanagan campus where she leads the international ISA’s and intercultural programming teams. In her position, she is responsible for advancing the University's goals regarding the retention, learning, and well-being of international students at UBC’s Okanagan campus.
 
Ahmed is a passionate advocate for social justice and intercultural programming support for students on her campus and in international education more broadly. She has created many new opportunities to support all students on campus through the intercultural programming activities that she facilitates, and brings international, indigenous, and domestic students from a wide array of backgrounds and lived experiences, together for workshops, events, and activities focused on social justice and intercultural programming.
 
In addition to her outstanding professional work, Ahmed excels academically, bringing together her passion for international education and supporting students through her innovative research. Her doctoral studies focus on the administrative processing of migrants and the impact that these processes have on migrants and their mobility.
2025
2025 Recipient: Krishna Chaitanya Rao Kathala, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Poster (.pdf) 
2025 Harold Josephson Professional Award Press Release (.pdf)

​Krishna is the Senior Global Engagement Assistant in the International Programs Office where he leads the international student support & engagement (SSE) and education abroad (EA) teams. Serving as the Program Manager: AI and Partnership, he plays an increasingly strategic role in the college’s internationalization goals including leading strategic initiatives such as developing the Global Engagement Dashboard which enables data-driven decisions that enhance international partnerships and increase enrollment efficiencies and fosters collaborations between academia and community organizations, creating impactful AI education initiatives.
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In addition to his outstanding professional work, Krishna is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences and Technology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and holds an advanced degree in data and computer science. His interdisciplinary approach combines learning theories, AI applications, and quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
​2025 Recipient: Anas Nazmi Almassri, Durham University
Poster (.pdf)
2025 Harold Josephson Student Award Press Release (.pdf)

​Almassri is a distinguished doctoral candidate at Durham University’s School of Education, recognized for his exceptional contributions to research, teaching, and service in international education. His research challenges deficit-oriented and neoliberal narratives, focusing on equitable access to study abroad and the unique experiences of Palestinian international students in conflict contexts. Six significant manuscripts have come out of his dissertation work so far, including four articles published in important journals. Almassri has focused on critical theories and frameworks that cast the role of international education in fostering peacebuilding and empowerment.
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In addition to his research, Almassri is an accomplished educator, receiving positive evaluations for his teaching at Durham and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds. He also serves as the editorial assistant for Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, an associate editor for the Journal of International Students, and volunteers as an organizer for international education conferences.
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