Jeff Lai, a PhD candidate in the College of Education’s Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program, was recently bestowed with a 2024 Global Student Award.
Established by International Programs and the Division of Student Life in 2019, this award recognizes one undergraduate and one graduate student who are leaders deeply engaged in international education on campus or abroad.
The following excerpt is from Lai’s Q&A with International Programs:
“In what ways are you involved with international education?
International education takes place in my academic life in two different ways. First, I introduce international perspectives into local, domestic settings. Being a teaching assistant in several courses, I broaden the curricula and discussions by bringing in concepts and issues from international contexts. Also, I encourage students to explore the world. Second, I bring local collaborations at University of Iowa to national and international stages. I work with University of Iowa students on local and international topics related to higher education, pedagogy, and educational practices. The products of these collaborations were presented in national and international educational conferences since I believe that our fellow students at Iowa deserve recognition on scholarly platforms.
What are some other campus or community involvement activities you’ve been a part of?
The International Student Advisory Board is the community I am primarily involved in. This is a group of undergraduates and graduate students who work consistently and persistently on improving issues and structures on the campus. Most issues that we have been addressing affect not only international students, but also domestic students and scholars.”
