Newswise — STONY BROOK, NY, March 15, 2018 -- Stony Brook University has been awarded a prestigious 2018 Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Named after the late Senator Paul Simon of Illinois, the award recognizes outstanding innovation and accomplishment in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses. 

"Internationalization supports the University's ethos of excellence. It provides diversity of perspectives and cultures, access to global research opportunities and promotes academic idea exchange, while enhancing the University experience for students, faculty and staff," said Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. "It is an honor to be recognized by NAFSA for these efforts. At the core is the vision and projects laid out by theOffice of Global Affairs, which has leveraged resources and engaged faculty, staff, and students to brand the University as a world-class research institution that offers well-rounded faculty and produces global-minded graduates. Our signature international sites in Asia, Europe, and Africa have served as global gateways for us to reach out to the local communities, and our strong collaborations with partner universities around the world have enabled us to think and engage far beyond our New York campuses.”

The Comprehensive Internationalization Award is granted to a limited number of institutions each year and Stony Brook is one of only five recipients in 2018.

Dr. Jun Liu, Vice Provost for Global Affairs and Dean of International Academic Programs and Services led the process and is grateful for the prestigious recognition on behalf of all at Stony Brook who have contributed to the excellence in international programs and offerings.

“With the impeccable University leadership, shared global vision, and effort by faculty and staff, Stony Brook has expanded its global landscape to provide transformational experiences for our students in robust faculty-led study abroad programs, offer enhanced services for our international students, and strengthen our curricula with global elements,” said Dr. Liu. 

Institutions selected for the Simon Awards will be featured in NAFSA's report, Internationalizing the Campus: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities , to be published this fall, and honored at an event in Washington, D.C., during International Education Week in November

“As future leaders of our nation, it is vital that our students have the tools and experiences necessary to thrive in an increasingly interconnected global community,” emphasized Esther D. Brimmer, NAFSA Executive Director and CEO. “These institutions stand as excellent examples of how U.S. universities and colleges can effectively provide opportunities for cross-cultural competency using a varied set of methods. There is no one-size-fits all when it comes to internationalization. With institutions like these continuing to strive to incorporate creatively global perspectives onto their campuses, I am confident we can prepare our students to succeed and ultimately strengthen ties around the world.”   

Stony Brook received the Simon Award as a result of strong support from University leadership and the SUNY Global Office, as well as the rise of a number of new and ongoing initiatives designed to enhance the University's global impact and encourage global learning. These programs increased collaborative efforts among academic departments and administrative units and supported programs to promote global awareness within the campus community, develop our study abroad programs and five global sites, and improve the success of our international student population. 

The Office of Global Affairs has been strategically collaborating with Admissions, Orientation, Advising, and Career Services to improve international student success outcomes by holding in-country information sessions for newly admitted international students and inviting them to attend the Global Summer Institute to acclimate and acculturate to life and academics in the U.S. while earning credits toward their degree. The University has also encouraged faculty and staff to participate in campus internationalization efforts through programs like the Global Forum and International Student Success Task Force, a committee co-chaired by Dr. Liu and Charles Robbins, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of the Undergraduate Colleges, which identified creative solutions to enhance services and support for international students. 

Stony Brook's global sites Turkana Basin Institute (TBI), Kenya; and Centre ValBio, Madagascar; SUNY Korea; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Florence, Italy have expanded to offer resume-boosting internships with local companies, greater education abroad opportunities for STEM majors, and opportunities to learn and practice skills in the developing world.  The global sites are also developing multilateral collaborations with partner universities to add diversity to the student experience.

For more information regarding Stony Brook’s global initiatives visit, www.stonybrook.edu/oga

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About Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University is going beyond the expectations of what today’s public universities can accomplish. Since its founding in 1957, this young university has grown to become a flagship as one of only four University Center campuses in the State University of New York (SUNY) system with more than 26,000 students and 2,600 faculty members, and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs. Our faculty have earned numerous prestigious awards, including the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize and the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics. The University offers students an elite education with an outstanding return on investment: U.S. News & World Report ranks Stony Brook among the top 50 public universities in the nation. Its membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places Stony Brook among the top 62 research institutions in North America. As part of the management team of Brookhaven National Laboratory, the University joins a prestigious group of universities that have a role in running federal R&D labs. Stony Brook University is a driving force in the region’s economy, generating nearly 60,000 jobs and an annual economic impact of more than $4.6 billion. Our state, country and world demand ambitious ideas, imaginative solutions and exceptional leadership to forge a better future for all. The students, alumni, researchers and faculty of Stony Brook University are prepared to meet this challenge.

 About NAFSA
With more than 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. Visit us at www.nafsa.org/press. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visitwww.ConnectingOurWorld.org and@ConnectOurWorldon Twitter.