Every year, the Center for Global Engagement presents awards to faculty directors, students, and campus partners to recognize their hard work and contributions to education abroad at JMU. Nominations are accepted on an annual basis in August and early September, with the recipients announced at an awards banquet during the fall semester.

The Study Abroad Awards Banquet was held November 2026 (pictured winners above). We will accept nominations for the following awards beginning in August 2027.

The Anaza Benjamin Distinguished Director of the Year 

This award is given to a study abroad program director who embodies what it means to put their heart and soul into their education abroad programming. This director provides a high level of student support and mentorship, models resiliency amidst adversity, and shows their passion for study abroad programming by going above and beyond basic director responsibilities. This prestigious award is named in honor of Dr. Emeka Anaza and Dr. Tatiana Benjamin, two program directors who passed away unexpectedly during the 2022-2023 academic year.

2026 Award Recipient: Dr. Tomás Regalado López; Semester in Spain (pictured above with SA Director Katie Sensabaugh)

2025 Award Recipients: Drs. Bill and Cindy Evans; Italy: Examining 'La Dolce Vita' through Cross-Cultural Physcology 

2024 Award Recipient: Dr. Chris Blake; JMU Semester in Florence, European Union Policy Studies (M.A.), Argentina: Political & Urban Culture and Spanish Language

2023 Award Recipient: Dr. Augustus Hallmon, Global Perspectives on Civil Rights and Social Justice & Peace Studies in Ireland and The Culture of Leisure in London and Dublin

Catalyst for Transformation Award: Celebrating High-Impact Study Abroad Programs 

This award goes to a study abroad program director who designs and successfully executes a program with a high level of experiential and engaged learning. The program could include field work, volunteer work, research components, internship opportunities, or other examples of hands-on work-based learning experiences in an applied setting.

2026 Award Recipients: Amy Strunk and Ginny Soenksen; Japan: Art and Business Culture

2025 Award Recipient: Dr. John Allemeier; United Kingdom: Community Arts in London 

2024 Award Recipient: Dr. David Owusu-Ansah; Ghana Summer Program & Internship

2023 Award Recipients: Dr. Seán McCarthy & Dr. Rob Alexander; JMU X-Labs International: Innovative Responses to Sustainability in the Netherlands and Germany

The ECHO Award: Enhancing Community though Holistic Opportunities

This award is given to a study abroad program director who creates a program to go beyond the idea of just a classroom in context, and embraces a classroom within community approach to their program. This program director has identified outcomes and learning opportunities meant to create connections between student program participants and the community members with which the program engages to create a positive and lasting impact transcending identities and borders.

2026 Award Recipient: Shaun Mooney; Guatemala: Exploring the Culture, History and Landscapes

2025 Award Recipient: Dr. Andrew Witmer; Semester in Scotland

2024 Award Recipients: Dr. Melissa Alemán and Dr. Carlos Alemán; Ireland: Communication, Conflict and Culture

2023 Award Recipient: Dr. Debbie Sturm; Nature, Creativity & Well-Being Across the Lifespan in Scotland

New Horizons Award: Excellence in New Program Development

This award is given to a new study abroad program director or a previous director who designed a new program. The awardee should be someone who embraced the challenge of a new program development and successfully launched a study abroad program that fosters intercultural learning and development, innovative curriculum design, and showcases impressive student support.

2026: Dr. John Robinson; Sweden: National Security and Economics

2025: Elisabeth Kvernen; Vietnam: Creative Cross-cultural Storytelling

2025: Dr. Nadine Plachta; Nepal: Environmental Justice and Sustainable Devlopment in the Himalayas

Scholarship Beyond Borders Award: Enhancing Research and Scholarship Through Education Aboard

The Scholarship Beyond Borders Award recognizes a program director who meaningfully integrates research, scholarship, and creative inquiry into the education abroad experience. The awardee creates opportunities for faculty or students to explore questions, engage in scholarly inquiry, and connect their academic interests with the people, places, and perspectives encountered abroad.

2026: Dr. Rory DePaolis; United Kingdom: Linguistics

Passport to Discovery Award

This award is given to a student who meaningfully engages in research, scholarship, or creative inquiry as part of their education abroad experience. Through activities such as data collection, field research, independent study, or scholarly or creative work, the student demonstrates curiosity and uses their international setting to deepen their exploration of an academic question or area of interest.

2026 Award Recipient: Neal Brady; Madagascar: Biodiversity and Conservation (pictured above)

Career Catalyst Award: Advancing Career-Connected Learning Abroad 

This award is given to a student who intentionally connects their education abroad experience to their future career goals. Through an internship, work-based learning experience, significant project, or other professional opportunity abroad, the student demonstrates meaningful growth in their career readiness and an ability to articulate how their international experience has prepared them for what comes next.

2026 Award Recipient: Avery Ruckerman; USA, New York City: JMU in New York (pictured above)

Bridge Builder Award 

This award recognizes a campus partner or campus office who builds meaningful connections between their work and the mission of education abroad. Through sustained collaboration, shared initiatives, or institutional alignment, the awardee strengthens study abroad programming, expands its reach or impact, and helps create a campus environment in which education abroad is integrated into the broader student experience.

2026: International Accounting; Elizabeth Heavner, Ashley Dean, Sharon Lorimer, Alana Miller, Faith Sams, Lindsey Shantz 

Above and Abroad Award

This award recognizes a campus partner or campus office who goes above and beyond to directly impact the student experience before, during, or after study abroad. Through innovative resources, thoughtful programming, or exceptional collaboration, the awardee helps remove barriers, better prepare students, and ensure they have the support needed to successfully participate in education abroad.

2026: Dr. Dave Switzer; University Health Center, Medical Director