AUAP's Laura Carney will be honored Thursday with the International Education Award

The recipient of the 2010-2011 International Education Award is Laura Carney, a core lecturer in Western Washington University's Asia University America Program. Carney will be honored at the International Education Week Global Scholars Meet & Greet event Thursday, Nov. 18, at noon in College Hall 131. The event is open to the public. Since joining the Asia University America Program in 1994, Carney has made an outstanding contribution to language learning and intercultural understanding both here at the university and in the broader Bellingham community. Carney is a “grass-roots international community organizer,” known for nurturing relationships between WWU and AUAP students and encouraging them to deepen their understanding of each other’s languages and cultures, said Bill Pech, director of AUAP. “She’s deeply committed to giving both international students and Western students a pretty significant, perspective-changing experience,” Pech said. She has generously donated her talents and her time to raise awareness of international programs in the local schools. Her work organizing the WWU Classroom Volunteer Program, Japanese Conversation Club, as well as numerous visits to Bellingham-area elementary schools all demonstrate her sustained commitment to international education at the grassroots level. The other nominees for this year’s International Education Award are Troy Abel, assistant professor of Environmental Studies, Christine Compston, who supervises WWU’s Fellowships Office, Petra Feiro, professor of Modern and Classical Languages, Joan Hoffman, professor of Modern and Classical Languages, Shirley Osterhaus, senior instructor at Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Bill Pech, director of the Asia University in America Program, Mart Stewart, professor of History, and Kathleen Tomlonovic, professor of Modern and Classical Languages. The International Education Award was established in 2008 by the Center for International Studies to recognize outstanding efforts by members of the WWU community in expanding global awareness and international understanding on the campus and in the surrounding communities. Selections in past years have highlighted exceptional innovations in curriculum development, outreach to sister institutions, sustained contributions to international education, facilitation of study abroad activities and provision of services to international students and scholars.