Maria Melendrez, assistant director for Global-Local Affairs, has been selected by NAFSA: Association of International Educators as one of 10 international education professionals across the United States to receive the prestigious NAFSA RISE Fellowship starting in 2023.
“As a DACAmented professional, I feel extremely privileged to have been selected,” said Melendrez. “I am excited to learn best practices for supporting comprehensive internationalization at LMU and eager to expand my professional networks to include a diverse group of international education professionals committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
The RISE Fellowship is NAFSA’s flagship diversity, equity and inclusion program and aims to increase representation of international education professionals from underrepresented backgrounds. The fellowship is a two-year, fully funded professional development program that aims to support the continued learning and sustained engagement of participants as they establish themselves in their professional journey and lead the empowerment of fellows with resources and tools to help them give back to their institutions and communities, and the field of international education at large.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. The complete list of 2023-24 NAFSA RISE Fellows is available at nafsa.org/rise.
“I look forward to using the new knowledge I gain from the program to inform my work in the Office of Global-Local Affairs,” Melendrez said.