LMU has been awarded two honors from the Institute of International Education (IIE), a recognition that is a testament to LMU’s exemplary work in the field of global education.
LMU has been awarded a 2024 IIE Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education in the category of Models of International Education Financial Support for the Gilman Incentive Grant (GIG). IIE bestows this award along with a $1,000 gift to recognize and support the innovative and successful models for developing and expanding international education in practice today.
The Gilman Incentive Grant, launched in 2023, is designed to encourage and incentivize students to apply for the Gilman Grant, a U.S. Department of State award that provides scholarships for American undergraduate students with high financial need to study or intern abroad. In the first year of the GIG, thirty five students have been awarded grants, increasing access to valuable study abroad opportunities that align with their majors and future career goals.
“Global-Local Affairs is honored to receive the prestigious IIE Heiskell Award for Models of International Education Financial Support,” said Roberta Espinoza, vice provost of Global-Local Affairs (GLA). “This national recognition validates our commitment to global engagement and innovative financial assistance to foster transformative global learning opportunities for all of our students.”
The IIE Heiskell Awards were created in 2001 to promote and honor outstanding initiatives conducted in international higher education by IIENetwork members. The award’s namesake, Andrew Heiskell, was a renowned international and cultural philanthropist and long-time supporter of international education. For more than 20 years, IIE has granted 90 IIE Heiskell Awards to institutions and organizations around the world.
IIE has also awarded LMU an American Passport Project grant, which will enable up to 25 LMU students to obtain their first U.S. passport and open the pathway to education abroad. The American Passport Project represents IIE’s commitment to creating access to international education opportunities and enabling equity by removing a financial barrier, thereby increasing diversity and inclusion in global education.
“This national grant aligns well with Global-Local Affairs’ mission to enhance access and equity in education abroad, while also promoting early engagement of students’ global perspectives in their academic careers,” said Jennifer Ramos, director of Global Learning for GLA.
LMU has long been committed to improving access to global education and to helping students become informed members of the global society. These two awards are indicative of the innovative strategies that LMU is employing so that students graduate better equipped to make meaningful contributions to a more sustainable and equitable world.
