International Student Advisory Board Presents Annual Faculty and Administrator Awards
The members of International Student Advisory Board surprised Qui Hailstork in front of her students in the Asian Studies Capstone Seminar in BAL.
Hailstork, the International Student Advisory Board’s Faculty of the Year award recipient, and Tayyaba Batool, Ph.D. student and ISAB board member from the Muslim Student Association
Abhishek Biswas, president of the International Student Advisory Board, and Emma Studer, recipient of the Administrator of the Year Award
As part of the Building the Bridge initiative launched by the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB), members of the board recently presented awards to an Old Dominion faculty member and administrator to express their gratitude and appreciation for the support given to the international student community.
On April 22, the ISAB surprised Qui Hailstork, associate professor of history in the College of Art and Letters and director of the ODU Confucius Institute, with its Faculty of the Year Award, and Emma Studer, coordinator for International Student Services, with its Administrator of the Year Award.
According to the ISAB, "It is a small thing, but very important for us international students to express our sincere gratitude to the university, especially to the administrators and faculty for their professionalism, kindness, support and understanding working with international students."
As noted by ISAB President Abhishek Biswas, a Ph.D. student from India, "The international student community through the ISAB members learns and comes to respect the university's objective of improving the quality of student life. A successful ISAB is a vital initiative that builds a positive and strong student-university relationship."
In its recognition of Studer, the ISAB said: "Your support has confirmed the mission of the International Student Advisory Board to assist our institution in providing the best possible support for international students. This enables students to reach their academic and personal development goals while enrolled at Old Dominion University."
The statement honoring Hailstork reads: "Your dedication and leadership through the Confucius Institute has confirmed the mission of the International Student Advisory Board to assist our institution in providing and promoting the global learning environment on campus."
ISAB faculty adviser Rachawan "Aey" Wongtrirat said the Office of Intercultural Relations launched the ISAB in 2009. During the past few years, the ISAB has grown substantially, transforming from a small initiative into an organization with up to 20 board members today, including leaders from international student organizations and independent members from undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs.
The Building the Bridge initiative is a way for students to give back and let administrators and faculty know the students value their commitment and dedication to enriching the global learning experience of all students at ODU.
The ISAB represents the ODU international student community and provides constructive feedback to the Office of Intercultural Relations and other university departments. It not only offers suggestions for improving current programs and services, but also makes recommendations for new initiatives.
To learn more about the ISAB, visit: http://odu.edu/life/gettinginvolved/leadership/isab.