Awards

The W. LaMarr Kopp International Faculty Award recognizes one faculty member annually who has made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the international mission of the University with an award of $1,250. 

• Eligibility: Consideration for this award shall be given to all full-time faculty members at Penn State University who have contributed significantly to the advancement of the international mission of the University. 
• Criteria: The award recognizes faculty for excellence in leadership and support for international education, service to the international community, and international research accomplishments.

Required Nomination Materials

Self-Nomination

• One letter of support
• CV or résumé of nominee (no more than 3 pages)

Nominate others

• One nomination letter
• Please let the nominee know that Penn State Global will contact them for more information.

Application/Nomination

To submit a nomination, please complete the W. LaMarr Kopp International Faculty Award Nomination form by January 10, 2025.

Previous Awardees

• 2023: David Hughes, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Global Food Security and professor of entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and biology in the Eberly College of Science
• 2022: Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Samuel Weiss Faculty Scholar; and Clinical Professor of Law at Penn State Law in University Park
• 2020: Michael Jacobson, Professor of Forest Science, College of Agricultural Sciences
• 2019: Siela Maximova and Mark Guiltinan, College of Agricultural Sciences
• 2018: Rachel A. Smith, Liberal Arts Professor of Communications Arts and Sciences, and Human Development and Family Studies

This award of $2000 honors and recognizes outstanding contributions to international understanding by graduate/undergraduate international students (holding non-immigrant status) enrolled in full-time resident instruction or its equivalent.

This award of $2,000 honors and recognizes outstanding contributions to international understanding by graduate/undergraduate international students (holding non-immigrant status) enrolled in full-time resident instruction or its equivalent.

Eligibility

Consideration for this award shall be given to all full-time graduate or undergraduate international students (holding non-immigrant status) enrolled in an academic program at any Penn State campus who have exhibited exemplary contributions furthering international understanding. This could consist of academic, athletic, or other extra-curricular campus activities and/or community involvement in school or civic group programs or service projects. 

Directions for Submission

Self-nomination

• A brief statement of required qualifications
• Two letters of support from faculty, staff, or a community leader (no peer references).

Nominate a Student

• One nomination letter
• Please let the nominee know that Penn State Global will contact them for more information. 

Application/Nomination

To apply or nominate, please fill out the Frisbey Award Application Form. The deadline for completed applications is January 10, 2025.

Previous Awardees

• 2023-24
  • Undergraduate: Daniel Garcia Calao, Penn State Abington
  • Graduate: Olanrewaju Michael Shittu, Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, College of Agricultural Sciences
  • Undergraduate Leadership: Vanessa Dib, College of Engineering
  • Graduate Leadership: Zilfa Irakoze, Food Science & International Agriculture and Development, College of Agricultural Sciences
• 2022-23
  • Undergraduate: Smit Patel, Penn State Abington
  • Graduate: Ram Neupane, College of Ag Sciences, PhD student studying Plant Pathology and International Agriculture and Development
  • Undergraduate Leadership: Madhura Patil, College of Engineering
  • Graduate Leadership: Camila Gonzales Arango, College of Ag Sciences, PhD student studying Agricultural and Biological Engineering
• 2019-20
  • Undergraduate: Nakul Grover, College of the Liberal Arts
  • Graduate: Tery Torres-Cruz, College of Agricultural Sciences
  • Undergraduate Leadership: Gerardo Suarez, Penn State Abington
  • Graduate Leadership: Tami-Barrera, College of Agricultural Sciences
• 2018-19
  • ​Graduate: Ms. Ilse Huerta-Arrendondo and Mr. Miaoquiang Dai
  • Undergraduate: Ms. Noorein Ahmed and Ms. Yana Markedonova
• 2017-18
  • Leadership: Sidharth Agrawal
  • Graduate: Fariha H. Salman
  • Undergraduate: Peris Wambui Wamoni

The purpose of these awards is to recognize outstanding contributions of individuals and academic units across the university, including the Commonwealth Campuses, who have demonstrated success towards achieving the goals of a Global Penn State. Full application packages are due January 10, 2025.

Advancing a Global Penn State: The Lifetime Achievement Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize an individual who has consistently demonstrated exceptional achievement towards furthering the global vision of Penn State across their career at the university.

• Eligibility: Full-time faculty and staff members employed with the University are eligible for selection.
• Criteria: The award seeks to recognize and acknowledge an individual who, through their efforts, has profoundly advanced the global vision of Penn State by providing extraordinary staff or faculty leadership in their college, on their campus, or across the institution over an extended period resulting in a lasting impact. Nominators should consider exemplary colleagues for this award.
• The number of awards presented is determined by the Vice Provost for Penn State Global.
• Amount of Award: $1,500 and personalized gift.

Nomination Form

Advancing a Global Penn State: The Outstanding Program Award

This award is for recognizing an innovative program at the university that has advanced the vision of a global Penn State. Selected programs shall have demonstrated that they further Penn State’s global mission to be a world leader in scholarship and global engagement with a culture of global citizenship.

• Eligibility: The award shall recognize the academic department or unit responsible for developing and implementing the program.
• Criteria: The award seeks to recognize and acknowledge an innovative program that has advanced the vision of a global Penn State through specific integration of global content through multiple lenses in the program scope and sequence.
• The number of awards presented is determined by the Vice Provost for Penn State Global.
• Amount of Award: $1,500 and engraved plaque.

Nomination Form

Advancing a Global Penn State: Outstanding International Research Award

This award is for innovative research projects and/or initiatives that can be shown to be advancing progress towards meeting one or more of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. 

• Eligibility: Faculty members at any Penn State campus are eligible for selection.
• Criteria: The award recognizes international research conducted by an individual or a team of individuals that can be shown to be advancing progress towards one or more of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
• The number of awards presented is determined by the Vice Provost for Global.
• Amount of award: $1,000 and engraved plaque

Nomination Form

Advancing a Global Penn State: The Unsung Hero Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize an exemplary member of staff or an outstanding team of staff that consistently provides excellent support and leadership for global success at Penn State. These nominees will have conducted their work with excellence over an extended period and are known for ‘doing whatever it takes’ to ensure academic and/or research success for students, staff, or faculty.

• Eligibility: All staff members at any Penn State campus are eligible for selection, except Penn State Global staff, who have their own awards.
• Criteria: The award recognizes the dedication and tireless focus of a staff member or team of staff to advance the global work of the University, with clearly articulated outcomes for their work.
• The number of awards presented is determined by the Vice Provost for Penn State Global.
• Amount of Award: $1,000 and engraved plaque.

Nomination Form

Advancing a Global Penn State: The Early Career Faculty Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize innovative international research projects, excellence in global scholarship, or curricular and experiential leadership surrounding global learning for a tenure-earning faculty member at Penn State.

• Eligibility: All tenure-earning faculty up to 5 years of service at any Penn State campus are eligible for selection. 
• Criteria: The award recognizes the vision and skills of an early career (tenure-earning) faculty member who has demonstrated consistent and exemplary leadership in research, scholarship, or instruction to advance the global work of the University with an emphasis on two or more of the Penn State Strategic Plan Foundations (e.g. DE&I, Sustainability, etc.)
• The number of awards presented is determined by the Vice Provost for Penn State Global.
• Amount of Award: $1,000 and engraved plaque.

Nomination Form

Advancing a Global Penn State: The Global Learning Instructor Award

This award is to recognize innovative teaching pedagogies used by outstanding faculty at the teaching/instructor rank when teaching global/ international content with excellence.

• Eligibility: All faculty with a teaching/instructor rank at any Penn State campus.
• Criteria: The award recognizes the vision and skills of a teaching/instructor-ranked faculty member who demonstrates experiential and actively engaged teaching pedagogies in their teaching or program content and advances global learning at Penn State in novel and commendable ways (e.g. use of digital media to engage internationally, use of the United Nations SDGs, etc.)
• The number of awards presented is determined by the Vice Provost for Penn State Global.
• Amount of Award: $1,000 and engraved plaque.

Nomination Form