Campus Connection

International Education & Engagement receives 2025 Academic Staff Program Excellence Award

The Wisconsin Idea — the philosophy that education should enrich people’s lives throughout the state — has long been at the heart of Wisconsin’s identity.

At UW-La Crosse, the International Education & Engagement Office (IEE) takes that philosophy a step further, connecting our education system to the rest of the world.

IEE’s efforts to provide global experiences for students, staff, faculty and community members have now been recognized through IEE’s selection for the 2025 UWL Academic Staff Program Excellence Award, announced during Chancellor James Beeby’s welcome address for the fall semester.

“The International Education & Engagement team fulfills a vital goal for UWL by providing global experiences for our students, staff and faculty, and creating meaningful connections with campuses and communities worldwide,” Beeby says. “Through their enthusiasm and dedication, IEE staff have excelled at embracing opportunities even amid challenges across the higher ed landscape. UWL would not be the exceptional university it is without their efforts, and they are very deserving of this award.”

The role of IEE is multifaceted and demanding, encompassing study abroad, faculty-led programs, international student and scholar services, international programming, and hosting international delegations. Staff navigate cultural differences, manage extensive documentation, address health and safety concerns, and answer questions from students and families.

IEE staff are experts in immigration, federal law, travel regulations and Universities of Wisconsin policies.

There is also a strong personal element to this work, as IEE staff support students and faculty experiencing homesickness or culture shock.

This combination of soft skills and statutory knowledge has been particularly useful as IEE has helped hundreds of students and faculty navigate COVID-19 as well as more recent changes to federal immigration policy.

Staff support more than 350 study abroad students and 90 international students and scholars, in addition to maintaining relationships with 30 partner organizations worldwide.

“Staff continuously learn about global education trends, build and maintain partnerships, actively promote study abroad programs, and monitor world issues that could impact programs and sites,” says Karolyn Bald, director of IEE. “IEE has established a standard of excellence and efficiency in alignment with the UWL mission. The staff's dedication to providing comprehensive support services has significantly contributed to the university's success.”

IEE’s introduction of peer mentoring initiatives, cultural exchange events and tailored workshops has dramatically enhanced the student and faculty experience, Bald says, and contributed to the program’s long-term success.

At a time when many campuses are seeing cuts to their international education staff and program, IEE has seen a rise in non-UWL students participating in study abroad programs.

But that’s not all. IEE celebrated a pair of major milestones in 2024:

• A 35-year partnership with the International Student Exchange Program, a global organization helping universities reach their internationalization goals.
• And the 60th year of the International Banquet, an annual campus celebration held in April, featuring food and musical performances with an international flair.

Additionally, in 2021, the program received the Hong Rost Memorial Leadership Award for Innovation in International Education Student Service from the Wisconsin Association for International Education — a statewide award named for a former international recruiter/advisor at UWL.

This latest honor — the Academic Program Excellence Award — further illustrates the value IEE brings to campus, and the dedication of the staff who make it possible.