Award Winners Announced at The Forum’s Virtual Annual Conference 2025

2/27/2025

The Forum on Education Abroad is thrilled to share that three major award winners were announced at our Closing Awards Presentations during the virtual portion of our Annual Conference on Thursday, February 27:

Award for Advancing the UN SDGs through Education Abroad
Winner: AFS Intercultural Programs

The Forum’s Award for Advancing the UN SDGs through Education Abroad, sponsored by Authentica, recognizes member institutions and organizations that integrate economic, environmental, and social sustainability into their education abroad programs. By celebrating those making significant strides toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), The Forum aims to inspire the field to take meaningful action in creating a more sustainable future for all.

We are pleased to announce AFS Intercultural Programs as the 2024 winner of the award. On behalf of AFS Intercultural Programs, Sean Reilly, Director of Program Development, said, “In our pursuit towards a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world, AFS is creating active global citizens with the knowledge and skills needed to advance meaningful change. Through strategic partnerships, sustainable program delivery, unwavering commitments to DE&I, reducing our carbon footprint wherever possible, and an SDG-focused curriculum at its core, our AFS Global STEM Changemakers Initiative embeds sustainability, equity, and ethics into everything we do to empower young people to tackle global challenges. We are grateful for this recognition, and we thank the Forum for creating a platform for the international education community to uplift and advance sustainable practices.”

Award for Excellence in Education Abroad Curriculum Design
Winner: The University of Florida - Course/Program: Technological Applications for Disability Access; UF in London

The Forum’s Excellence in Curriculum Design celebrates educators who develop and implement innovative, high-impact education abroad curricula. As the only award in the field dedicated to recognizing outstanding course design, it honors individuals or teams whose work enhances student learning and engagement through thoughtfully crafted programs.

The Forum congratulates the following educators involved in this course:

Pingchien Neo, Director of International Engineering Programs at the University of Florida
Jenna Gonzalez, Director of the Disability Resource Center at the University of Florida
Chris Lawlor, CEO and Co-Founder of Learn International
Cara Simon, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Learn International

Curriculum Award Winning Educators from left to right: Pingchien Neo, Jenna Gonzalez, Chris Lawlor, and Cara Simon.

Together, these educators have designed a course that challenges students to apply technological solutions to accessibility issues while considering cultural, social, and policy-driven factors. Their interdisciplinary backgrounds—from engineering and special education to program development and cultural immersion—underscore the transformative potential of global learning when accessibility and innovation intersect. You are invited to learn more about these educators who have a shared vision for impactful and inclusive education abroad programming.

Award for Academic Achievement Abroad
Winner: Madison Kennedy-Kequom
Project Title: "Indigenous Studies in Southeast Asia"
Discipline: Area, Ethnic, Cultural and Gender Studies
Program: Inter Mountain Peoples Education & Culture Association (IMPECT), Thailand and Cambodia
Home Institution: Michigan State University

The Forum’s Award for Academic Achievement Abroad celebrates the depth of scholarly work that students accomplish while studying abroad. From the fine arts to STEM, the award highlights the critical thinking, creativity, and cross-cultural understanding that emerge from rigorous academic experiences in global settings. For education abroad professionals, it serves as a reminder of the transformative impact of international learning on student growth and academic excellence.

Madison’s project, “Indigenous Studies in Southeast Asia,” exemplifies the deep academic and cultural engagement that education abroad can foster. During her semester in Chiang Mai, Thailand, she played a key role in developing a data framework to support Indigenous knowledge sovereignty and conducted participatory ethnography in remote mountain communities. Through these activities, Madison built meaningful relationships and made a lasting impact in Thailand and between the Asian Studies Center and the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program at Michigan State University. Her dedication continues beyond her time abroad, as she remains connected with the community and has returned to further her research.

During this Virtual Session, Madison shared more about her project and the impact education abroad has had for her and the communities she is working with.

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