Campus News

Nominations Open for 2022 Global Impact Awards

Students outside Bradley Hall, home of UK's International Center
Students walk outside Bradley Hall, home of UK's International Center.

UPDATE: Nominations will now be accepted through April 4, 2022.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 16, 2022) — The University of Kentucky International Center (UKIC) is seeking nominations for the 2022 UK Global Impact Awards. Nominations are being accepted now, through April 4, 2022.

The UK Global Impact Awards recognize contributions toward enhancing UK’s global engagement through education, research and service, as well as fostering a culturally diverse, welcoming environment that is conducive to comprehensive campus internationalization. For 2022, we are pleased to announce a sixth Global Impact Award category, for community partners that advance UK’s global engagements and help create a welcoming, diverse environment for international visitors to our area.

“A globally engaged university fosters an institutional culture in which global connections and intercultural perspectives are taken into consideration in all of our core missions and activities,” said Tim Barnes, executive director of International Partnership and Research in the UK International Center. “As the Commonwealth we serve continues to grow its connections around the world, the global dimensions of our education, research and engagement are vital in making the University of Kentucky the University for and with Kentucky.”

Nominees for the various award categories will be reviewed by members of the campus-wide International Advisory Committee (IAC) or a relevant IAC sub-committee — with additional input and review from other campus stakeholders, such as the UK Alumni Association and past GIA awardees.

“Global engagement activities by faculty and staff are often seen as something extra. But they are crucial in fostering a diverse, vibrant community of globally informed scholars and globally competent students,” Sue Roberts, associate provost for internationalization, stated. “Going ‘above and beyond’ to conduct collaborative research around the world, lead students on education abroad experiences, incorporate diverse cultural perspectives into courses here at home and integrate international students and scholars contributes to campus internationalization and UK’s global presence — and so deserves special recognition.”

“Every university has faculty, staff, students and alumni who champion aspects of internationalization,” Barnes said. “It is only fitting that UK have a formal way to recognize these members of our community and showcase the contributions they make to connect the campus community to the wider world.”

To nominate a colleague through March 21 and learn more about the 2022 UK Global Impact Awards, visit the Global Impact Awards website.

Winners will be announced and honored at the UK Global Impact Awards reception on the evening of Sept. 21 in the Gatton Student Center.

Faculty and students who have been recent winners of other prestigious international scholarships and awards — such as Boren, Fulbright, Gilman, Marshall and Rhodes — will also be recognized at the reception.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.