View larger image — “Curious Lion” by Dr. Terry Waldspurger, adjunct instructor in Appalachian’s General Education Program and faculty/staff runner-up in the Landscapes or Wildlife category.

“‘Curious Lion’ was taken in Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe. It was my first trip to Africa, and I was exploring the shrinking habitats of endangered species,” Waldspurger said. “This solitary lion had moved into the territory previously defended by Cecil, who was killed by an American hunter in 2015 after being lured from protected parkland.”

Appalachian announces winners and runners-up of 2018 International Education Week Photo Contest

A national leader in education abroad

Appalachian has been recognized as a top-10 school for students who study abroad in the Institute of International Education’s "2018 Open Doors Report." The university received the following rankings:

6th nationally among comprehensive master’s degree-granting institutions for the total number of students who studied abroad for credit in 2016–17.
3rd nationally for the number of students who participated in short-term programs for academic credit during 2016–17.

By Jessica Stump

Posted Nov. 15, 2018 at 3:55 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s 2018 International Education Week (IEW) Photo Contest is part of a weeklong celebration of transformational global experiences at home and abroad.

Appalachian’s Office of International Education and Development partnered with several student clubs, faculty members and departments across campus to bring over a dozen cultural events to the Appalachian Community during IEW, Nov. 12–16.

This year's contest, with the theme of “Explore the Unknown,” received more than 110 submissions from Appalachian students, faculty and staff.

A panel of students judged faculty and staff photographs, and a panel of faculty and staff judged the student entries.

The winning and runner-up photographs are on display during IEW on the second floor of Appalachian’s Plemmons Student Union, in front of Linville Falls (Room 226).

IEW on the national level is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education that aims to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange in experiences in the U.S.

The first IEW took place in November 2000, in response to the April 2000 executive memorandum issued by President Bill Clinton that stated, “It is the policy of the federal government to support international education ...” and committed the administration to “encouraging students from other countries to study in the United States.”

See below for the winners and runners-up in this year’s contest.

2018 winners

Students

Bryant Ebert, senior
Major: recreation management.
Hometown: Davidson.
Photo title and category: “Middle Earth,” Landscapes and Wildlife.
Peter Marino, senior
Major: risk management and insurance.
Hometown: Raleigh.
Photo title and category: “Remnant,” Artistic or Abstract.
Tristan Rodenhauser ’12
Major: college student development graduate program.
Hometown: Nags Head.
Photo title and category: “Landlocked: Surfing in Munich,” Cross-cultural Moments.
Sierra Schweitzer, first-year
Major: art and visual culture.
Hometown: Raleigh.
Photo title and category: “Rice Harvest,” Global Learning.
Hannah Vrooman, senior
Major: biology.
Hometown: Lewisville.
Photo title and category: “Divine Blessings,” People and Portraits.

Faculty/staff

Jessica Donley
Title: university program specialist.
Campus unit: Beaver College of Health Sciences.
Photo title and category: “Modern Additions to the Tianmen Mountain Landscape,” Landscapes or Wildlife.
Lillian Nave
Title: senior lecturer.
Campus unit: General Education Program.
Photo title and category: “Exploring the Maastricht Art Caves,” Artistic or Abstract.
Patience Perry
Title: adjunct instructor.
Campus unit: Department of Cultural, Gender and Global Studies.
Photo title and category: “How Hands Convey Heritage”, Cross-cultural Moments.
Dr. Scott Relyea
Title: assistant professor.
Campus unit: Department of History.
Photo title and category: “Having lunch for the Buddha,” Global Learning.
Jamille Wallick
Title: adjunct instructor.
Campus unit: Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
Photo title and category: “Wide-eyed Dragon at the Festes de Gràcia,” People and Portraits.

2018 runners-up

Students

Reagan Conner, senior
Major: history, social studies education.
Hometown: Gastonia.
Photo title and category: “A Yellow Flower,” Artistic or Abstract.
Alumna Alli Elam ’18
Degree: Bachelor of Science in communication, journalism.
Hometown: Charlotte.
Photo title and category: “The Spice Keeper,” People and Portraits.
Hannah Gibson, junior
Major: communication, advertising.
Hometown: Mecklenburg.
Photo title and category: “The Great Wall,” Landscapes or Wildlife.
Emily Sassen, senior
Major: commercial photography.
Hometown: Mills River.
Photo title and category: “Maghrebi Mint Tea,” Cross-Cultural Moments.
Alumnus Jack Terrell ’18
Degrees: dual B.S.B.A. degrees in international business and economics.
Hometown: Boone.
Photo title and category: “Remembrance,” Global Learning.

Faculty/staff

Sarah Donavan
Title: lecturer.
Campus unit: Department of Social Work.
Photo title and category: “Home Away From Home,” Global Learning.
Lynn McNeil
Title: adjunct instructor.
Campus unit: Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.
Photo title and category: “Discovery in Sun and Shadow,” Cross-cultural Moments.
Dr. Lubna Nafees
Title: assistant professor.
Campus unit: Department of Marketing.
Photo title and category: “Who says Trash is Waste!”, Artistic or Abstract.
Dr. Gregory Reck
Title: retired research professor.
Campus unit: Department of Anthropology.
Photo title and category: “Woman Planting Rice in Saipu, Nepal,” People and Portraits.
Dr. Terry Waldspurger
Title: adjunct instructor.
Campus unit: General Education Program.
Photo title and category: “Curious Lion,” Landscapes or Wildlife.

To learn more about International Education Week at Appalachian, click here.

For more information about International Education Week worldwide, visit http://iew.state.gov.

A national leader in education abroad

6th nationally among comprehensive master’s degree-granting institutions for the total number of students who studied abroad for credit in 2016–17.
3rd nationally for the number of students who participated in short-term programs for academic credit during 2016–17.

International Education Week

A joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education

International Education Week (IEW) is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.

Learn more

Global Learning at Appalachian

It’s not enough to be globally aware. Appalachian graduates must be globally competent.

National surveys indicate that high school seniors and their families — as well as employers — expect college graduates to develop an increased global awareness and/or competency, as they will likely encounter coworkers, clients and neighbors from different cultures in their professions. Appalachian has adopted Global Learning for its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), an important component of our accreditation.

Learn more

About the Office of International Education and Development

The OIED is responsible for spearheading the internationalization efforts at Appalachian. The internationalization mission of Appalachian is to develop awareness, knowledge, appreciation and respect of cultural differences in both domestic and international contexts in its students, faculty, staff and the surrounding communities. The university is also dedicated to creating a campus environment that builds the theoretical and practical skills needed to interact effectively in a global society. Learn more at https://international.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.