KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 26, 2017

Award recognizes unit’s contributions to Arab American advancement

Based on nominations from the community, Kennesaw State University’s Division of Global Affairs was awarded a 2017 High Achiever Award by the Alif Institute, an Arab cultural center in Atlanta.

The award, which recognized the University’s global division as an “organization contributing to the advancement of the Arab community,” was presented Oct. 21 to Lance Askildson, vice provost and chief international officer, and Dan Paracka, director of campus internationalization, at the Institute’s eighth annual awards gala.

“The Division of Global Affairs is truly honored to be recognized for our efforts in this area,” Askildson said. “A university experience is about more than teaching students the skills to succeed in their professional lives; it is also about helping them become engaged, responsible global citizens. Everyone at the DGA is committed to the belief that exposure to other cultures is an essential ingredient in a college education. Engaging with our local Arab American communities and promoting greater exposure to and understanding of Arab culture goes hand-in-hand with these goals.”

Kennesaw State has sponsored a number of programs fostering understanding and relationships with Arab cultures. During the 2014-2015 academic year, the University presented the “Year of the Arabian Peninsula” as its 31st annual study of a country or region of the world.  The regional study encompassed the countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The yearlong study, coordinated annually by the Division of Global Affairs, featured a series of more than 30 lectures and cultural events, many focused on the changing role of women in the region and Islam’s messages of tolerance, understanding and coexistence. The annual study was presented in conjunction with the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center in Washington, D. C. and locally with support from the Alif Institute.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.