IIE SIO of the Year Award
The IIE Senior International Officer (SIO) of the Year Award was created in honor of IIE’s Centennial in 2019 and is presented annually to an SIO who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in international education.
Eligibility & Selection Criteria
Any current Senior International Officer may be nominated for the IIE SIO of the Year Award. A Senior International Officer is defined as the individual who leads international initiatives at an institution of higher education. Eligible nominees who successfully submit a nomination form and accompanying documents will be reviewed by a distinguished panel. Nominees will be reviewed according to the following criteria:
- Has developed a widely embraced understanding of international education and engagement as important to the mission and goals of their institution
- Has fostered multi-faceted, strategic international programming that has had significant impact across the institution
- Has built effective administrative structures, procedures, and policies for supporting international work across the institution
- Has made demonstrable, significant, and innovative contributions to the field of international education
- Has demonstrated a commitment to mentoring new professionals and broadening access to the field of international education
- Continuously updates and expands their knowledge of the theories, methods, and best practices of academic international exchange
Nomination Process
Any SIO may be nominated by others or self-nominate by completing the nomination materials and submitting to IIE when the nomination period is open. Nomination materials include a complete application form (filled out by the nominator or the self-nominee) a current CV, and one letter of recommendation written by professionals in the field who can speak to the nominee’s background, contributions, and leadership.
Nominations for the SIO of the Year Award 2025 are now closed
Jane Gatewood, recipient of the the 2024 IIE SIO of the Year Award is noted across the field for her profound impact in roles throughout her career spanning 20 years. At the University of Rochester, Dr. Gatewood was the inaugural SIO, laying the groundwork for global engagement strategies and practices that prioritized partnerships and data-driven decision making. In her role there, she created the first campus-wide strategy for global collaboration and led the charge to launch Rochester’s Office for Global Engagement. During her tenure at UGA, she created one of the first international partnerships units on a U.S. campus, which has gone on to serve as a model nationally.
Jill Blondin came to VCU in 2013 to lead VCU Globe, a living-learning program focused on world engagement. The program operated for eight years under her leadership before ending in 2021, and she called it the building block of understanding how international education can beneficially change students’ outlook and educational trajectories.
2022 Awardees:
Ahamad Ezzedine, recipient of the the 2022 IIE SIO of the Year Award is a recognized changemaker and thought leader in the world, in the field, in his community of Detroit, MI, and on his campus. He is committed to inclusive excellence, global experiences for all, and prioritizes linking global learning with community engagement.
IIE is honored to award Thomas Buntru the 2022 SIO of the Year Award for his dedication and leadership in global engagement at Universidad de Monterrey, his focus on mentorship and life-long learning, and his significant, and innovative contributions to the field of international education. Thomas is a thought leader in global engagement, an outstanding scholar, passionate educator and an accomplished practitioner.
Dr. Kalpen Trivedi, the 2021 IIE SIO of the Year Awardee, is recognized for his extraordinary efforts in international education on campus; commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; and his leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As the vice provost for global affairs, Trivedi is responsible for the leadership of campus-wide initiatives for global engagement, and he oversees the International Programs Office, encompassing education abroad, international student and scholar services, international partnerships and travel health and safety.
Cheryl Matherly was selected as the 2020 IIE SIO of the Year awardee in acknowledgement of her outstanding and sustained leadership at multiple institutions, including Rice University, the University of Tulsa, and, as of 2016, Lehigh University. Cheryl’s progression of excellence in international education, her history of innovation and collaboration, and her leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic made her a singular candidate for the award. Her track record of leading the development and implementation of institution-wide strategic plans, and her proven ability to grow programs and partnerships is a model for SIOs worldwide.
The inaugural winner of the IIE SIO of the Year Award, Joanna Regulska has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the field of international education throughout more than three decades at multiple higher education institutions. She was the first Vice President for International and Global Affairs at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and joined the University of California, Davis as its first Vice Provost and Associate Chancellor of Global Affairs in 2015. Throughout her career, Joanna has developed and led large-scale education projects that have transformed institutions, established new degree programs and collaborative partnerships, and substantially improved the deliver of internationally focused services to students, faculty, and staff.
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