2021-2022 KUIA Annual Report

Billie Archer, the executive assistant to the senior internationalization officer, was selected as one of seven KU staff members to participate in the 2021-2022 Staff Fellows Program. The professional development program provides leadership development for employees at all levels of the organization, including those without direct reports, and/or operational, group or department managers. Through this program, participants gain familiarity with campus, engage university senior leaders, and explore leadership through mentoring, assigned readings, and project work. The 2021-2022 Staff Fellows Program cohort joined seven members from the 2019-2020 group to focus on mental health. Picking up the work of the 2019-2020 Staff Fellows cohort, the group analyzed the cohort’s recommendations and developed an implementation strategy to address the mental health needs of employees.

Elizabeth Gould, assistant director for academic affairs at the Applied English Center, has been named a commissioner for the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation. CEA is a specialized accrediting agency that focuses on post-secondary intensive English language programs and institutions. The Commission, which governs CEA, is a body of elected and appointed members. It is responsible for setting CEA policy, for making accreditation decisions, and for fostering the continued development of CEA so that it can continue to respond to the changing needs in the field of English language teaching and administration.

Elected CEA commissioners are identified based on their professional experience and integrity. They have experience, training, and interest in English language programs and institutions, as well as in program evaluation. They have strong leadership ability, a commitment to quality English language education for international students, and an understanding that their role is to ensure CEA’s standing as a respected, impartial, specialized accreditor and well-governed non-profit organization.

Julie McClenahan, senior document specialist at International Support Services, received the KU Employee of the Month Award in October. KU recognized McClenahan’s creative ideas, ability to implement solutions to complex issues and willingness to be a supportive and thoughtful team member.

One co-worker described McClenahan as being “extremely self-driven, customer-experience focused, and innovative with an impeccable work ethic.” McClenahan prepares and produces immigration documents for incoming international students.

While presenting the award to McClenahan in fall 2021, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies Jennifer Roberts noted that in response to COVID-19 changes, McClenahan revolutionized all areas of the new international student experience. McClenahan also took it upon herself to rebuild the student portal and corresponding website information to make it more accessible and informative for students.

One colleague noted that McClenahan is “a leader who is constantly innovating ways to better our students’ experience as well as making our daily work more efficient, which was critical to our team’s work now more than ever when the pandemic uprooted almost any normal procedures we had in place.”

This spring, KU Study Abroad & Global Engagement was awarded the 2022 TRIO Champion Certificate of Appreciation. Each year TRIO SES & STEM recognizes a person or department that goes above and beyond to support TRIO students.

TRIO noted that SAGE's support of its newly created study abroad program to Costa Rica has been invaluable. SAGE staff members have not only helped guide the planning of the actual study abroad program but have also provided assistance with arranging for guest speakers and facilitating a collaboration project with the University of Costa Rica when travel was not available. Additionally, SAGE has helped make study abroad accessible for TRIO students through scholarship support and the creation of a TRIO Study Abroad Peer Advisor position. This position has helped provide outreach and study abroad advising to students participating in TRIO SES & STEM.

Pictured receiving the award are Mari Keyser, SAGE program coordinator for Spain and Latin America, and Julie Hamel, assistant director of student programming in TRIO SES & STEM.