[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 175 (Thursday, December 3, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL 
                EDUCATION WITH SENATOR PAUL SIMON AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 3, 2015

  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognize 
Mount Holyoke College and its accomplishments in international 
education. On November 17, Mount Holyoke College President Lynn 
Pasquerella accepted the 2015 Senator Paul Simon Award for excellence 
in international education at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The week 
of November 16 marked the 16th anniversary of International Education 
Week.
  Mount Holyoke College, located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, was 
among five institutions selected to receive this prestigious honor from 
NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The designation is given 
to institutions that demonstrate significant progress in expanding the 
reach and fostering collaboration among students, faculty, and staff in 
the interest of internationalization.
  Twenty-five percent of Mount Holyoke students are international 
citizens and the college boasts a rich tradition of leadership in 
international education. Mount Holyoke was among the first institutions 
to send women abroad for scholarly study. Additionally, the McCulloch 
Center for Global Initiatives was established in 2004 to serve as a 
catalyst for comprehensive international education.
  According to Eva Paus, Carol Hoffmann Collins Director of the 
McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives and professor of economics, 
international education became a strategic priority at Mount Holyoke in 
2003, following on a legacy of international engagement reaching back 
to the early days of the college's founding. The McCulloch Center, 
which Professor Paus helped found, brought greater cohesion and 
visibility to international education; and its many initiatives across 
Mount Holyoke have increased students' understanding of the global 
world and their engagement with other cultures.
  In classes and through off-campus experiences, students and faculty 
analyze questions from cross-disciplinary or cross-cultural 
perspectives, making connections between the local and the global, and 
harnessing classroom learning to solve concrete problems. The many 
forms of integrative and cross-cultural teaching and learning at Mount 
Holyoke and abroad support the college's goal of educating women to be 
the global leaders of tomorrow.
  Today, Mount Holyoke is committed to giving all students access to 
the life-changing experiences that learning abroad often provides. Over 
the past few years, it has funded nearly all students who apply for a 
Laurel Fellowship in support of study abroad. Additionally, a 2013 
pledge to fund one summer internship or research experience for every 
student now makes it possible for all interested students to have an 
internship abroad.
  Mount Holyoke was joined in receiving the 2015 Simon Award for 
Comprehensive Internationalization by North Central College of 
Naperville, Illinois, the University of Delaware, the University of San 
Diego, and the University of Virginia. President Pasquerella 
participated in a panel discussion on internationalization in higher 
education with presidents of the other award-winning institutions to 
promote this vital pursuit. The award is named for noted Illinois 
Senator Paul Simon.
  Mr. Speaker, through courses, conferences, research, international 
internships, study abroad, collaborations with external partners, and 
the unique learning opportunities offered by international student and 
faculty diversity, Mount Holyoke College students acquire the skills 
they will need for citizenship and careers in today's global world. At 
a time when the ability to work across national borders is crucial to 
addressing global problems, I wish Mount Holyoke College and the 
McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives continued success in their 
future endeavors.

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