News and Events
2024-2025 International Study Programs Faculty Award
This year, full-time tenured, tenure-track faculty, and lecturers who have been in residence at UTRGV for at least two academic years were invited to be nominated, or nominate themselves, for the International Study Programs Faculty Award (ISPFA). This accolade recognizes substantial and meaningful teaching, research, and/or service contributions related to fundamental globalization pillars.
The International Study Programs Advisory Committee (ISPAC) evaluated the applications. Their task was difficult given the applicants’ impressive contributions to the internationalization of UTRGV. Based on the ISPAC scoring, ISP is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2025 ISPFA is Mr. Michael Flores, a Lecturer I in the Marketing Department in the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship (RCVCOBE).
Mr. Flores has designed and implemented several excellent study abroad programs. His recruiting success and program planning are outstanding. In addition, his passion for education abroad is demonstrated by the fact that his achievements go beyond his own individual pursuits. He serves as the RCVCOBE Study Abroad Faculty Liaison advising faculty on program development, organizing study abroad fairs, assisting study abroad students, reviewing proposals and scholarship applications, providing onboarding support to those leading study abroad for the first time, and more. Furthermore, he has even exceeded his role in RCVCOBE, supporting Education Abroad efforts across campus and assisting faculty and students in all disciplines.
Professor Flores shared, “ Winning this award has been deeply meaningful to me because it reflects the purpose behind my commitment to international education. As someone who teaches marketing and actively studies global engagement in my doctoral work, I have always believed that study abroad can transform a student’s confidence, worldview, and career trajectory. To have this work recognized affirms that the long months of planning, the recruiting efforts, and the persistent push to expand opportunities for our students truly matter. It felt humbling, uplifting, and energizing all at once. I am sincerely grateful to the people who have supported and encouraged this work. Dr. Jaime Ortiz has been a steady champion of global initiatives and a mentor in shaping the direction of our programs. Dr. Caroline Miles, Dr. Peter Magnusson, and Dr. Giorgio Gotti have offered guidance, trust, and collaboration at every stage. Mrs. Adriana Ramirez, Mrs. Brenda Castillo, and Mrs. Amanda Galvan have provided essential support that makes these programs possible for our students. I am thankful for the entire RCVCOBE Dean’s Office, whose encouragement fuels so much of what we accomplish, and the entire ISP office, whose partnership strengthens every program we send abroad. This award serves as a reminder that our collective effort is what makes global learning at UTRGV exceptional.”
Five UTRGV Students Awarded Douglass-O’Connell Scholars Grants
April 30, 2025
Although these students were not selected for the internship itself, their strong applications and commitment to pursuing international experiences earned them individual grants to support their participation in future study abroad opportunities. This recognition demonstrates the talent and determination of UTRGV students.
The Education Abroad team provided guidance throughout the application process, offering one-on-one mentorship and resources to help students prepare competitive submissions. This support reflects ISP’s continual commitment to expanding access to high-impact international education for the UTRGV community.
The Douglass-O’Connell Global Internship honors the legacies of Frederick Douglass and Daniel O’Connell by empowering students to engage in international learning, leadership, and advocacy. ISP celebrates the achievement of these students and reaffirms its dedication to fostering global engagement across UTRGV’s campuses.
"Beyond Trauma"
An International & Interdisciplinary Conference on Imagining Ways to Move beyond a Traumatic Past
Organized by: UTRGV Department of Literatures & Cultural Studies, UTRGV Department Behavioral Sciences, and the University of Lenval in Nice, France.
Location: Nice, France June 9-11, 2025
For more information, click here: Beyond Trauma
International Collaboration Between UTRGV and KIIT in India
Dr. David Anshen, an Associate Professor specializing in film and Marxism in the Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies in the College of Liberal Arts, arrived in Odisha, India in July 2024 after he received an invitation to visit the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). KIIT, a prestigious non-profit private higher education institution located in the active Eastern city of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, has earned global recognition. It ranks among the top 800 universities worldwide and holds the solid position of #168 among young universities.
The connection between Dr. Anshen and KIIT goes back approximately a year when Dr. Beerendra Pandey, a KIIT Professor and Assistant Dean, reached out to him. Their paths had crossed during their doctoral studies at SUNY at Stony Brook. Recently, Dr. Pandey discovered Dr. Anshen’s book, “Marxist Literary and Cultural Theory,” published by the Indian academic press, Black Swan Orient Press. Impressed by Dr. Anshen’s insights, Dr. Pandey extended an invitation for him to serve as a visiting scholar.
Recognizing the significance of this opportunity and KIIT’s academic standing, the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts granted Dr. Anshen a faculty development leave for the 2024 fall semester. Since his arrival at KIIT, Dr. Anshen has been fully immersed in providing educational advice and consultancy to enrich KIIT’s academic programs. He is teaching a graduate-level course in film and literary theory, actively collaborating with fellow faculty members on joint publications and sharing his passion for cinema, assisting in the establishment of centers for Comparative Literature and Writing, conducting seminars in Cultural Studies and Literary Theory, and leading a series of talks at the Centre for Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature.
Dr. Anshen comments how much he has learned about “the value of international relations.” He asserts that in the West, we rarely learn “about the 3,000 years or more of ancient to modern history, literature, culture, politics, philosophy, and [the] nature of life for millions of people.” At the same time, as well as emphasizing global differences, his time in India, he says, underscores that everywhere the consequences of capitalism “remain alarmingly similar.” Dr. Anshen states that “the administration here remains committed to interchanges of all kinds and are willing to help financially.” Dr. Jaime Ortiz, UTRGV’s Chief Global Officer, and a Fulbright U.S. Scholar to India himself, stresses “the importance for UTRGV to set foot developing meaningful institutional collaborations in the most populous country and the 5th largest economy. Simply stated, the social, legal, economic, political and technological dimensions India offers to the world are too fundamental for our students and faculty not to learn about.”
Featured Student: Study Abroad in Italy May Minimester 2024
June 21, 2024
Study Abroad in Italy on Instagram
✈️ Exploring Italy 🇮🇹
👩🏻🎨 Macie Blohowiak, a Graphic Design major, recently embarked on a two-week study abroad journey to Italy, focusing on Art Restoration, Caravaggio, and Optics.
The highlight of her adventure? Easily the tiramisu! 😋
Thinking about studying abroad? 🌎 Don’t hesitate, just go for it!
#utrgv #utrgvabroad #studyabroad #italy #utrgvstudents #artrestoration #caravaggio
UTRGV Latino Theater Initiative & the PUCPR Theater Department weeklong collaboration
May 15, 2024
UTRGV Theater faculty, Dr. Eric Wiley and Professor Miguel Salazar, travelled to Puerto Rico in March to collaborate with Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico (PUCPR) Department of Theater. They traveled with eleven students to meet with theatre faculty and students from the host institution as well as with administrators, to further build a relationship between the schools' theatre programs and facilitate future in-depth student and faculty exchanges.
Dr. Joel Pagán, Provost Fellow in the Office of International Study Programs worked closely with Dr. Joel Vélez, Executive Director of the PUCPR Office of International Relations to coordinate the five-day visit. These activities were possible through a MOU signed between UTRGV and the PUCPR in September 2022.
During their stay, the UTRGV students, who are all members of the Latino Theatre Initiatives ensemble, performed an original play in Spanish entitled Ni De Aquí, Ni De Allá: A Través Del Valle, for the PUCPR theatre community. Meanwhile, for three nights in a row, the UTRGV students watched dozens of local theatre students compete in an island-wide competition in San Juan called " Combate Teatral." "It was an exhilarating and inspiring display of Puerto Rican theatre, dance and music," said Dr. Wiley, " and we were thrilled to cheer on PUCPR and watch as they gave outstanding performances on the way to winning second place in the competition." "We hope to return for further collaboration and to welcome a PUCPR theatre group here in the RGV," added Wiley.
Institute of International Education (IIE) selects UTRGV to receive IIE Passport Project Grant
April 22, 2024
UTRGV and King Abdulaziz University Collaborate on Groundbreaking Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research
April 4, 2024
Exciting collaboration between The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca, and the Universidad de Cuenca in Ecuador
March 5, 2024
Exciting collaboration between The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani
February 2024
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