Ping Taylor Professional Fellows Grant Program Update

In 2022, CIEE and AIFS Abroad committed $100,000 to support the professional development of the next generation of leaders in international education through the Ping Taylor Professional Fellows Grant program. Over the last three years, the program has enabled 51 higher education administrators and faculty to attend annual conferences led by NAFSA: Association for International Educators, Forum on Education Abroad, and DA Global Access Network.

The program was named to honor the iconic American educator and former chair of CIEE, Dr. Charles Ping, and the founder of AIFS, Sir Cyril Taylor, who both devoted their professional careers to international education and exchange, with a special focus on mentoring and developing exceptional leaders to expand the field and its advancement of world peace.

Recipients of the Ping Taylor Professional Fellowship hailed from public universities, private universities, HBCUs, HSIs, community colleges, and more. Many recipients would have been unable to attend the conference without financial assistance.

Nandi Msengwa from Morehouse College, who received a Ping Taylor Professional Fellows Grant to attend the Forum on Education Abroad in 2024, described the opportunity to connect with a vibrant community of education abroad peers from around the world as transformative.

"The conference provided a vital platform to connect with fellow professionals, discover industry best practices, and be exposed to innovative new ideas to progress study abroad equitably and sustainably,” he said.

In some cases, the Ping Taylor Professional Fellows Grant did not just advance personal professional growth, but also helped the recipient's home institution further embrace international education. Fabiola Riobé of Kansas City Community College, who received a grant to attend the Global Inclusion Conference in 2024, said the fellowship empowered her to advance international education at her institution, where global learning is still an emerging concept.

“There are members of our leadership team and board who, prior to my arrival, did not fully understand the value of such initiatives,” she said. “Because of the opportunities provided through the fellowship, I was able to begin securing funding and garnering support for this important work.”

We are proud to be wrapping up this initiative by announcing the final cohort of Ping Taylor Professional Fellows who will receive financial support to attend the NAFSA conference in San Diego this May. They are:

• Whitney Longnecker ,Director of Study Abroad, Texas Tech University
• Jennifer Cox, Professor & Director of International Internships, Fulton School of Liberal Arts at Salisbury University
• Kerriann Ring, Assistant Director of International and Off-Campus Programs, McDaniel College
• Jennifer Gwasira, Assistant Director of Study Abroad, University of Nebraska at Kearney
• Malikka Hutchins, Program Coordinator, Rutgers University - Newark
• Larisa Landry, Senior Global Scholar Adviser, University of Houston - Clear Lake
• Aishwarya Gawade, Global Engagement Programs Fellow, Northwestern University 

Previous recipients of the Ping Taylor Professional Grant are:

Forum on Education Abroad 2025

• Jill Kerr, Associate Director for Faculty Engagement, Louisiana State University   
• Ruby Regina Benigno, Assistant Director, DSO/ARO, North Park University    
• Calvin Dement, Program Coordinator, Texas Tech University
• Yaniris Fernandez, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Hampshire College   
• Torian Lee, Director, Norfolk State University    
• Gonzalo Villena, Director, Study Abroad, The City University of New York - College of Staten Island
• Shai Nickerson, Advisor of Education Abroad and Away, Davidson College      
• Annika Vinje, Study Abroad Advisor, Ball State University

Global Inclusion 2024

• Dechen Albero, Assistant Director, Outbound Mobility, Florida Gulf Coast University   
• Ana Lopez, Senior Study Abroad Specialist, California State University International Programs
• Danielle Walter, COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) Manager, University of Tennessee
• Fabiola Riobé, Vice President of Educational Innovation and Global Programming, Kansas City Kansas Community College

NAFSA 2024

• Sesalee Harris, Assistant Director, Study Abroad, Office of International Education, The University of Texas at Arlington
• Zhana Welch, Program Manager, Global Learning Abroad, University of Maryland College Park
• Leslyn Tonge, PhD, Dean, Division of Student Affairs, University of the Virgin Islands
• Lisa Ho, Ohio Wesleyan University      
• Amy Williams, M.Ed., Global Education Advisor, Office of Global Engagement, University of Georgia     
• Danielle King, Program Associate, Office of Global Services, Georgetown University   

Forum on Education Abroad 2024

• Jessica Michelsen, Study Away Coordinator, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• Lili Klar, Global Engagement Coordinator, Clemson University
• Melissa Matsubara, Director of Study Abroad & International Exchange Programs, Hawaii Pacific University
• Nandi Musengwa, Study Abroad Program Coordinator, Morehouse College
• Jennifer Chan, Senior Advisor & Exchange Coordinator, Seattle University      
• Shawn Dillard, Program Director Short-term Programs and Immersions, University of San Francisco

Global Inclusion 2023

• Taylor Shire, Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business, Iowa State University
• Dario Ogaz, Education Abroad Senior Specialist, Seattle University
• Natasha Welcome, Professor, ESL, Middlesex County College
• Taylor Morgan, Director of Education Abroad, Texas Woman's University

NAFSA 2023

• Kimberly Longfellow, Assistant Director of Off-Campus Programs, St. Lawrence University
• Andrea Ruffoni Semidey, Assistant Director, University of Miami
• Bemni Amsalu, International Program Advisor, Xavier University
• Yijie(EJ) Ren, Education Abroad Advisor, University of Maine
• Allison Carruthers, Learning Abroad Advisor, University of Houston

Forum on Education Abroad 2023

• Matt Schiesel, Associate Director of Study Abroad & International Fellowships, Siena College
• Sarah Craver, Director of Education Abroad, Hunter College (CUNY)
• Vanes Beaubrun, Coordinator, Faculty-Led Programs, University of Rhode Island
• Jan-Dominique Santos, International Education Manager, University of South Alabama
• Brian Henry, Program Manager, University of Denver
• Neal McKinney, Graduate Research Associate/Doctoral Candidate, Ohio State

Global Inclusion 2022

• Hope Kroll, Student Success Specialist, Michigan State University
• Antonio L. Ellison, II, Assistant Director, Study Abroad Diversity Initiatives, Lehigh University
• Vaughn Thornton, Program and Outreach Specialist, Boston College
• Monija Amani, Executive Director of Global Education, Muhlenberg College
• Stephanie Lopez, Study Abroad Advisor, Iowa State University

We are proud that the Ping Taylor Professional Fellows Grants program was able to increase access to national conferences that provide essential educational and government updates, as well as peer-to-peer networking opportunities that are vital for international educators and advisors.

Thank you to our partner AIFS for joining CIEE in equipping leaders in our field with the tools and knowledge to drive meaningful change, ensuring that global education becomes more accessible for all.