Thank you for stopping by to learn more about the Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development (CGDSD). Take some time to look through our content and don’t hesitate to share how you’d like to get involved. Use the menu below to jump to a section of interest.
Please contact us at CGDSD@acpa.nche.edu or connect with the members of our Directorate Body with questions or ideas.
who we are
our goals
supporting international students, scholars and faculty members,
- study abroad and international service-learning,
- fostering the development of intercultural competencies,
- student services around the world,
- the role of student affairs in internationalization efforts.
Who we serve
Get Involved
We are on most of the online channels. Join us on these platforms to stay connected with the most up-to-date news and professional development opportunities through our Commission.
CGDSG is always looking for involved members! It is easy to join us and at this time by following the steps below!
Ready to join?
Joining an Entity through the ACPA Member Portal automatically identifies you as a member of that Entity! You will begin to receive Entity communications through their respective email listserv and have access to any resources they share!
- Login to your ACPA Member Account
- Click on Community Groups (Chatter)
- Click Groups
- Click Active Groups
- Find the entity you want to join and within that group, click +Join
Contact cgdsd@acpa.nche.edu, to learn more about ACPA’s Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development!
Join our newsletter! For all events, check out our Linktree.
Any ACPA member can become involved and there are varying levels of involvement:
- Join our listserv (sign up under “my profile” in the ACPA membership area)
- Attend our open business meeting at the annual ACPA convention
- Review conference programs for the annual convention
- Submit a sponsored program proposal for the annual convention
- Host a webinar
- Submit a proposal for a paper to be published on our website
Meet the Directorate Board
CGDSD Directorate Board members benefit from active involvement with a dynamic group of student affairs and services scholars and practitioners, representing a variety of functional areas, institutions, and jurisdictions. Involvement on the Directorate provides the opportunity for ongoing engagement with colleagues with a shared interest in international education and cross-cultural learning.
For general questions, please e-mail us at cgdsd@acpa.nche.edu. If you have a specific question regarding an area of responsibility of one of the directorate board members, feel free to contact that member directly. Directorate members are elected to a three-year term by current CGDSD members. They exercise leadership for a specific portfolio within the Commission’s mandate.
The Directorate Board consists of the following members:
- Chair: provides leadership and direction to the Directorate Board, serves as representative of the Commission
- Chair-Elect: supports the Commission Chair
- Past Chair: serves as resource to the Chair and ensures smooth transition of leadership of the Commission
- Faculty-in-Residence & Faculty-in-Residence-Elect: organize International Colloquium (pre-convention workshop at ACPA Annual Convention) and oversee research grant selection process
- Blog & Podcast Editors: responsible for engaging with our members and recruiting them to participate in our Blog and Podcast series
- Vice-Chairs for Marketing and Member Engagement: oversees content development of the Commission’s e-newsletter and manages the Commission’s social media, engagement and recruitment of Commission’s members
- Vice-Chairs for Educational Programs: facilitate Webinars and other professional development opportunities throughout the year
- Vice-Chairs for Awards & Scholarships: oversee our awards and scholarship processes
- Website Managers: ensure our Commission’s website functionality and content updates
- Member-at-Large: serves on the Directorate Board and assist with various Commission projects
Dr. Pankaj Desai
Past-Chair
he/him/his
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Email Dr. Pankaj Desai
Dr. Milad Mohebali
Faculty-in-Residence
he/him
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Email Dr. Milad Mohebali
Dr. Julie Brines
Faculty-in-Residence
she/her/hers
Western Illinois University
Email Dr. Julie Brines
Dr. Justin Alexander
Faculty-in-Residence Elect
he/him/his
Delaware State University
Email Dr. Justin Alexander
Dr. Shinji Katsumoto
Faculty-in-Residence Elect
he/him/his
University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
Email Dr. Shinji Katsumoto
Emmanuel Saforo
Vice-Chair for Marketing & Member Outreach
he/him
Florida International University
Email Emmanuel Saforo
Ebenezer Boakye
Vice-Chair for Marketing & Member Outreach
he/him/his
University of Georgia
Email Ebenezer Boakye
Cholpon Kalandarova
Vice-Chair for Awards & Scholarships
she/her/hers
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Email Cholpon Kalandarova
Laura Vaughn
Vice-Chair for Educational Programs
she/her/hers
Florida State University
Email Laura Vaughn
Evelina Shovunova
Vice-Chair for Educational Programs
she/her/hers
University of Georgia
Email Evelina Shovunova
Dr. Vedika Salunke
Member-at-Large (Ed Programs)
she/her/hers
Oberlin College & Conservatory
Email Dr. Vedika Salunke
Haishan "Sam" Yang
Member-at-Large
he/him/his
University of Southern California
Email Haishan “Sam” Yang
Florence Effah Asiedu
Member-at-Large
she/her/hers
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Email Florence Effah Asiedu
Dr. Jacqueline Huggins
Member-at-Large
she/her/hers
The University of the West Indies
Email Dr. Jacqueline Huggins
CGDSD blogs & Podcasts
CGDSD Blogs and Podcasts cover a wide variety of topics, including:
- cross-cultural learning initiatives
- experiences and trends related to working with international students
- personal experiences of being a foreign-born professional working at a higher education institution outside their home country
- experiences of working with student services from different countries
- thought pieces on trends in international education
Open Call for Contributions: CGDSD Blogs and Podcasts 2025
We welcome voices from all functional areas in Higher Education to share insights on cross-cultural learning, intercultural competency development, internationalization, and student services worldwide. Past contributions have highlighted initiatives with international students, reflections from foreign-born professionals working abroad, thought pieces on trends in international education, and experiences with student services across diverse contexts.
If you or someone you know has a story, perspective, or practice to share, we encourage you to submit your interest through our open call form HERE
Questions and Inquiries
Interested in CGDSD Blogs or Podcasts? Feel free to contact us for more information.
![(Podcast) #17-[ACPA22 Conference] Thriving or Surviving?: Experience of Korean international staff in U.S.](https://myacpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_0729.jpg)
(Podcast) #17-[ACPA22 Conference] Thriving or Surviving?: Experience of Korean international staff in U.S.
Description: In this episode, we are featuring a commission endorsed program for the ACPA22 Annual Conference in St.Louis, MO back in March. In this presentation, Katie Koo, Kyoungah Lee and Hanna Lee shared their experience as Korean international staff working in...
(Podcast) GLOBAL CONNECTIONS #16 Navigating Job Search and Career Advancement as Visa-Holding Professionals in Higher Education
Description: In this episode, we are featuring a commission endorsed program for ACPA22 Annual Conference in St. Louis, MO back in March. Xiao Yun Sim and Yuezhong Zheng both presented on Navigating Job Search and Career Advancement as Visa-Holding Professionals in...
(blog) Reconnecting My Passion in Higher Education Through ACPA22 by Lixing Li
Description: Lixing Li is currently an academic advisor at Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School. Lixing serves as our Blog and Podcast Editor and in this blog, she shares her experience as the first time attendee for ACPA annual conference in...
CGDSD Awards
Each year the CGDSD Awards acknowledge and celebrate individual and organizational contributions to the profession. All award winners are recognized at the 2026 ACPA Annual Convention and are featured on CGDSD’s website and newsletter.
Graduate Student Excellence Award
Recognizes a current graduate student who has demonstrated a strong commitment to international education and advocacy for international populations. This award honors individuals who have made meaningful contributions to the international student community through research, programming, or advocacy. It celebrates graduate students who show exceptional dedication to creating a more inclusive and supportive campus environment for international students. Recipients will be invited to participate in a podcast interview to share reflections on their educational and professional journeys, including what inspires their work in international education.
New Professional Excellence Award
Recognizes a new professional with fewer than three years of full-time experience who has demonstrated a strong passion for international education. The nominee must show active involvement in internationalization and/or globalization efforts within their community over the past two years. Recipients will be invited to participate in a podcast interview to share their experiences, insights, and contributions to the field.
Outstanding International Education Initiative
Recognizes programs and educational initiatives that advance international education and promote the global dimensions of student development. Recipients will be invited to participate in a podcast interview to present their program or initiative and share its impact.
Outstanding Service to the International Community
Recognizes an individual for outstanding service to the international community. The nominee must demonstrate a history of involvement and leadership spanning several years within the international Student Affairs community. Recipients will be invited to participate in a podcast interview to reflect on their service and contributions.
Excellence in International Research
Recognizes an individual for significant scholarly contributions to international education and/or international student affairs and services within the past two years. The recipient’s research should demonstrate both educational impact and intrinsic value to the field. Recipients will be invited to participate in a podcast interview to share their research and insights.
Outstanding Mentor to International Professionals
Recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional guidance, support, and mentorship to professionals working in international and global education. Through their commitment, care, and cultural responsiveness, this mentor has made a meaningful impact on the professional growth and development of others in the field. Recipients of this award will be invited to participate in a podcast interview to share their mentorship experiences.
Eligibility for all awards
- Neither nominators nor nominees have to be current ACPA members or members of CGDSD; everyone can nominate or be nominated.
- Self-nominations are accepted for all awards and encouraged.
- Nominees do not have to be international students or scholars.
- Nominees do not have to be located in the U.S.
The deadline to submit a nomination is Oct 31, 2025.
CGDSD Scholarships
Each year the CGDSD provides two (2) one-year, ACPA membership scholarships to individuals working in the field of student affairs/services outside of the United States. This is a great opportunity to get involved with ACPA, contribute to our Commission’s work and benefit from our network. Several of our past scholarship recipients have also decided to join the commission after their scholarship ended, and still contribute to our mission today.
All scholarship recipients are recognized at the 2026 ACPA Annual Convention and are featured on CGDSD’s website and newsletter.
Eligibility of the scholarship:
- Applicants must be working in the field of student affairs/student services
- Applicants do not have to be located within the US or serving a US institution
- Applicants can be current ACPA members
Please note that all scholarship awardees are required to:
- Join the CGDSD Directorate Board as Member-At-Large
- Submit a blog post or participate in a podcast in the 2026-2027 Academic Cycle
The scholarship application cycle is currently closed and will open again in October 2025.
For questions, please e-mail us at cgdsd@acpa.nche.edu
upcoming events
There are no upcoming events at this time