Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development

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 [email protected] or connect with the members of our Directorate Body with questions or ideas.

who we are

The Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development brings together ACPA members from all functional areas interested in cross-cultural learning, development of intercultural competencies, internationalization, and student services around the world. Our Commission creates space for and initiates international and cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration among higher and tertiary education professionals and encourages its members to become engaged global citizens.

our goals

Our Commission creates and distributes educational resources on a variety of global topics including:

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

Our Commission also serves as a home for international members, including ACPA members living and working outside of the United States as well as foreign-born ACPA members living and working in the United States.
 
Since its inception, the Commission has served as an essential hub for ACPA members interested in global education, cross-cultural learning, and student development. Over the years CGDSD members have provided critical leadership to ACPA’s efforts to engage globally. That work has continued today through ACPA’s Global Initiatives, our Commission’s partnerships with other student affairs and services organizations like IASAS and CACUSS, and our efforts to provide resources to ACPA members around the global dimensions of student development and international education.
 
Our Commission has received numerous awards for its contributions to ACPA and the international education community. Recent awards include the Excellence in Contributions to ACPA’s Strategic Initaitives (2018), Excellence in Innovation (2020), Excellence in Programming and Professional Development (2019, 2021,2023), Excellence in Research and Scholarship (2021,2023), Distinguished Directorate Board Member (2021). Distinguished Commission Chair (2021), and Overall Distinguished Commission Award (2019, 2020, 2021),

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!

  1. Login to your ACPA Member Account
  2. Click on Community Groups (Chatter)
  3. Click Groups
  4. Click Active Groups
  5. Find the entity you want to join and within that group, click +Join

Contact [email protected], 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

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 [email protected]. 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
    Dr. Pankaj Desai

    Chair

    he/him/his
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    Email Dr. Pankaj Desai

    Lixing Li
    Lixing Li

    Chair-Elect

    she/her/hers
    Washington University in St. Louis

    Email the Lixing

     
    Xiao Yun Sim, M.A.
    Xiao Yun Sim, M.A.

    Past-Chair

    she/her
    University of Chicago

    Email XiaoYun

    Dr. Mary Ann Bodine Al-Sharif
    Dr. Mary Ann Bodine Al-Sharif

    Past Faculty-in-Residence

    she/her/hers
    University of Alabama at Birmingham

    Email the Dr.BAS

    Dr. Krishna Bista
    Dr. Krishna Bista

    Faculty-in-Residence

    he/him/his
    STAR Scholars

    Email Dr. Krishna Bista

    Dr. Milad Mohebali
    Dr. Milad Mohebali

    Faculty-in-Residence Elect

    he/him
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    Email Dr. Milad Mohebali

    Dr. Julie Brines
    Dr. Julie Brines

    Faculty-in-Residence Elect

    she/her/hers
    Western Illinois University

    Email Dr. Julie Brines

    Meena, M.A.
    Meena, M.A.

    Blog & Podcast Editor

    she/they
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    Email Meena

    Karren Gunalan
    Karren Gunalan

    Blog & Podcast Editor

    she/her/hers
    University of Toledo

    Email Karren

    Oksana Kozlova
    Oksana Kozlova

    Vice-Chair for Marketing & Member Outreach

    she/her/hers
    University of Missouri – Columbia

    Email Oksana

    Minyan Gao
    Minyan Gao

    Vice-Chair for Marketing & Member Outreach

    she/her
    Columbia University

    Email Minyan

    Emmanuel Saforo
    Emmanuel Saforo

    Vice-Chair for Marketing & Member Outreach

    he/him
    Florida International University

    Email Emmanuel

    Evelina Shovunova
    Evelina Shovunova

    Vice-Chair for Educational Programs

    she/her/hers
    University of Georgia

    Email Evelina

    Vedika Salunke
    Vedika Salunke

    Vice-Chair for Educational Programs

    she/her/hers
    Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi

    Email Vedika

    Laura Vaughn
    Laura Vaughn

    Vice-Chair for Educational Programs

    she/her/hers
    Florida State University

    Email Laura

    Yibin Wei
    Yibin Wei

    Vice-Chair for Educational Programs

    she/her/hers
    James Madison University

    Email Yibin

    Cholpon Kalandarova
    Cholpon Kalandarova

    Vice-Chair for Awards & Scholarships

    she/her/hers
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    Email Cholpon

    Tamayo Zhou, M.A.
    Tamayo Zhou, M.A.

    Member-at-Large

    he/they

    INTO – Drew University

    Email Tamayo

    Hanna Lee, Ed.M.
    Hanna Lee, Ed.M.

    Member-at-Large (Website Manager)

    she/her/hers
    Cayuga Community College

    Email Hanna

    Liz Hwang, M.S.
    Liz Hwang, M.S.

    Member-at-Large

    she/her/hers
    University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

    Email Liz

    Wendy Yu
    Wendy Yu

    Member-at-Large

    she/her/hers
    Vanderbilt University

    Email Wendy

    Alejandra Cruz
    Alejandra Cruz

    Member-at-Large

    she/her/hers
    Luther College

    Email Alejandra

    Blaire Thompson
    Blaire Thompson

    Member-at-Large

    she/her/hers
    University of Iowa

    Email Blaire

    CGDSD blogs & Podcasts

    International Colloquium 2024 Schedule

      Session #1 (April 12, 2024): Why it Matters: Sharing International Student Stories International Student Identities and Mental Well-Being: Beyond the Single Story  - Edited by Gudrun Nyunt, Katie Koo, Patty Witkowsky, and Mindy Andino New Directions - Catherine...

    read more
    (Blog) 2024 ACPA CGDSD Membership Scholarship Recipients

    Announcing the 2024 ACPA Membership Scholarship Recipients from CGDSD. 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...

    read more

    CGDSD blog posts 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

    Nominate a Blogger or Guest Speaker

    If you have a friend, a colleague, or a connection who might have an interesting experience or an insightful perspective to share, fill out this Nomination Form and we will reach out to them!

    Author Guidelines:

    Blog posts can range anywhere between 800-2,500 words. We encourage you to find ways to engage your audience in your blog post by for example including pictures (with a short description) and/or links to outside sources. We also ask that you include your headshot and a short bio, which we can add to the blog posts.

    Blog posts should be submitted as a Word document, with pictures attached separately to the e-mail.

    Cross-Posting with other ACPA Blogs:

    Blogs can be cross-posted on other entity group blogs (to increase readership), if they adhere to the guidelines of the other entity group and address a topic related to the other entity group. We are currently collaborating with the Commission for Social Justice Education on cross-posting blog posts. For information on their blog contribution guidelines, please go to: https://acpacsje.wordpress.com/contribute/

    Questions and/or Submitting a Blog or Podcast: 

    For more information or to submit a blog post, please contact Meena.

    For more information or interested in being in the podcast, please contact Lixing

    CGDSD Awards

    Each year the CGDSD Awards acknowledge and celebrate individual and organizational contributions to the profession. All award winners are recognized at the 2025 ACPA Annual Convention and are featured on CGDSD’s website and newsletter.

     

    Outstanding International Education Initiative

    Recognizes programs and other educational initiatives that support international education and the global dimensions of student development. Recipients for this award will be asked to provide a brief presentation about the program/initiative in the form of a podcast. 

    Undergraduate Student Excellence Award

    Recognizes an undergraduate student who has demonstrated a passion for international education and advocates for international populations. The nominees must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program. This award recognizes and honors undergraduate students who have made significant contributions to the international student community. This award celebrates those who demonstrate exceptional dedication to supporting, advocating for, and enhancing the experience of international students through research, programming, or advocacy. The award aims to encourage the development of an inclusive and supportive campus environment for international students. Recipients for this award will be asked to provide a brief presentation about the program/initiative in the form of a podcast.

    Graduate Student Excellence Award

    Recognizes a graduate student who has demonstrated a passion for international education and advocates for international populations. The nominees must be currently enrolled in a graduate program. This award recognizes and honors graduate students who have made significant contributions to the international student community. This award celebrates those who demonstrate exceptional dedication to supporting, advocating for, and enhancing the experience of international students through research, programming, or advocacy. The award aims to encourage the development of an inclusive and supportive campus environment for international students. Recipients for this award will be asked to provide a brief presentation about the program/initiative in the form of a podcast.

    Service to the International Community

    Recognizes an individual for outstanding service to the international community. The nominee has to demonstrate a history of involvement and leadership, over several years, to the international Student Affairs community. Recipients for this award will be asked to provide a brief presentation about the program/initiative in the form of a podcast.

    New Professional Award

    Recognizes a new professional with less than 3 years of full-time professional experience who has demonstrated a passion for international education. The nominee has to demonstrate a history of involvement with internationalization and/or globalization efforts within their community in the last two years. Recipients for this award will be asked to provide a brief presentation about the program/initiative in the form of a podcast.

    Excellence in International Research

    Recognizes an individual for significant scholarly contributions of educational and intrinsic value to international education and/or international student affairs and services in the last two years. Recipients for this award will be asked to provide a brief presentation about the program/initiative in the form of a podcast.

    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.

    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 2025 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 2024-2025 Academic Cycle


    The application closes on November 1st, 2024 at 5 PM EST.
    For questions, please e-mail our Scholarship Coordinator, Cholpon Kalandarova.

     

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