2020 Faculty Award - René Harder-Horst
The 2020 faculty Global Leadership Award was presented to Dr. René Harder-Horst. Dr. Horst has been a professor in the History Department since 2000, focusing on Latin American topics. Dr. Horst has received numerous internal awards and recognitions, external awards and honors, and has written many publications including monographs, book chapters, and journal articles. He has also been invited to multiple interviews, book, and manuscript reviews. Dr. Horst has directed multiple master and undergraduate senior theses over the years and has presented many papers and public lectures. All of this work is centered around his vast understanding, passion, and expertise in developing a globally oriented mindset. Dr. Horst has served the university community in many different ways including serving as Vice President of App Unidos, the Faculty/Staff Hispanic Latino Organization; co-organized multiple Latin American Film Festivals on campus; and is co-organizer and founder of Appalachian@s Hispanic/Latino Faculty and Staff Association. He annually attends, presents and participates in the North Carolina Hispanic/Latino Faculty Staff conferences, and was principally instrumental in organizing the 4th Annual UNC Hispanic/Latino Forum here at AppState in 2015, a large conference with great successes that essentially put our university on the map for Hispanic/Latino employees in our UNC system. States his nominator, “In my professional estimation, no other colleague here at ASU better deserves the Appalachian Global Leadership Award than Dr. René Harder Horst of the History Department for bringing awareness and greater appreciation for and acceptance of people of Hispanic/Latino heritage here at Appalachian.”
2020 Staff Award - Dr. Brian MacHarg
The 2020 staff Global Leadership Award was presented to Dr. Brian MacHarg, the Director of Academic Civic Engagement. Dr. MacHarg has always been committed to excellence, education, and engagement. He has transformed lives on campus and around the world in many ways – one example being by helping bring the Mandela Washington Scholars to our campus for 6 weeks each year for the past three years. Dr. MacHarg has led multiple faculty groups for training in other countries as he helps equip teachers interested in developing service-learning study abroad classes. Per his nominator “his resume is impressive, but his skill, passion, and genuine belief in the importance of global citizenship are the true keys to his effectiveness. He approaches international work with grace, knowledge, and critical self-reflection.”
2020 Student Award - Alan-Joshua Carrasco
One of the 2020 student Global Leadership Awards was presented to Alan-Joshua Carrasco, a senior double majoring in Global Studies and Political Science. Among the multiple nominations for Alan-Joshua, recommendations came from faculty, staff, and from an international degree-seeking student here at App. This speaks to the breadth of his engagement in international activities and academic focus. Alan-Joshua’s Political Science concentration is in International Politics. His Global Studies concentration is in North Africa and the Middle East, with minors in Arabic and Judaic/Holocaust/Peace Studies. He studied abroad in Morocco, helped found the Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity at Appalachian as well as Appalachian’s multicultural Greek Council. He is a leading member of the International Relations Association, a leading member of INTAPP, works with Gear Up, and is a member of Appalachian’s Latin Hispanic Alliance. His support for international students has included a wide range of actions from picking them up at the airport, helping plan and participating in numerous orientation activities, serving as the INTAPP international student liaison, to opening up his home to international students so they have a place to live. One of his nominators points out that he has an amazing passion and commitment to global understanding and social justice and that he is an extraordinary human being.
2020 Student Award - Alexa Dudash
One of the 2020 student Global Leadership Awards was presented to Alexa Dudash, a senior majoring in Exercise Science. Alexa has played a significant role bringing a global mindset to Appalachian through her work with International Appalachian (INTAPP) and especially as INTAPP president during the 2019-2020 academic year. Alexa joined INTAPP in the Fall 2016, and has been actively involved ever since. One of the primary goals of INTAPP is creating cross-cultural experiences for everyone on campus and Alexa is such an asset because she believes deeply in these goals and worked hard to execute her vision and responsibilities as 2019-2020 president. Her nominator says “Working with Alexa is a delight because she works hard, inspires others, brings great ideas to the table, is productive, and makes the experience enjoyable for all. INTAPP has been so productive this past academic year, certainly due to Alexa’s leadership.” An example of her flexible leadership was her adjustment when the COVID crisis hit in March 2020. She rallied the INTAPP members to continue meeting online and found a way to virtually continue their biggest event of the year, a 5K race fundraiser for a study abroad scholarship that takes place each April. Despite having to completely rethink INTAPP’s largest annual event with only a three week notice, she managed to make it the most successful fundraiser INTAPP has seen in many years. Alexa is truly an inspiring global leader on this campus.