"What is in my own head is great but learning from others is amazing and more than you can get from books alone. This was my biggest takeaway.” Learn more about Natalie’s experience as a student participating in an international virtual exchange with a focus on Interior Design, in this interview with UNICollaboration, a European-based Virtual Exchange (VE) network.
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Dr. Erika Brooke, Associate Instructional Professor in the UF Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law, and her virtual exchange partner, Professor Xavier F. Andrade Castillo from Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador, were recently interviewed by UNICollaboration, a European-based Virtual Exchange network. During the interview, they explained how they created a virtual exchange project that enabled students to compare and reflect on the cultural similarities and differences in their perceptions of law and justice systems.
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UF graduate Adrianna Ruiz, who majored in Criminology and Political Science, was recently interviewed by UNICollaboration, a European-based Virtual Exchange (VE) network, about her experience as a virtual exchange participant through a course she took titled "Careers in Criminal Justice" taught by Dr. Erika Brooke in spring 2024. For the virtual exchange project, Adrianna collaborated with students from Dr. Xavier F. Andrade Castillo's class at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador, and had an opportunity to explore global perspectives on topics related to criminal justice systems. ...
Paloma Rodriguez, Director of the Office of Global Learning, and Mary Risner, Associate Director of UF’s Center for Latin American Studies, visited Universidad Autonoma de Campeche and the Instituto Campechano in Mexico to discuss future collaborations and increasing virtual exchange partnerships between our institutions. A special thank you to Monica Guerrero, Irene Aké Ché, Benjamin Otto Ortega Morales, Rosalinda Echavarría Sánchez, Gabriela De la Cruz Pereyra, Darwin Perez, Rafael Enrique Meneses Lopez, Melissa Aguilar, Nadia Kass May, Eduardo Aguilar and all the wonderful faculty and colleagues who met with them during their visit.
Dr. Swapna Kumar, Clinical Professor of Educational Technology in the College of Education, was awarded the 2025 University of Florida Online Educator of the Year Award for her outstanding teaching practices and dedication to online teaching. Since 2016, Dr. Kumar has been integrating virtual exchange projects into her curriculum that allow her students to engage with virtual guest speakers from around the world. Dr. Kumar is also a former participant in the Office of Global Learning’s Intercultural Leadership Institute.
Congratulations, Dr. Kumar!
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From left to right: Leanne Wong, Austin Lee, Joshua Thomas, Julianne Owen and Rida Rizvi pose on the stage of the University Auditorium. (Photo by Brianne Lehan)
The Spring 2025 commencement season marked a huge milestone for the University of Florida. The Gator Nation® has grown into a dynamic network of alumni — now half-a-million strong — that spans every Florida county, the nation and the globe. These 500,000 alumni are keen to connect, uplift and pave an Orange and Blue trail for themselves and future Gators.
To commemorate the exceptional class of 2025 and this historic alumni landmark, we selected five students who illustrate many of the best traits of what...
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Contact: ECA-Press@state.gov
Dr. Cynthia S. Simmons, a Professor of Geography at the University of Florida, has received the prestigious, Fulbright Distinguished Scholar award, Sustainability in Amazonia at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) in Brazil. This important recognition reflects the high esteem in which the academic community holds her work. Note that distinguished Fulbright scholar awards have not been subject to DOGE-related cuts in the federal government, in which case Dr. Simmons fully anticipates living and working in Belém, the...
Matthew Hill (left) with US Senator Ed Markey (photo: Michal Fidler)
“With the support of the University of Florida International Center, I had the incredible opportunity to join the Campus Climate Corps in attending COP29, one of the most significant international climate conferences in the world. For those unfamiliar, the Conference of the Parties—commonly referred to as COP—is an annual meeting convened by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It brings together world leaders, scientists, policymakers, and activists to negotiate solutions for climate change through the long process of United Nations legislation.”
“My experience at...
The UF International Center (UFIC) is proud to announce that 30 students have been awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship during the March 2025 application cycle—the highest number of recipients UF has ever had, and a testament to UF’s growing global engagement.
The ...
GAINESVILLE 05/09/2025 – The University of Florida is ranked No. 3 in the top large schools’ category among Peace Corps’ 2025 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list*. There are currently 34 volunteers from the University of Florida serving in 21 countries around the world, including Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Kenya, Kosovo, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, North Macedonia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Senegal, Thailand, Uganda, and Vanuatu.
“We are incredibly proud to see the University of Florida ranked No. 3 among the nation’s top large schools for Peace Corps volunteer production,” said Marta L. Wayne, Dean of the UF...
