UFIC Welcomes Consul General of India, Shri Ramesh Babu Lakshmanan
06/23/25

The University of Florida International Center (UFIC) was honored to host Shri Ramesh Babu Lakshmanan, Consul General of India in Atlanta, during his official visit to campus on Friday, June 13. As part of a full-day agenda, Shri Lakshmanan met with UF leadership and faculty from across disciplines to explore opportunities for collaboration.

He also joined Dean Marta Wayne at UFIC, engaged with students over lunch, participated in a faculty roundtable, and toured the UF campus, including a visit to the HiPerGator supercomputing facility. Shri Lakshmanan’s visit highlighted the growing partnership between the University of Florida and India, with shared goals in research, education...

UFIC Appoints John J. Mulligan as Interim Director of the Study Abroad Program
06/23/25

The University of Florida International Center (UFIC) is pleased to announce the appointment of John J. Mulligan as Interim Director of the Study Abroad Program, effective immediately.

In lieu of reopening the search for a permanent director this spring, UFIC leadership has named Mulligan to serve in a long-term interim capacity, providing strategic continuity and advancing departmental goals. With extensive experience in international administration, Mulligan is exceptionally well positioned to support and enhance UF’s education abroad initiatives.

Mulligan joined UFIC in 2023 as Health, Safety, and Global Risk Manager for the Study Abroad...

A Master Class on Networking with Alumni Ambassador Nishanta "Nishi" Rajakaruna
06/09/25

Nishanta ‘Nishi’ Rajakaruna with Welwitschia mirabilis subspecies namibiana in the Namib Desert

Source: Fulbright

"The future belongs to those who dare to step into discomfort and welcome the unknown — and those are the ones who become Fulbrighters.”
- Nishi

When you call ...

Recent UF Grad, Natalie Manrique, shares her Virtual Exchange experience
06/09/25

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"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.

 Click here to read full story.

UF Professor Interviewed on Virtual Exchange Project Comparing Legal Systems
05/26/25

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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.

To check out the interview and article for the...

Recent UF Grad Interviewed on Virtual Exchange Experience
05/26/25

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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. ...

Building Collaborations with Higher Ed Institutions in Campeche, Mexico
05/26/25

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.

2025 Online Educator of The Year Awarded to Dr. Kumar!
05/26/25

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!

To read more, ...

500K Strong
05/26/25

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...

Dr. Cynthia S. Simmons receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for 2025-2026
05/26/25

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...

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