On Tuesday, April 16, distinguished campus and community members were recognized for their service to Colorado State University at the annual Celebrate! CSU Awards. Among those recognized were four recipients of the Office of International Programs Distinguished Service Award. This year’s award winners were Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology faculty Kate Huyvaert and Paul Doherty, community volunteer and Atmsopheric Science researcher Steve Fletcher and CSU Vice President for External Relations Tom Milligan. Recipients were honored at the annual awards ceremony at the Lory Student Center alongside other distinguished campus and community award recipients.
Kate Huyvaert and Paul Doherty
Kate Huyvaert and Paul Doherty are faculty champions for international education at Colorado State University. In collaboration with the department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, they launched CSU’s first semester program at the CSU Todos Santos Center in Mexico, a large undertaking that involved extensive and thoughtful planning. Kate and Paul were instrumental in organizing a meeting in Todos Santos to discuss options for improving the water quality and ecology of the local lagoon, and they have laid the foundation for more research and collaborative projects in Baja California Sur in the future.
In addition to working in Todos Santos, Kate also maintains a long-term research program in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, with a focus on behavioral ecology and conservation of waved albatross. Paul and Kate have also taught and done research in Vietnam, including mentoring a Vietnamese Ph.D. student on avian conservation and wildlife disease ecology. Paul is highly engaged in work related to population and community ecology in Alaska and is part of the leadership team at the CSU Mountain Campus, where both Paul and Kate teach every summer. They are both highly engaged and passionate researchers with a deep commitment to the University and the overall success of the students.
Steve Fletcher
Steve Fletcher came to CSU from England in 2004 as a post-doc in the Atmospheric Science Department, where he now works as a research scientist. He is active as a volunteer and leader with the Fort Collins International Center (FCIC), a community organization that offers meaningful programs and connections between international students and the community. Steve credits Friday Afternoon Club (FAC), held each Friday at the CSU International House, with being the place where he connected with many friends, and he works hard to make this true for others, too. Steve has chaired FAC since 2006, and became FCIC Treasurer in 2010. He also participates in outdoor trips with students and takes a busload of international students to the Cheyenne Frontier Days every August. Steve is an example of the type of volunteer programming and hospitality that makes Fort Collins such a great place to study as an international student.
Tom Milligan
As Vice President for External Relations at Colorado State University, Tom Milligan has transformed CSU’s communications strategy and branding efforts, including how CSU projects itself globally. Tom has played a central role in CSU’s efforts in China and Japan and is helping CSU strengthen its global image at every level. Tom was instrumental in bringing Semester at Sea to Colorado State, he has been a strong advocate for strengthening CSU’s international recruiting and he is one of three CSU board members shaping INTO’s role on campus.