APLU Announces University of South Florida President Genshaft as 2016 Malone International Leadership Award Recipient

Washington, DC – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today announced Dr. Judy Genshaft, President and CEO of the University of South Florida System, as the 2016 recipient of the Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award for her work championing comprehensive internationalization efforts in higher education. The Malone Award, a national honor presented by APLU and awarded annually, recognizes individuals who further international education at public universities.

Throughout her distinguished career, President Genshaft has worked to expand internationalization. Since becoming President of the University of South Florida, she has guided a variety of initiatives that support and advance internationalization. Genshaft has prioritized building a global campus in the university’s long-term strategic planning to ensure that USF educates globally fluent graduates who are ready to tackle challenges in an increasingly cosmopolitan society and economy.

“President Genshaft’s decade and a half at the University of South Florida has traced some of the broadest and most path-breaking work in internationalization,” said APLU President Peter McPherson. “Her leadership in building a truly international campus has proven indispensable — not just at the University of South Florida, but as a model to be emulated across the country. The example USF has set during her tenure represents the leading edge of international education in an era when globally-focused learning is more important than ever before.”

“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition, which reflects my passion for providing our students with the best knowledge and skills to be successful in a global marketplace,” said USF System President Judy Genshaft. “The era in which we live demands that our students and faculty work, collaborate and forge bonds with people from other nations and understand the common challenges facing the world’s future. Global experiences are not only personally transformative and empowering, but they bridge divides between people and encourage all of us to work together in a positive direction.”

The internationally-focused initiatives Genshaft has led have produced remarkable results. The number of USF students studying abroad for course credit has doubled over the last five years, with the campus-wide aim of doubling that number again in coming years. The university has also tripled the number of international students studying at USF, covering 139 countries around the world. What’s more, USF is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars and Peace Corps volunteers.

Under the Global Citizens Project Genshaft implemented at USF, all general education courses are now tailored to include content on global issues. All of these initiatives are housed under USF World, a system-wide unit she created in 2011 to oversee and implement the wide array of internationalization efforts undertaken at the university.

The Malone Award honors the legacy of the late Michael P. Malone, a champion of international education and one-time chair of the APLU Commission on International Education, now the Commission on International Initiatives. Malone served as president of Montana State University from 1991 until his death in 1999.