Brad Sekulich, director of the Office of Education Abroad, was presented the Martha Fitch Trigonis Individual Award for excellence in service and leadership in international education at the recent N.C. Association for International Educators (NCAIE) annual conference.
The honor is presented annually to a professional in the field of international education who has made contributions at the state, regional and/or national level.
“Brad’s consistent contributions to the field, including his work supporting international education at UNC Charlotte and representing our University and region to a host of partners and professional organizations both locally and nationally, make him a deserving recipient of this award,” said Joël Gallegos, assistant provost for international programs.
Sekulich has served as director of the Office of Education Abroad (OEA) at UNC Charlotte since 2005. OEA strengthens the international dimension of UNC Charlotte's campus by promoting international understanding and awareness through education abroad opportunities.
“International educational experiences broaden a student’s understanding of both the world at large and the society from which they come in a way not possible by staying home,” Sekulich stated. “It is imperative that our students better understand the world around them and I am thrilled to help provide them this opportunity in an educationally relevant way.”
Currently, Sekulich is chair of the NAFSA Education Abroad Knowledge Community, an elected role that provides leadership for education abroad professionals among the nearly 10,000 members of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, widely regarded as the leading professional organization in the field of international education. He also has served as the NAFSA chair of Region VII, the seven-state region of which North Carolina is a part. In that role, Sekulich developed and facilitated a bi-regional conference for international educators held in Puerto Rico, a first for the organization.