The University of Houston’s Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) welcomed faculty, staff and student leaders to "A Celebration of Global Coogs" on Friday, April 10, at Rockwell Pavilion. The event recognized individuals whose work has helped expand global learning, strengthen international partnerships and deepen the university’s culture of global engagement.
The event brought together members of the UH community for a celebratory lunch and recognition ceremony honoring those who have contributed to initiatives including faculty-led programs, the Global Faculty Development Fund, Global Affiliated Faculty, the Committee of Global Champions, the Learning Abroad Scholarship Committee, the Global Risk and Safety Committee, and Virtual Exchange–Collaborative Online International Learning (VE-COIL) faculty members. The program also recognized student leaders and staff whose work helps make global opportunities more accessible across campus.
In opening remarks, Michael Pelletier, Executive Director of the Institute for Global Engagement, emphasized the critical importance of sustaining and strengthening global engagement work during a time of deep uncertainty and challenge. The program also featured remarks from Dr. Jerrod Henderson, who reflected on how faculty-led global learning in nontraditional locations such as Ghana and South Africa can challenge assumptions, deepen student reflection, and expand students’ sense of global citizenship through immersive and research-informed experiences.
“At the University of Houston, global engagement is not the work of one office alone; it is made possible by faculty, staff and students across the institution who bring international collaboration and global learning to life in meaningful ways,” Pelletier said. “This celebration reflects our appreciation for the people who are helping build a more globally connected UH and expanding the opportunities available to our students and campus community.”
Designed as both a recognition event and a community-building moment, A Celebration of Global Coogs highlighted service, achievement, and the wider impact of this work on the university. From creating globally connected learning experiences and supporting strategic partnerships to mentoring students and advancing cross-campus collaboration, honorees represent the breadth of engagement that helps position UH as an institution committed to preparing students for a globally interconnected world.
The ceremony also underscored IGE’s broader goal of encouraging continued faculty and staff participation in international programs and initiatives. Through this event, the institute sought to celebrate concrete contributions while reinforcing a shared sense of momentum around global engagement at UH.
Honorees
Global Program Leaders
- Monica Adams: Assistant Professor, Graduate College of Social Work
- Omolola Adepoju: Clinical Associate Professor, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
- Fely Aguilar: Program Manager, Learning Abroad
- Justin Burris: Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Education
- Barbara Carlin: Instructional Assistant Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Nikhil Celly: Instructional Assistant Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Arlen Chase: Professor, Department of Anthropology
- Carol Cooper: Instructional Assistant Professor, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication
- Fleurette Fernando: Director, Arts Leadership Program
- Robin Gearing: Professor, Graduate College of Social Work
- Liz Goodin-Mayeda: Associate Professor, Department of Hispanic Studies
- Marc Hanke: Instructional Assistant Professor, Honors College
- Jerrod Henderson: Assistant Professor, William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Michelle Ivey: Instructional Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry
- Olivia Johnson: Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
- Kathryn Tart: Founding Dean, Andy and Barbara Gessner College of Nursing
- Erin Kenyan: Assistant Director, Learning Abroad
- Saleha Khumawala: Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Alex Landon: Learning Abroad Advisor, Learning Abroad
- Patrick Leung: Professor, Graduate College of Social Work
- Winston Liaw: Chair, Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences
- Rafael Longoria: Professor, Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design
- Holley Love: Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- John Lunstroth: Lecturer, Honors College
- Julio Otero: Clinical Assistant Professor, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
- Deidra Pernell: Program Director, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Diana Pino: Adjunct Faculty, College of Education
- Allison Pistorius: Assistant Professor, School of Theatre & Dance
- Fidy Raharijaona: Instructional Assistant Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Mim Rahimi: Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Jesse Rainbow: Associate Professor, Honors College
- Ben Rayder: Director, Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards
- Leticia Rodriguez: Program Manager, Global Business Institute
- Byron Ross: Instructional Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
- William Sager: Professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
- Marina Sebastijanović: Instructional Assistant Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Virginia Snodgrass Rangel: Associate Professor, College of Education
- Carlos Soto: Director, Global Engagement
- Anthony Suber: Lecturer, School of Art
- Joseph Thompson: Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy
- William Truitt: Professor, Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design
- Conseulo Waight: Associate Professor, College of Education
- Xiaohong Sharon Wen: Professor, Department of Modern and Classical Languages
- Cate Wengelnik: Assistant Director, Learning Abroad
- Steve Werner: Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Ross Wienert: Learning Abroad Advisor, Learning Abroad
- Jonathan Williamson: Associate Dean, Honors College
- Jing Zhang: Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
- Maria Zubiate: Program Coordinator, Global Initiatives
Global Coogs Ambassadors
- Gabriela Alexis: Student Ambassador
- Megan Biasiolli: Student Ambassador
- Joshua Brown: Student Ambassador
- Ashley Cabrera Gutierrez: Student Ambassador
- Katia De Los Reyes: Student Ambassador
- Hannah Guehria: Student Ambassador
- Fahim Hilmi: Student Ambassador
- Estephany Mireles: Student Ambassador
- Emilio Moreno: Student Ambassador
- Michelle Padilla: Student Ambassador
Learning Abroad Scholarship Committee Members
- Chereece Andrews: Academic Advisor, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- David Curtis: Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
- Susie Gronseth: Professor, College of Education
- Jennifer Holland: Director, Financial Aid
- Abigail Kartheiser: Director, Global Learning and Strategy
- Luca Pollonini: Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Technology
- Ben Rayder: Director, Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards
- Ross Wienert: Learning Abroad Advisor, Learning Abroad
Global Champions Committee Members
- Lani Ackerman: Clinical Assistant Professor, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
- Mohan Ambikaipaker: Associate Professor, Department of Communication
- Rajender Aparasu: Professor, College of Pharmacy
- Nikhil Celly: Instructional Assistant Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Brian Chin: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Vivien Coulsen-Thomas: Associate Professor, College of Optometry
- Christina Gola: Dean, University of Houston Libraries
- Tara Green: Professor, Department of African American Studies
- Jerrod Henderson: Assistant Professor, William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Kimberly Hermis: Director, College of Technology Academic Services
- Karen Jones: Program Manager, Global Initiatives
- Ki-Joon Back: Associate Dean, Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership
- Patrick Leung: Professor, Graduate College of Social Work
- Heidar Malki: Associate Dean, Cullen College of Engineering
- Jodi Nelms: Associate Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance
- Lan Ni: Professor, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication
- Trang Phan: Associate Professor, College of Education
- Pamela Quiroz: Director, Center for Mexican American and Latino/a Studies
- Ben Rayder: Director, Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards
- Ashley Simmons-Coffey: Director, Marketing and Communications
- Donna Stokes: Associate Dean, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Kathryn Tart: Founding Dean, Andy and Barbara Gessner College of Nursing
- Jen Vardeman: Director, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication
- Jonathan Williamson: Associate Dean, Honors College
- Sunny Wong: Professor, Hobby School of Public Affairs
- Yali Zou: Director, Asian American Studies Center
- Zachary Zwald: Instructional Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
Global Risk & Safety Committee
- Jennifer Bloom: Clinical Professor, College of Education
- Wayne Brown: Chief, University of Houston Police Department
- Andrew Crews: Assistant Director, Global Risk and Safety
- Sara Jahansouz Wray: Associate Dean of Students, Student Life
- Monica Lackups: Senior Director, Enterprise Risk Management
- Rebecca Lake: Risk Manager, Global Initiatives
- Walter Lucas: Associate Vice President, Facilities/Construction Management
- Maggie Mahoney: Director, Global Engagement
- Cuong Pham: Physician, Student Health Center
- Ginger Walker: Director, Emergency Management
Global Faculty Development Fund Recipients
- Justin Burris: Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Education
- Carol Cooper: Instructional Assistant Professor, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication
- Norah Gharala: Assistant Professor, Department of History
- Stella Grigorian: Instructional Professor, Department of Sociology
- Saleha Khumawala: Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Rex Koontz: Professor, School of Art
- Damjan Rakonjac: Lecturer, School of Music
- Samina Salim: Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy
- Andrea Szabo: Associate Professor, Department of Economics
- Edward Scott: Clinical Assistant Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
Global Affiliated Faculty
- Richard Armstrong: Associate Professor, Department of Modern and Classical Languages
- James Bray: Professor, Department of Psychology
- Lan Ni: Professor, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication
- Adam Thrasher: Associate Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance
Virtual Exchange Innovators
- Stella Grigorian: Instructional Professor, Department of Sociology
- Marédil León: Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Education
- Melody Li: Assistant Professor, Department of Modern and Classical Languages
- Lan Ni: Professor, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication
- Nikhil Celly: Instructional Assistant Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Jodi Nelms: Associate Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance
- Heidar Malki: Associate Dean, Cullen College of Engineering
Global Supporters
- Leslie A. Coward: Director, Global Strategy
- JeBreyah Chevis: Program Coordinator, Global Initiatives
- Guillermo De Los Reyes: Associate Professor, Department of Hispanic Studies
- John Dow: Program Manager, Global Initiatives
- Bradley Eanes: Assistant Director, Global Initiatives
- Brianna Etoria: Coordinator, Learning Abroad
- Jennifer Glickman: Assistant Director, Global Initiatives
- Regina Johnson: Administrative Assistant, Global Initiatives
- David Lee: Senior Advisor, Global Strategy
- Belén Licona Romero: Program Coordinator, Global Initiatives
- Allyson McDonald: Program Manager, Global Initiatives
- Chimyra McKelvey: Coordinator, Global Initiatives
- Cecilia Rodriguez: Director, Global Initiatives
- Brent Spraggins: Program Manager, Global Initiatives
- Vanessa Torres: Assistant Director, Global Initiatives
- Maggie Zarazua: Coordinator, Global Initiatives
Global Faculty Award Recipients
- Ki-Joon Back: Associate Dean, Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership
- Roberto Ballarini: Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Claudine Anne Giacchetti: Professor, Department of Modern and Classical Languages
- Jerrod Henderson: Assistant Professor, William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Patrick Leung: Professor, Graduate College of Social Work
- Heidar Malki: Associate Dean, Cullen College of Engineering
- Elizabeth Trujillo: Professor, University of Houston Law Center
- Sharon Wen: Professor, Department of Modern and Classical Languages
Steve Werner: Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
Back to the May 2026 edition of Academic Update.