Catherine Vertesi, Vice-Chair of UCW’s Board of Governors has been honored with a prestigious award.
Catherine was recently presented with the International Education Lifetime Achievement Award from the B.C. Council for International Education (BCCIE).
BCCIE is a provincial Crown Corporation committed to supporting the internationalization efforts of the Province of British Columbia’s public and independent K-12, public and private post-secondary and language schools.
“Catherine has been a visionary, leader, mentor and an exemplary innovator in the field of International Education for over 35 years and has made a significant impact on internationalization in higher education in Canada and especially here in British Columbia,” said the council.
She has worked at the University of British Columbia and Capilano University, in addition to her work with the UCW Board of Governors.
The BCCIE had high praise for her contributions.
“It is unlikely that BCCIE itself would be here if not for Catherine’s hard work and advocacy. But it is her outreach, sharing and community building that really sets Catherine apart,” said the presenter at the 2017 International Education Awards Banquet.
The BCCIE also listed some of her achievements.
This included leading a project to focus on several campus-wide internationalization initiatives including ESL curriculum revision for degree students and international student recruitment.
“Catherine has been a trailblazer and one who has always been so generous with both her time and experience, that she has really been one of the driving forces behind the professionalization of international education,” the council said.
“A constant and active mentor to so many of us, it is hard to think of anyone more deserving of this award given her commitment, impact and contributions to the field.”
WRITTEN BY UCW NEWS TEAM
