Amanda M. Roshan-Rawaan, a 2006 summa cum laude graduate of MTSU, recently accepted a 2011 International Education Week proclamation from Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal for her work encouraging study-abroad efforts.

MTSU alumna Amanda Roshan-Rawaan, second from right, accepts a proclamation for her work with international education from Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, second from left. Joining the two for the presentation are Brett Reichert, left, of Clayton State University and Rebecca Bacon of Georgia Tech. Roshan-Rawaan, Reichert and Bacon comprise the Georgia Association of International Educators Advocacy Sub-Committee. (photo submitted)

Roshan-Rawaan, who majored in history and minored in German and global studies, studied abroad twice during her undergraduate years at MTSU. She participated in a summer 2004 program to Germany and a summer 2006 program to China, both through the Kentucky Institute for International Studies, a consortium of which MTSU’s student-exchange program, MT Abroad, is a member.

After two study-abroad programs and internships in MT Abroad and the International Programs and Services Office, along with receiving the 2005-06 Study Abroad Student of the Year Award, Amanda resolved to work in international education.

She currently works as a study-abroad adviser for Georgia State University, and in 2011, she became the chair of the Georgia Association of International Educators Advocacy Sub-Committee, a role that takes her to Washington, D.C. to meet with state legislators to advocate for key issues, including increased funding for study-abroad programs.

“Being involved in the advocacy process has been exciting, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the fruits of our labor,” Roshan-Rawaan explained.

“I absolutely credit my passion for the field of international education to my time at MTSU. If I hadn’t studied abroad after my freshman year, I probably never would have found my dream job.”

International Education Week is held every November, and colleges and universities across the country host cultural programs and events to promote the merits of cross-cultural exchange. In 2010, 31 governors issued proclamations urging their constituents to honor and support International Education Week.

For more information on International Education Week, visit www.nafsa.org/iew. For details on MTSU’s study-abroad programs, visit www.mtsu.edu/~mtabroad.