International Center | University of Florida

FROM THE DEAN

Marta L Wayne, Dean and Associate Provost of the International Center

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As we reflect on another remarkable year at the University of Florida International Center (UFIC), I am grateful for the accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and global partners.

Throughout 2026, UFIC continued advancing the University of Florida’s commitment to global engagement, international scholarship, and intercultural understanding. In recognition of their own commitment and outstanding contributions to internationalization, we honored UF’s International Educators of the Year: Rick Stepp (Senior Faculty), Ana Maria Porras (Junior Faculty), and Cloe Zeidan (Staff). We also celebrated several nominees as winners in their respective UF colleges and departments.

This year, we expanded transformative study abroad opportunities through new winter break programs, reinforcing the importance of global education to student success. We also received more than 40 proposals for new study abroad programs, reflecting strong faculty interest in global learning initiatives.

UFIC proudly supported faculty and scholar engagement worldwide by hosting two separate visits from Erasmus+ scholars from Yeditepe University in Turkey and strengthening partnerships across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Our participation as speakers at AIEA 2026 further showcased UF’s leadership in internationalization and global engagement. Over the past year, UFIC also hosted nine delegations from universities in India, Japan, Korea, Chile, and Turkey.

Among our proudest achievements, UF ranked No. 3 nationally among large universities for Peace Corps volunteers and was recognized as a top producer of Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships. These distinctions reflect UF’s dedication to service, global citizenship, and expanding access to international education.

We also celebrated the extraordinary contributions of UFIC staff, including Superior Accomplishment Award recipients Martine Angrand, Jill Ranaivoson, and Maria Saley, whose outstanding leadership and service exemplify UFIC’s mission.

This year marked important growth for UFIC with the launch of a redesigned website featuring improved navigation, mobile accessibility, and streamlined access to services and resources.

UFIC was also honored to co-sponsor a special event at NAFSA 2026 in Orlando alongside other Florida’s public universities, highlighting a shared commitment to international education. Taking advantage of having so many international colleagues visiting nearby, we also hosted our inaugural Partners’ Day. Fellow international educators from 33 institutions, representing 22 countries, were extremely impressed when they saw first-hand the opportunities offered by UF. That same week, in collaboration with the UF Graduate School, we co-hosted an EducationUSA delegation of advisors from 19 countries.

Thank you for your continued support of UFIC and our mission to connect UF with the world.

With appreciation,

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