Celebrating Our 2025/26 IES Abroad Center Award Winners

At IES Abroad, we take pride in the colleagues across our global network who create meaningful study abroad opportunities. Center faculty and staff play an essential role in shaping students' experiences on-site, advancing academic excellence while fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that helps students thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

Each year, the Center Awards recognize exceptional faculty and staff members who bring our mission to life through their dedication to students, colleagues, and transformative global learning. This year, for the first time, we are also recognizing an honorable mention in each award category. The nominations were so strong that the Awards Selection Committee felt these remarkable contributions deserved broader recognition.

Our 2025/26 IES Abroad Center Awards honor faculty and staff who demonstrate innovation, leadership, and a commitment to global citizenship while creating meaningful learning experiences for students. Their passion and dedication inspire both colleagues and students and help shape the future of study abroad.

Award recipients were selected from nominations submitted by colleagues, students, staff, and faculty. Nominees were reviewed by an Awards Selection Committee representing a broad cross-section of IES Abroad, including AVPs, Center Directors and staff, Academic Deans, and Professors.

In addition to this significant recognition, they are also invited to attend and present at this year’s IES Abroad Annual Conference in Chicago. 

Let's Meet our 2025/26 Winners!

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Award for Excellence in Teaching | Elena Navrotskaya, IES Abroad Madrid Faculty

This award is given in recognition of dedicated, creative, and inspirational teaching to an instructor recognized by students, peers, and staff as going above and beyond in the classroom.

Through her Spanish Art and Architecture courses, Elena Navrotskaya brings Madrid’s history and culture to life while encouraging students to think critically, explore the city, and develop a deeper appreciation for art and its cultural significance. 

As one student put it: “She brought Spanish history and culture to life with stories and connections that made the material feel meaningful. She knew every student by name and took the time to make sure we were truly experiencing and engaging with our time in Madrid. She also gave us many recommendations for books, movies, restaurants, and activities related to culture and all of her advice that I followed was outstandingly correct. Her classes pushed us to think more critically about art and its cultural significance, and this was very impactful to me as the first time I have taken an art class. Because of her I walked away with a stronger appreciation for art, an understanding of Spanish culture, and a more curious mindset.”

Read Elena's full bio

Cèsar Alegre Alsina, Ph.D. headshot
“She provides a view of Spain’s Arts and Architecture which it is very insightful because it comes from her perspective also as someone who came from another culture. This undoubtedly helps the connection with the students in finding these spaces of transformation growth within the discipline.”
Cesar Alegre Alsina, IES Abroad Barcelona & Madrid Center Director, and Spain Cluster Dean
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Faculty Innovation Award | Concha Gonzalez-Badía Fraga, IES Abroad Granada Faculty

In recognition of instructors who embrace curricular innovation through their course content, teaching methods, and the broader study abroad experience. 

Through creative, hands-on exercises in courses such as Lorca and the Andalusian Literary Tradition, Concha Gonzalez-Badía Fraga encourages students to engage with Spanish literature through artistic expression and to see Granada itself as their classroom.  

One student recalls creative practice in the classroom: "She often had us engage in activities to radically shift our perspective and  help us cultivate a creative practice. One day, for example, we all had to lay  on the classroom floor, focusing on our breathing then on one object in the  room. After, we created metaphors from our experience of noticing the object from a new perspective. Other days we danced, went outside to  observe the activity of the plaza, drew, and even synchronized our  heartbeats to one of our peers. She emphasized the way that Lorca viewed  the soul and seeing poetry in everything—“Verlo todo, sentirlo todo”. This became a study abroad motto for me."

Raquel Medina headshot
“Concha encourages students to engage with Lorca’s work through artistic expression. Inspired by Lorca himself, students demonstrate their understanding by writing their own poems and creating drawings that reflect the themes, emotions, and artistic vision explored throughout the course. This approach not only deepens students’ appreciation of Spanish literature and culture but also allows them to experience the creative process firsthand, making learning both memorable and transformative.”
Raquel Medina, IES Abroad Granada Center Director 
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Global Good Staff Service Award | Daiji Shin, IES Abroad Tokyo

In recognition of an outstanding Center staff member who has served the organization in invaluable ways, modeling the global citizenship and dedication to our mission that we hope to see in our students. 
Throughout his 23 years with IES Abroad, Daiji Shin has contributed deep institutional knowledge, thoughtful problem-solving, and calm, dependable leadership. His service as a Change Network member and Subject Matter Expert during our System Rebuild has supported both the Tokyo Center and colleagues across the organization. 

Read Daiji's full bio

Caleb Foale Headshot
“Daiji’s leadership is quiet, but it is deeply felt. He consistently puts the needs of others before his own and never seeks recognition for what he does. In fact, he would likely be uncomfortable being singled out for a nomination like this. He leads through his actions, through his reliability, and through a calm, steady presence that helps keep people grounded and focused, particularly in difficult situations. In addition to this, he works with a level of humility that is striking.”
Caleb Foale, IES Abroad Tokyo & Nagoya Center Director 

Meet Our Honorable Mentions!

Award for Excellence in Teaching 
Honorable Mention: Mark Kelleher, IES Abroad Dublin Faculty 

Through his course Writing the Self in the City, Mark Kelleher combines high academic standards with attentive, personalized feedback, creating an environment of trust that supports students’ growth as writers and individuals. 

Faculty Innovation Award 
Honorable Mention: Jessica Schwarz, IES Abroad Vienna Faculty 

In her course TV, Communication, and Media in Austria, Jessica Schwarz creates meaningful, practical learning opportunities through projects, guest speakers, site visits, and immersive professional experiences that help students build confidence and apply their learning. 

Global Good Staff Service Award 
Honorable Mention: Eugénie Fouré, IES Abroad Nantes 

Over 15 years with IES Abroad, Eugénie Fouré has demonstrated a deeply student centered approach, connecting students with local experiences while supporting their safety, confidence, growth, and sense of belonging. 

We're proud to be award-winning! From our innovations in alumni engagement to ranking as one of the top study abroad providers several years in a row, check out IES Abroad's most notable awards. 

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