Two College of Humanities faculty members received the University of Arizona’s Global Excellence Awards for 2019.
Robert Côté, Director of the Writing Skills Improvement Program, was recognized with the Award for Excellence in Global Education, and Melissa Fitch, University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, received the Award for Excellence in Global Service.
The annual awards are presented by the Center for English as a Second Language and UA Global, selected from nominations by the university and Southern Arizona community. The awards “recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves locally, regionally or nationally as being committed to global education and engagement” and are presented during International Education Week in November. Brent White, Dean of Global Campuses and Vice Provost for Global Affairs, and Sumayya Granger, Associate Director of the Center for English as a Second Language, presented the awards.
Côté began his career 25 years ago teaching ESL with Literacy Volunteers of America and since then he has worked as an administrator, teacher trainer, and classroom instructor in universities, community colleges, and high schools around the globe. In his career as a teacher, writing and language specialist over the past 25 years, Côté has helped international students in classrooms around the globe develop academic skills that help them succeed personally, professionally, and academically.
Côté is currently an English Language Specialist for the State Department, and he has served as a book-review editor for LINGUIST List and associate editor of Arab World English Journal. His research interests include teaching academic writing, peer review, CALL, intercultural competence, and working with at-risk students.
Fitch was nominated for her sustained contributions to consistent educational excellence in global research and teaching. She has demonstrated outstanding commitment to global service. Fitch has been awarded several of the major teaching awards available at the University of Arizona, including the Leicester and Sherrill Creative Teaching Award, the Distinguished Humanities Fellow for the Honors College, the UA Five-Star Faculty Award, and the Amie Amiot Memorial Fellowship.
Fitch's world-class teaching and internationally recognized expertise in globally-focused research projects has resulted in her receiving three Fulbright Awards from 2010 to 2016. She was recently invited to return to the Chinese University of Hong Kong for six weeks as a Fulbright specialist in 2020.
The recipient of the 2019 Student Award for Global Excellence is Lily Chavez, a senior majoring in Creative Writing and Global Studies.
The Global Excellence awards began in 2005. Previous College of Humanities faculty members who have received awards include Anne-Marie Engels-Brooks, Malcolm Compitello, Delbert Phillips, Alexander Dunkel, Linda Waugh, Albrecht Classen, Adele Barker and David Soren.
Originally published by UA Global.