Профессор Университета Канзаса удостоен престижной международной награды за вклад в глобальное образование

Luciano Tosta selected for KU’s Woodyard International Educator Award LAWRENCE — Luciano Tosta, associate professor of Spanish & Portuguese and director of the Center for Global & International Studies at the University of Kansas, has been named the recipient of the annual George and Eleanor Woodyard International Educator Award. Tosta will be recognized at a public celebration at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Alderson Room of the Kansas Union, where he will give a presentation on his work as an international educator. Tosta’s selection highlights his sustained influence on international education at KU. Colleagues and students praised his leadership, mentorship and global imagination, noting that his work has expanded KU’s international presence across teaching, research, partnerships and student engagement. “In the classroom, Luciano is an enthusiastic and empathetic teacher who inspires students to meet and exceed their expectations,” wrote Sarah Crawford‑Parker, director of the University Honors Program, in her letter of support. Another nominator emphasized the breadth of his mentorship: “He is an exceptional mentor to both domestic and international students, guiding them on projects that cross borders and cultures,” wrote Rami Zeedan, associate professor of Israel studies. Tosta is widely recognized for internationalizing the curriculum through courses on Ibero-American fiction, Afro-Latin American cultures and global environmental challenges. His teaching draws on firsthand experience in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Senegal, Tanzania, Nigeria, Benin, Mozambique and other global contexts, and he regularly brings international scholars to KU through collaborations with area studies centers and academic units across the university. His leadership in building global partnerships has strengthened KU’s ties with institutions in Brazil, Mexico, Mozambique, Senegal and Tanzania. Tosta was a core member of the team that secured funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes for the Global Humanities Institute on Chronic Conditions: Childhood and Social Suffering in Global Africa. The project brought together scholars from four partner universities and expanded KU’s role in global humanities research. Tosta has led multiple summer and winter break study abroad programs to Brazil. He also co-developed KU’s winter break program Race, History and Health in Brazil, funded through the U.S. State Department’s IDEAS program. The program has broadened access to international experiences for students and provided opportunities to engage directly with global partners. Faculty and students described the program as transformative, noting that it reshaped academic trajectories and deepened understanding of global health and Afro-Brazilian cultures. He traveled to Brazil with Chris Brown, professor of geography, in May to organize a new three-week study abroad program to the Amazon. His mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students is widely recognized across the Lawrence campus. Tosta has supervised and advised students in multiple departments and programs, supporting research that crosses borders and disciplines. Students praised his willingness to champion their work, provide international opportunities and guide them through complex academic and professional pathways. As of this summer, Tosta is the executive director of the Brazilian Studies Association, a leading organization in the world in the field. He has also helped organize major international conferences at KU, including events focused on Luso-Hispanic visions, Jews in the Americas, East Asia and Latin America, global Africa and global food insecurity. The Oct. 8 celebration is open to the KU community, with an online viewing option available. Registration is required for online viewing access. About the Woodyard award The George and Eleanor Woodyard International Educator Award honors faculty who excel in promoting global education. Endowed by KU’s first dean of international studies, George Woodyard, and his wife, Eleanor, the award recognizes faculty on the Lawrence campus for outstanding leadership in expanding KU’s international reach through curriculum development, study abroad programs, partnerships with international institutions and collaboration with global colleagues on significant research.