EUGENE–Seventeen University of Oregon students received 2000 OIEE International Student Awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the university and community during the annual Family Weekend All-University Awards Luncheon on May 20.

Haya Matsumoto received the Outstanding International Student Award and 16 students received International Student Merit awards.

Winners of this year’s merit awards are Alberto Albuquerque, Christoph Balzarek, Amanda Burr, Ying-che Chen, Jennifer Creach, Sadie Dressekie, Manami Imaoka, Kusewa Kilonzi, Proteep Malik, Yuri Matsuda, Mirna Muratovic, James Pippin, Monica Price, Mish’al Samman, Sufitri Somawidjaja and Ilona Widjojo.

Each spring, the Friendship Foundation for International Students and the Office of International Education and Exchange (OIEE) recognize students who have made outstanding contributions to the university and local community. The awards are based on the students’ success, leadership skills, and campus and community involvement.

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Haya Matsumoto, the Outstanding International Student Award recipient, is a senior fine and applied arts major. Before coming to the UO, she had lived in Kyoto, Japan, and Christchurch, New Zealand.

Co-director of the International Student Association, Matsumoto has been a volunteer at International Student Orientation and was an international peer assistant. She is listed in Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges and has been a member of the Golden Key Honor Society. She also has received a Student Involvement Award, a Student Prestige Excellence Award and various scholarships including John Gardener Arts and Multicultural Student scholarships.

The 16 recipients of International Student Merit awards include:

• Alberto Albuquerque, an international studies graduate student from Jaboatao, Brazil, who is co-director of the International Student Association. He is a board member of the Multicultural Center and has been a volunteer for the Office of International Education.

• Christoph Balzarek, a chemistry graduate student from Marl, Germany, is working on a doctoral degree and expects to graduate in June. He is a founding member of the European Student Association and has participated in International Student Orientation for several years.

• Amanda Burr, a sophomore pre-business administration major from Kent, United Kingdom, is acting director of the European Student Association, helping to revitalize the group, and was co-director of International Week 2000. In addition, she has been involved with the Diversity Team and International Student Orientation, and she was a Special Olympics volunteer.

• Yin Ig-che Chen, a junior pre-journalism major from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is the International Student Association office manager. In addition, Chen is a member of the Erb Memorial Union Board of Directors and has volunteered for International Student Orientation. He was an ASUO international student advocate assistant before he took his ISA position.

• Jennifer Creach, a senior international studies major from Prescott, Ariz., is an International Student Association program assistant. Creach helped organize the World Game Workshop, International Week and International Night this year. She also was an international peer assistant and has been a volunteer at the American English Institute.

• Sadie Dressekie, a graduate student in sports marketing from London, United Kingdom, is a participant in the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship’s New Venture competition and in the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center’s business symposium. She also heads Eugene Frontrunners, a local running group, and is an advisory board member for the Women’s Sports Foundation, for which she created an award program for girls and women in Lane County for achievement in sport.

• Manami Imaoka, a graduate student in Japanese language and pedagogy, is from Izumo, Japan. Imaoka has been involved with Mobility International USA and the Talented and Gifted Program. She was a presenter during Foreign Language and International Studies Day.

• Kusewa Kilonzi, a sophomore architecture major from Nanyuki, Kenya, is a participant in the International Cultural Service Program. He has been involved with the Steens Mountain Athletic Camp and was a volunteer for a documentary project on international students and their lives in the United States. Kilonzi also performed at International Night and at the NAFSA conference last year.

• Proteep Malik is a senior physics and mathematics major from Bangalore, India. He is participating in the International Cultural Service Program and has been a University Housing resident assistant for the three years. Malik was selected for Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges this year. He also participated in International Night and in Indian Cultural Night.

• Yuri Matsuda is a master’s degree student in international studies from Kawasaki, Japan. She is an intern at the Office of International Education and Exchange and was a volunteer at the regional NAFSA conference. She also worked with the Japan-America Society of Oregon and presented talks on Japanese culture on the UO campus.

• James Pippin, a senior English major from University Place, Wash., is the newsletter editor of the International Student Association. Pippin was event coordinator for International Night 2000 and has been a UO Museum of Natural History volunteer.

• Monica Malpezzi Price, a senior anthropology major from Fort Collins, Colo., is public relations coordinator for the International Student Association. Price works as a museum assistant at the UO Museum of Natural History and has volunteered at the White Bird Clinic. She was the publicity coordinator for International Week 2000 and will serve on the advisory board for the International Resource Center next school year.

• Mish’al Samman is a senior political science major from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is vice president of the Gulf Cooperation Council Student Union and webmaster for the International Student Association. Samman has been a tutor for international students at the American English Institute and was webmaster for PERMIAS, an Indonesian student organization.

• Sufitri Somawidjaja, a senior business administration major from Jawa Barat, Indonesia, is a student assistant at the Office of International Education and Exchange and is an accountant for the International Student Association. She has been a volunteer student assistant at international tax workshops and has volunteered in the Sustainable Business Symposium and in the UO Lundquist College of Business.

• Ilona Widjojo, a senior architecture major from Jakarta, Indonesia, is program coordinator of the International Student Association. Involved with ISA since her freshman year, she has helped with Indonesian cultural events on the UO campus and with fundraising and coordinating new programs for ISA this year.

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