Facilitated by the Office of Global Engagement, the Richard Reiff Campus Internationalization Award recognizes UGA faculty members who have made major contributions to the overall internationalization of the University of Georgia over the last three years.
This year’s recipient is Alex Kojo Anderson, a professor of nutrition and graduate coordinator in the Department of Nutritional Sciences within the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. In those roles, his mentorship extends to a diverse range of students at UGA, from first-year undergraduates to doctoral candidates, both domestic and international.
Off campus, Anderson is the program director of a popular Study Away service-learning program in Ghana. Running for nearly two decades, this practicum consists of hospital observations, hands-on practice and lectures about public health issues in Ghana.
With a focus on improving medical care in his community, he finds fulfillment in linking his work to his home country of Ghana and his alma mater, the University of Ghana.
“Providing essential services to my community is a way to pay forward the education that I received in Ghana,” he said.
Anderson brings students to areas in Ghana lacking adequate medical resources, providing nutrition and health screenings free of charge to all residents year after year.
“Dr. Anderson offered us an experience that deepened my appreciation for the variety of health care practices worldwide and underscored the importance of cultural sensitivity in delivering effective medical care,” said Tiolulope Popoola, an undergraduate participant on the service-learning program in Ghana.
Anderson works to recruit incoming international students from around the world into his department and manages research conducted at the University of Ghana by graduate students abroad under his guidance.
The longevity of Anderson’s impressive career is sustained by his commitment to internationalization and diversity.
“I may have long days, but I find energy from giving my students unique exposure and experience,” he said.
In addition to his role as a professor and mentor, Anderson is an expert researcher in maternal and child nutrition. With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he recently completed research on dietary assessment in low- and middle-income countries. He has been invited to present his research at a number of international conferences and workshops in recent years.
Anderson’s dedication exhibits the principles upheld by the Richard Reiff Award—advancing internationalization, fostering inclusivity and upholding academic excellence at UGA.
To learn more about the Richard Reiff Campus Internationalization Award, please visit the Office of Global Engagement’s website.