Two members of the St. Thomas community were honored with a Global Citizenship Award on Saturday, April 1, at the 28th Annual International Dinner. Political Science Department faculty member Dr. Arijit Mazumdar and Jose Munne Caceres, senior international economics and international studies double major, were named joint recipients of the award.
The recipients of the award are selected based on how they exemplified being a global St. Thomas citizen by acting intentionally and positively benefiting the St. Thomas community and on-campus climate. Moreover, they were selected based on their commitment to intercultural awareness and understanding as demonstrated through their intercultural engagement on and off campus in clubs, committees, academic work and other leadership roles.
Mazumdar, an associate professor, has been a member of the St. Thomas community since 2008, and teaches courses in foreign policy, South Asian politics, and Third World politics and government. Throughout his courses, Mazumdar encourages students to stretch themselves by learning about other cultures and perspectives outside of the United States. He works to create a better and more inclusive St. Thomas community through engaging students in discussions and curriculum where they learn how to ask questions and engage with global matters, pushing beyond their own identities and perspectives.
As a senior at St. Thomas, Caceres has become an extremely committed student leader on campus around international affairs. He is president of the Foreign Affairs Club, captain of the Model United Nations team at St. Thomas for the past two years and an intern at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic. These experiences speak to his leadership and passion for creating a more inclusive cultural and international community at St. Thomas and beyond. As an international student from the Dominican Republic, he also provides different perspectives on campus, and has been a diplomat and cultural bridge for the St. Thomas community.
