Nadia Rassech, an undergraduate student studying international affairs and Middle Eastern Studies, and Yeimy Roberto, a Ph.D. candidate majoring in Hispanic linguistics, received the 2024 Global Citizen Award from FSU’s Center for Global Engagement (CGE).

The award recognizes outstanding students who have actively engaged in intercultural initiatives on campus or abroad and who have exemplified leadership in fostering a global community among FSU students.

“The CGE is proud to recognize these outstanding students and we appreciate the contributions they have made in helping create a welcoming and supportive environment for students from all cultures,” said Cindy Green, CGE director.

Yeimy Roberto

FSU’s renowned faculty, robust research opportunities and keen sense of community are what inspired Roberto to attend Florida State.

“I knew that studying at FSU would not only provide me with a top-notch education but also endless opportunities for personal and intellectual growth,” said Roberto, a native of Bogota, Colombia.

In her five years in Tallahassee, Roberto has been involved in many organizations. She served as president of the Hispanic Graduate Student Association (HiGSA), treasurer for the Sigma Delta Pi Spanish Honors Society and volunteered with Good News Outreach, a local non-profit organization.

“Adapting to a new academic environment, cultural norms and social dynamics required open-mindedness and support from professors and peers,” she said. “I decided to immerse myself in cultural activities, joining student organizations and building a support network to overcome language barriers and homesickness.”

In 2023, Roberto earned the Sigma Delta Pi Summer Research Grant and the Winthrop King Summer Research Grant. In 2021, Roberto was awarded the Kerr Fellowship in Leadership, established in honor of the late Monsignor William A. Kerr (1940-2009) to assist international graduate students.

She has been recognized as an outstanding alumnus by Universidad Industrial de Santander, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English language teaching.

“I have become more confident, social and adaptable, navigating the challenges of studying abroad with determination and compassion,” Roberto said. “I have also developed a deeper understanding of and appreciation for cultural diversity, fostering empathy and my interactions with others.”

While living in a new country comes with challenges, Roberto has a deep appreciation for all the opportunities FSU has to offer, especially for international students.

“Despite these challenges, the experience has been invaluable, broadening my horizon, expanding my worldview and enriching my personal and professional growth,” she said. “By embracing new experiences, diversity and resilience, I have developed a deeper appreciation for cultural differences and cultivated lifelong skills beneficial to my academic and professional journey.”

As she prepares for a faculty position after graduation, Roberto says her time at FSU instilled in her a sense of determination, confidence and dedication to excellence.

“The best part of my FSU experience has been the sense of community and belonging,” Roberto said. “Overall, the sense of camaraderie and mutual support within the FSU community has made my experience truly memorable and fulfilling.”

Nadia Rassech

Rassech was drawn to FSU from California because of the university’s international opportunities and academic rigor.

“With so much uncertainty during the college application process, one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to study abroad to build my global perspectives, cross-cultural communication skills and knowledge of language and international politics,” she said.

Studying abroad became a reality for Rassech when she traveled to Halle, Germany, for an internship with a refugee aid organization.

“This experience expanded my understanding of global issues and refugee protection, as well as other models for government and civil society resettlement programs,” she said.

Rassech has been involved in many organizations during her time at FSU. She’s in both the Presidential Scholars program and the Social Science Scholars program and has served in leadership positions with Amnesty International at FSU, the Arabic Honor Society and Alpha Omicron Pi. She is also an assistant at FSU’s Middle East Center and lives on campus in the Arabic Language House, an initiative that provides students with a living environment where they can practice Arabic beyond the classroom.

“The Middle Eastern Studies program is truly my home away from home,” Rassech said. “I am incredibly thankful for the professors, mentors, peers and lifelong friendships that I have made as they have been crucial to my academic, professional and personal development these past three years.”

Rassech also credits the CGE and its community as another pillar of her FSU experience. She completed the Global Citizenship Certificate program and has volunteered with the English Conversation Partner Program. This semester she was selected to attend the 2024 Florida International Leadership Conference (FILC), an annual event that brings together more than 150 domestic and international students from Florida colleges and universities to engage in a weekend of leadership learning activities.

“Through the CGE, I have learned to take a more active role in initiating and reflecting on cross-cultural exchanges, a skill that will be helpful as well as continuously fostered as I spend my next year abroad,” she said.

While pursuing her academic interests, Rassech has also served as a volunteer coordinator for the International Rescue Committee in Tallahassee, where she’s been assisting in the resettlement of an Afghan family. Through the University Honors Program, Rassech was part of FSU’s second cohort to participate in the Consortium for Human Rights at the University of Oxford last summer.

All Rassech’s hard work and dedication culminated in her winning the 2024 FSU Undergraduate Humanitarian of the Year Award.

“I would not be on the path that I am today if it were not for the communities I have found at FSU,” Rassech said. “It is due to these communities that I have constantly been supported and encouraged to enter these positions. I have gained experience but also the confidence needed to believe that I can push myself further and continue to grow in these spaces.”

After graduation, Rassech plans to take Arabic language courses over the summer while furthering her study of international refugee law in Oman, which borders Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. She will further these studies in the fall at the Arabic Language Institute in Fez, Morocco.

Rassech plans to apply to the U.S. Critical Language Scholar Program and Fulbright programs. She hopes to study international law with a concentration on refugees.

“This award shows my own progress in expanding my global perspective these past three years but also gives me courage in the footing I have, which will carry me into Morocco next semester,” Rassech said. “I hope to honor this award and the efforts of the CGE by continuing to grow as a global citizen moving forward in my academic and professional career.”

For more information about the CGE and the Global Citizen Award, visit cge.fsu.edu/intercultural-programs/global-citizen-awards.

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Rather than shying away from her weaknesses, Anairis de la Cruz Benito made them her strengths when she decided to pursue a doctoral degree in mathematics education at Florida State University.

Growing up in Cochoapa, an Indigenous region in Mexico, de la Cruz Benito struggled to understand mathematics throughout her undergraduate studies. Realizing that many of her classmates shared similar difficulties with math only furthered her interest in the subject.

“I chose math education because it’s an area that cares about how people with difficulties learning mathematics can learn in a more practical way,” de la Cruz Benito said. “It seeks to validate students’ solution processes and promotes changing the fixed idea that in mathematics, there is only one way to solve a math problem.”

As an Indigenous student, de la Cruz Benito said she missed opportunities like access to quality education and resources. This inspired an urge to study internationally. After learning about Fulbright scholarship opportunities during a research stay in Spain in 2014, she saw a path to the United States to pursue her dream of assisting future students in navigating the complicated world of math.

De La Cruz Benito completed her undergraduate and masters’ degrees in Mexico. When she decided to pursue a doctoral degree, she searched for an institution that would smoothly transition her academic background into the curriculum, which she found at Florida State.

“Florida State University nurtures my academic experience in a robust and productive way, and I am very grateful for this brilliant opportunity,” she said.

De La Cruz Benito faced many challenges during her time at FSU. In addition to her rigorous curriculum, she had to read, write and speak in English in class for the first time.

Though the language barrier posed a new challenge, de la Cruz Benito was determined to create a sense of community in the United States. She joined the Hispanic Graduate Student Association (HiGSA) where she found students who related to her experience and offered support so she could focus on her work as a scholar and instructor.

“My service with the HiGSA community keeps me encouraged, especially seeing my friends try to change the reality of the underrepresented Latino population in higher education,” de la Cruz Benito said.

Researching at the Learning Systems Institute, de la Cruz Benito analyzes kindergarten and elementary students’ solution strategies when working on mathematics problems. She also participated in the 12th Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education.

She plans on using the rest of her time in the doctoral program to further her research into secondary math education and increase representation for Indigenous students in Western higher education.

How did the Fulbright Scholarship assist you in pursuing your studies at FSU?

When I was in Spain in 2014, I found that I needed to learn English if I wanted to study a Ph.D. abroad. Later, I applied for the Fulbright-Garcia Robles scholarship, a scholarship for Mexican students to complete graduate school in the USA. In 2019 I arrived at a language school in Illinois, where I studied to improve my English skills in preparation for graduate school. During my time learning English, Fulbright assigned me an adviser who would help me with the applications to graduate schools. I heard about FSU from my peers in the language school, and after looking into the mathematics program, I was convinced it would be a great choice for me.  

What inspired you to pursue a doctorate in mathematics education?

The main reasons I pursued the doctorate were to expand my research skills and become a better teacher to my students. I always had a hard time understanding mathematics and realized many people have the same issue. In addition to developing my teaching skills, I want to be knowledgeable in the strategies other instructors use with their students. The Ph.D. in mathematics education allows me to achieve my goals because of the strong emphasis on the pedagogical side of teaching math and on how to carry out research. 

What are some factors that influenced you to choose Florida State as the university where you would pursue your doctorate?

The FSU Department of Mathematics Education has a solid emphasis on research, and the faculty’s expertise contributes to the department’s success. The program prepares students to develop research skills through projects for their doctoral degree path. The department also provides doctoral students with the opportunity to practice and develop their teaching skills by arranging an assistantship where doctoral students instruct a class. In addition, the curriculum instruction matches my academic formation background in Mexico. I knew Florida State was the place that would nurture my teaching and research skills. 

What has the transition been like entering Florida State as an Indigenous student/faculty member?

It has not been easy! The level of rigor that Florida State University’s graduate school requires is higher than the level of school I was accustomed to. I completed my undergraduate and master’s degree in Mexico and in Spanish, so this is my first time reading, writing, speaking and taking classes in English. I feel like I spend more time doing things than expected, but so far it has been the most valuable experience of my life because I am learning so much.  

How has FSU and your involvement with HiGSA assisted you in the transition from life in México to the USA?

The FSU community has been supportive of my experience and adjustment to the country. My professors are aware of the difference between México and the United States’ education system and offer helpful information and resources. The HiGSA community provides the support I need to keep a balance in my life. HiGSA feels like family here. Having people who support me means a lot to me as an international student who is by herself in Tallahassee. HiGSA helps people who are new to the town with necessities, such as offering a ride to buy groceries. Some people, like me, do not have a car, so having their support allows me to focus on my academic experience at Florida State. 

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