Sources: Walter Kolonosky, 785-532-1934, kolon@k-state.edu;
Kenneth Holland, 785-532-5990, kholland@k-state.edu;
and Robert Corum, 785-532-1987, corum@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Andy Badeker, 785-532-6415, abadeker@k-state.edu
Friday, Jan. 18, 2008
RUSSIAN EXPERT IS NAMED K-STATE'S INTERNATIONAL EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
MANHATTAN -- An expert on Soviet-era Russian literature who established Kansas State University's first office of study abroad has been named K-State's international educator of the year for 2007.
Walter Kolonosky, professor of modern languages, was singled out for "his dedication to the internationalization of Kansas State University above and beyond his teaching and scholarship," according to the letter from the award committee announcing the honor.
During the 1980s Kolonosky introduced K-Staters to international student exchanges. By the end of that decade more than 100 students had studied abroad and more than 100 students from abroad had studied at K-State.
Kolonosky's office became a clearinghouse for information on study-abroad programs, scholarships, internships and work-abroad opportunities. From this one-person office Kolonosky advised students and negotiated exchanges with schools such as the University of Nottingham, the University of Strathclyde, the University of Sunderland and Moscow Pedagogical University.
In his letter of nomination, Robert Corum, head of the department of modern languages, wrote that Kolonosky's duties as director of study abroad included chairing the Fulbright scholarship committee, which shepherded students to 35 Fulbright scholarships and three Pearson awards.
Kolonosky's linguistic skills helped extend K-State's international reach, facilitating communication with visiting officials, professors and students from the Russian Republic. These skills are vital to anyone who is serious about educational links abroad, according to Kolonosky.
"Dr. Kolonosky laid the foundation for a study-abroad program that now sends out 700 K-State students per year and continues to grow, both in size and importance to the university," said Kenneth Holland, associate provost for international programs.