Penn State was awarded the prestigious 2025 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization by the NAFSA Association of International Educators. The award recognizes institutions that excel in internationalization efforts by implementing policies and initiatives that make campuses more globally connected and oriented.

The award, named after late Illinois senator Paul Simon, exhibits his lifelong advocacy for global education and exchange. NAFSA serves over 10,000 members globally and is a nonprofit solely dedicated to international education.

The competitive award looks for institutions with creative, significant, and well-executed progress to connect students on a global level. Penn State was awarded alongside four other institutions — Arizona, Georgia, Notre Dame, and San Diego State.

“At Penn State, we believe that global engagement is not just an opportunity — it is a responsibility,” President Neeli Bendapudi said in a release. “The Simon Award reaffirms our commitment to preparing global citizens who will lead with curiosity, empathy, and purpose. We are honored to be recognized among institutions that share our vision for a more interconnected world.”

Penn State is consistently ranked highly in its international efforts, with over 10,000 international students across all its campuses, making it one of the top 15 institutions in the country for hosting international students. The school sent almost 3,000 students to study abroad across almost every continent last year alone.

“Penn State’s global impact, which benefits Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world, is at the core of our land-grant mission,” interim Vice Provost for Penn State Global Sabine Klahr said. “I am so very proud of our students, faculty, and staff who understand that global collaboration is key to developing a peaceful world in which all can thrive.”

Some Penn State initiatives for change include the College of Agricultural Science’s Global Teach Ag Network, which addresses global agriculture and food scarcity issues, and the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship Program, which offers students opportunities in Kenya to invent technological solutions for impoverished communities.

Penn State Global also offers faculty the opportunity to attend the Global Learning Summer Institute and Faculty Fellows Program, which helps mentor them on implementing global concepts into their curriculums.

Penn State continues to be at the forefront of connecting students and educators across the world, and this award recognizes all the hard work the university continues to do, growing Penn State on a global scale.