Last spring, eight UW students were studying abroad in China with the hope of broadening their international understanding. When the Sichuan earthquake struck on May 12, killing thousands of people and leaving millions homeless, their expectations were significantly altered.

The students, who were studying at the Sichuan University of Chengdu, had the choice to evacuate China after the earthquake occured and still receive full academic credit. While five did leave the region, three remained in the province and formed the China Earthquake Aid in response to the disaster.

The Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS) has recognized China Earthquake Aid (CEA) with the Shigemura award for “promoting international understanding.” The award will be presented Nov. 8.

CEA was founded by Geoffrey Morgan, a senior in international studies and civil and environmental engineering; David Johnsrud, a senior geography major; Steve Margitan, a senior international studies major and Stevan Harrell, a UW professor of anthropology.

Morgan mentioned an attachment to his host family among his reasons for staying in the region after the earthquake, along with a desire to take advantage “of the amazing resource that is the UW.”

CEA’s accomplishments include airlifting 110 tents to remote villages in China devastated by the earthquake, delivering 900 Chinese-English dictionaries to schools throughout the Sichuan province, and distributing a total of 5,200 letters to students.

The letter project began as a proposal by a teacher in the disaster area. The students’ physical needs were being met by domestic organizations, but she suggested having children from all over the world send them letters to comfort them emotionally.

“I started writing letters to my high school teachers and elementary school teachers,” Morgan said.

From there, the effort multiplied and soon letters started pouring in as students from the United States, Germany and France wrote notes of encouragement to the Chinese children.

“They were very happy and appreciative,” Morgan said.

FIUTS is also presenting an award to Kim Lovaas for her work in forging international ties.

Lovaas is being given the Sweany award for “ensuring fairness, clarity, and efficiency” to international students.

As assistant director of international admissions, Lovaas visits international students in high schools and community colleges in the United States.

“I do outreach and talk about university requirements,” Lovaas said. “I put the warm, welcoming face behind the University.”

As the “front door to the University,” Lovaas said, the admissions staff is responsible for creating the first impression of the UW. Part of her job as assistant director is conveying the passion and excitement she feels about the UW to students who have never set foot on campus.

Lovaas is also in charge of ensuring the admissions process is an impartial one.

“I strive to make sure the expectations we have for international and national students are the same,” she said. “And that we’re not giving preference to one student or culture.”

Lovaas said she first became interested in working with international students as an undergraduate. In addition to interacting with international students on campus, she chose to study abroad in Tokyo, Japan for a year.

“If I was going to help international students, I needed to know what it was like to be an international student,” Lovaas said.

Lovaas said she is able to sympathize with students who find it confusing navigating the UW for the first time and trying to take advantage of all the resources available on campus.

“I work really hard to coordinate with the other offices to make sure we’re all working together so it’s a seamless transition for the students,” she said. “It’s my goal to make it a little bit more manageable and understandable for them.”

One of the many advantages of having international students at the UW, according to Lovaas, is the opportunity they have “to open up a world” to local students who may not have the chance to study abroad.

“It’s so meaningful when you work with a student to make this university real to them,” she said, “ ... to meet a student and see the excitement on their faces and know that I had a small part in bringing them here.”

Reach reporter Sara Grimes at news@dailyuw.com.