Beloit learned in March that it was one of five U.S. colleges to receive the Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization, one of academe’s highest honors for international education.

The distinction comes from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, which singles out a small number of colleges and universities that exhibit “overall excellence in internationalization efforts as evidenced in practices, structures, philosophies, and policies.” The Simon Award is named for the late Senator Paul Simon (D-Ill.), a strong advocate for international education.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Kennesaw State University, Macalester College, and New York University also received 2011 comprehensive internationalization awards. Three other schools were recognized with “Spotlight” awards. Beloit was recognized in June during NAFSA’s 2011 Annual Conference & Expo in Vancouver, B.C. All eight honorees will be featured in NAFSA’s forthcoming report, Internationalizing the Campus: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities, to be published this fall.