In her time at Mason, LaNitra Berger has worked diligently to help underrepresented students participate in education abroad opportunities and obtain external funding for national scholarships and fellowships.
Now the new director of the African and African American Studies program at Mason has been recognized for her work with the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA)’s Fritz Kaufmann Champion Award.
The award honors the legacy of Fritz Kaufmann, who as an economics professor in the 1940s brought groups of students to Europe to witness first-hand the continent’s recovery from World War II. Following the success of those tours, Kaufmann founded American Travel Abroad, a company that facilitates and creates educational international travel experiences.
It is a recognition well suited to Berger’s experience. “My parents grew up in the American South during segregation and were denied access to education and the right to vote because of their race,” she said. “They never imagined studying outside of the United States. Yet, they worked hard to ensure that I could pursue higher education, including education abroad. It's a privilege for me to give back by helping underrepresented students access the transformative power of international education.”
FEA’s mission is to provide scholarships and support to students who are underrepresented in U.S. study abroad, regarding these experiences as essential element of higher education. In its letter to Berger announcing the prize, FEA commended her “tireless work to expand access to international experiences through fellowships and scholarships, along with your leadership at NAFSA and your academic journey.”
Berger appreciates the enduring legacy represented by the award. “I am so honored to accept the Fund for Education Abroad Fritz Kaufmann Champion Award,” she said. “Fritz Kaufmann understood the necessity of cultural exchange and mutual understanding in the aftermath of World War II, and I believe that current global challenges require similar skills at home and abroad. As we look to the future of international education and how to continue Fritz Kaufmann's work, it is crucial that we all work create a more just and peaceful world by reaching across languages, cultures, communities, and borders in the spirit of mutual understanding."
September 30, 2022
