MISSOULA – The Association of International Education Administrators recently selected University of Montana Associate Provost for Global Century Education Paulo Zagalo-Melo as one of its Presidential Fellows, a highly prestigious program of mentorship for new senior international officers.

            “This year’s selection process was quite competitive given the high quality of applicants,” wrote Harvey Charles, AIEA’s former president and chair of the AIEA Presidential Fellows Committee, in his award letter to Zagalo-Melo. “We are delighted you were selected as one of the AIEA Presidential Fellows for this 2015-2016 year.”
Zagalo-Melo will be paired with a mentor, whom he will shadow while learning about their institution. The program offers a unique opportunity to immerse briefly in the day-to-day activities of the host institution, establish a relationship with a mentor and other administrators and faculty, maximizing learning opportunities.          
“Shadowing my mentor and visiting their campus will allow me to learn about a peer institution’s policies, politics and processes,” he said. “The more I learn about what our peer institutions are doing, the better my decision-making and management skills will become. I want to keep contributing to make UM a better university, and I am confident participating in the AIEA Presidential Fellows Program will help do that.”
Throughout the academic year, Zagalo-Melo will be able to consult with his mentor. He also will have the opportunity to observe how an experienced senior international officer and his or her institution address international education challenges and solve problems; learn about national and international issues and how they affect individual campuses; and become a member of a national network of Fellows who serve as resources throughout one’s career.
Zagalo-Melo will work with AIEA President Darla Deardorff to find a mentor who offers the best fit. They will take into consideration Zagalo-Melo’s role at UM, UM’s key strategic issues regarding internationalization, UM’s size, location and type of institution.  
“I was thrilled to hear I had been selected,” Zagalo-Melo said of learning about the fellowship. “AIEA’s Presidential Fellows Program is a very selective program and one of high prestige in the international education profession. But it is the learning experience that comes with it that really excites me.”

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