Byker & Medina honored for global approach to education

AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) awarded the 2025 Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives to Cato College’s Department of Reading and Elementary Education, represented by Dr. Erik Byker and Dr. Adriana Medina.

This award recognizes exemplary practice in the intercultural, global, cross-cultural, and international arenas and is overseen by AACTE’s Committee on Global Diversity as part of its mission to ensure that a global and international perspectives are woven into both policy and practice in the preparation of education professionals.

Recognition for Byker and Medina’s globalization work centers in the Global-ready Research and Equitable Education in Teaching (GREET) Center, which prepares undergraduate students, especially preservice teachers, with research skills to support their career development. Initiatives within the GREET Center include:

  • TEDxCraverRoad Countdown – talks from experts across the world, faculty, alumni, and students on ways to positively affect climate change
  • Project UR-BADGED – certification program to prepare preservice teachers to engage in research, with the specific goal of educating themselves and others about global issues
  • CURE modules – Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences, which include global competencies, quantitative data analysis, research as inquiry, and systems thinking research
  • Applied Understanding of Global Education (AUGE) Minor – six-course program mixing introductory international studies and education courses, as well as international experiential learning opportunities like study abroad or Globally Networked Learning virtual exchanges

“Drs. Byker and Medina are global education leaders,” said Associate Provost Joël Gallegos of UNC Charlotte’s Office of International Programs. “Their internationalization efforts include the formation of the GREET Center, which is a forward-thinking research center to support the development of global competencies among future educators.”

Byker and Medina will be presented with their award at AACTE’s annual meeting next month in Long Beach, Calif.