LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SMILEY AWARD
The Smiley Award, which supports global educational opportunities for current School of Education (SOE) undergraduate and graduate students, has been presented to undergraduate student Leila Jane Lovell (Department of Teacher Education and Higher Education) and graduate students Haeju Lee (Department of Information, Library, and Research Sciences) and Parishi Gandhi (Department of Counseling and Educational Development). These students will represent the SOE as Global Education Ambassadors through international or local engagement.
Lovell is an Elementary Education major who will study abroad in Japan this summer and plans to participate in a study abroad in Finland in 2026. She is also looking to teach English to children in Germany and Switzerland in July.
While at Guilford Technical Community College, Lovell was awarded the North Carolina Global Honor of Distinction and presented a capstone project about apartheid in South Africa.
Upon graduation from UNCG, Lovell intends to teach abroad and wants to take advantage of the opportunities currently available to her to gain experience and make connections.
Lee, who is a native of South Korea, is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Program Evaluation.
She is actively engaged in psychometric research and international collaboration. During the 2024 conference for the Psychometric Society in the Czech Republic, Lee both presented, participated in discussions regarding advanced differential item functioning (DIF) detection methods, and contributed to global research advancements.
Lee’s presentation focused on detecting item bias and DIF in small sample settings, particularly within the contexts of licensure exams and large-scale assessments. As a critical area in educational and psychological testing, DIF analysis is essential for ensuring the validity and fairness of assessments, reinforcing equity in measurement across diverse populations.
Gandhi, a native of India, launched a peer-led initiative called “Cheer for Your Peers” after a personal tragedy ignited her passion for creating an open space for dialogue. The group helps students share both academic and emotional stressors within a supportive environment and each session would conclude with three positive affirmations. These affirmations fostered a culture of encouragement and understanding.
“Cheer for Your Peers” was successful and grew from a small group into a structured program that included school counselors and teachers. After expanding to three other schools, the program rebranded as “Happy Minds.” In this space, students could openly share their experiences and helped to normalize mental health practices in a community where these types of conversations were rare.
Gandhi was also part of a team of UNCG counseling students and Dr. Christian Chan who created a student wellness resource guide for international students at the university. This document includes things such as mental health and wellness resources, crisis resources, community services, and local shopping and restaurant options.
Earning honorable mention recognition were undergraduate student Chloe Spivey (Department of Teacher Education and Higher Education) graduate student Faris Alshahrani (Department of Specialized Education Services).
Students were selected to receive the Smiley Award following a review of nominations. Among the criteria considered was the demonstration of leadership, innovation, and impact in both international and local settings based on both previous and proposed engagement activities.
