Awarded yearly by the Office of Global Engagement, the Richard Reiff Award for Campus Internationalization honors full-time faculty members who have made remarkable contributions to global education at the University of Georgia. UGA’s faculty member Sonia Hernandez has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 award due to her comprehensive contributions to international education through teaching, curriculum design, and education abroad initiatives.
Hernandez, who holds the title of Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, is a faculty member at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and also has a dual role in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
“Dr. Hernandez is an exceedingly deserving recipient of the Richard Reiff Award,” commented Martin Kagel, UGA’s associate provost for global engagement. “She exemplifies the innovative and influential educators that this award aims to honor. Her impressive track record in global education highlights the exceptional faculty engaged in study abroad at UGA, and I extend my congratulations on both her accomplishments and this well-deserved recognition.”
Renowned for her global perspective in teaching, dedicated mentorship of students, and creative instructional design and curriculum development, Hernandez participated in a Tropical Ecology course in Costa Rica during her doctoral studies at the Odum School of Ecology. There, she conducted international fieldwork and guided undergraduate students in research for the first time.
Hernandez emphasizes that her study abroad experience serves as a core motivation to promote global education for her students. “That joy, that wonder — it’s invaluable for me,” she remarked, “It’s like experiencing that phase of discovery all over again.”
In the early stages of her teaching career at Warnell, she crafted a monthlong study abroad course focused on wildlife conservation medicine and biology in Costa Rica. This nationally recognized course is distinguished by its interdisciplinary collaboration among undergraduate, graduate, and veterinary students, having been conducted nine times since 2008.
During the course, students engage in discussions with Costa Rican farmers, scientists, and community members about the real-world challenges they encounter in their ecosystems, using this information to formulate conservation research projects. Additionally, students provide medical assistance at wildlife rescue centers.
Within these professional environments, Hernandez serves as a mentor for students, guiding them in learning to collaborate with peers and experts in a cultural context that may differ from their own. “The significance of these discussions is not an experience students can readily gain in a conventional classroom,” Hernandez stated.
Throughout her 16 years at UGA, Hernandez has guided 23 graduate students and generally mentors eight undergraduates and three veterinary students each year. Her students frequently develop lasting professional and personal relationships with Hernandez.
Raj Joshi, a veterinary emergency medicine expert and UGA alumnus, recalls his experiences working with Hernandez as a field technician in Costa Rica. “It was my first time in the field, engaging in a homestay, and genuinely stepping out of my comfort zone,” he shared. “These eye-opening experiences are crucial in shaping the perspectives of young individuals by challenging their worldviews, dispelling ignorance, and encouraging open-mindedness.”
Hernandez has also established a collaborative relationship between UGA and the University of Costa Rica, enabling UCR professors to be involved in the course. This collaboration has created research opportunities for both institutions and enhanced resources for other UGA study abroad initiatives.
In 2021, Hernandez served as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar researcher and lecturer on veterinary infectious diseases at Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain. During her tenure as a Fulbright Scholar, she supervised the research efforts of three UGA graduate students and organized a research exchange, welcoming two doctoral students from Universidad Complutense to conduct research at UGA. “I view my primary role as a mentor to provide as many opportunities as possible to help them achieve their life goals,” she expressed.
Hernandez also instructs a First-Year Odyssey course at UGA that familiarizes students with the concept of One Health, a scientific framework that illustrates the interconnectedness of human and animal health. Leveraging her international network and research, Hernandez invites global experts to discuss the real-world conservation efforts occurring worldwide with her students.
“Dr. Hernandez exemplifies what it means to pursue one’s passions and maintain curiosity about the natural world,” remarked Alanis Reyes, an undergraduate student in animal bioscience. “Observing her explore tidal pools and waking us up early for birdwatching reminded me of why I developed a passion for the environment initially.”
For further details regarding the Richard Reiff Award for Campus Internationalization, please visit https://globalengagement.uga.edu/richardreiffaward/.
The article Sonia Hernandez receives 2025 Richard Reiff Award originally appeared on UGA Today.