2017 International Student Award winners lined up on stage
The 2017 International Student Award ceremony took place November 14 at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom. Four students from the Warrington College of Business were honored this year. Pictured from left to right: Joe Rojo, Director for International Programs – Heavener School of Business; Sungsik Park, Doctoral Candidate, Marketing; Hongli Qiao, BS – Fisher School of Accounting; Edwin Camilo Barrero Ramirez, BA – Heavener School of Business; Aslesha Lissanevitch, BA – Heavener School of Business; Leo Villalon, Dean International Center.

Warrington students honored by UF International Center

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Four students from the Warrington College of Business received Outstanding International Student Awards from the University of Florida International Center on Nov. 14.

The Outstanding International Student Award recognizes international students who not only meet exemplary academic achievement, but also a wide range of accomplishments and contributions.

Warrington’s recipients for 2017 are:

HongLi Qiao (BSAc ‘18): Qiao, a native of FengXian, Shanghai, China, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the Fisher School of Accounting. He is a member of Beta Alpha Psi, has worked as a volunteer income tax assistant, and has received an Outstanding Member award from the accounting and financial information organization. Qiao has been a teaching assistant in marketing and business law in past semesters. In the spring of 2018, he will be an accounting RA and teaching assistant of a graduate accounting course. Qiao said he feels honored to have received an Outstanding International Student Award.

“I never expected myself to stand out as one of the Warrington students to receive the award, from hundreds of international students,” he said. “I can’t find a better word than simply ‘honored.’”

 Aslesha Lissanevitch (BABA ‘18): Lissanevitch is a fourth year Business Administration student, specializing in Travel and Tourism, and minoring in Russian Studies. She is originally from Kathmandu, Nepal. At the Warrington College of Business, she is an International Programs Student Ambassador, a group of students who have studied abroad and now wish to inform, encourage and inspire their peers to have their own exciting experience abroad. She also recently completed an exchange trip to Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in China.

“I feel great honor to receive this award,” she said. “I feel even more encouraged to work harder, and strive to make a change in our community.”

Edwin Camilo Barrero Ramirez (BABA ’17, MIB ‘18): Barrero is a fourth year combined Business Administration undergraduate and Master of International Business student. Originally from Colombia, Barrero moved to the United States when he was 18 years old. He has been involved in a number of student organizations, including the Global Gator Guides, a program designed to help international exchange students adapt to life at UF and Gainesville, and Enactus, a social entrepreneurship organization. As part of Enactus, he taught business related curriculum for low income students to encourage entrepreneurship skills. Barrero said receiving the Outstanding International Student Award made him feel that his contribution to the university is valued and appreciated.

“I’m grateful for all the support I’ve had from all the great people I’ve met throughout my undergraduate experience at UF,” he said. “Also, I just want to say thank you for embracing diversity and making UF a great place to be.”

 Sungsik Park (Ph.D. ‘18): Park is a Ph.D. candidate in the Warrington College of Business’ Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing program. Originally from South Korea, he has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and a B.A. in Applied Statistics from Yonsei University, in addition to a M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Seoul National University. His research interests include online reviews, user-generated information, observational learning and pricing. Park is currently working on a paper titled “The First-Review Effect: Interdependence between Volume and Valence of Online Consumer Reviews,” with Professors Woochoel Shin and Jinhong Xie. Upon graduation, he will be joining the faculty at the University of South Carolina as an assistant professor of marketing. Park said he is most grateful for Xie, his advisor’s, support throughout his Ph.D. program.