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May 5, 2015 | Awards, News

International Student Award for Achievement

Alexia Nyoni holding International Student Award for Achievement

Baldwin City, Kansas — Known for being instrumental in creating a community that promotes diversity and well-being of students on the Baldwin City campus, Baker University senior Alexia Nyoni was recently presented the David Merchant International Student Award for Achievement. The award honors one international student who demonstrates exceptional accomplishments in the areas of scholarship and service.

Originally from Harare, Zimbabwe, Nyoni is a member of Baker’s Delta Pi chapter of Phi Beta Delta, an honor society for international scholars. Founded in 1986, Phi Beta Delta has 200 chapters worldwide.

“It felt like all my hard work had finally paid off,” said Nyoni, who received $500 for the honor. “When I came to Baker, there were not that many international students. I have seen the numbers grow as we attract students from different places across the world. These students bring together a mixture of different cultures. It is great to see the diversity on campus. It provides us opportunities to learn something different, adapt and become culturally enriched.”

Part of the campus community since January 2012, Nyoni had not been to the United States until she became a student at Baker. An uncle who lived in Wichita received a master’s degree from Baker in the mid-1980s and recommended the university to her family. Nyoni and her parents researched Baker online and were impressed by the university’s liberal arts background and academic offerings.

“I wanted to spread my wings and see other places,” said Nyoni, a double major in accounting and business management.

At Baker, Nyoni helps organize social events for international students and coordinates activities for International Education Week in November. Baker is home to 20 international students, representing 13 countries.

“Her role is critical for Baker as we work to create effective community-building programming after our international student population doubled in size this fall,” said Smrha, assistant dean for student engagement and success.

In addition to her role with international students, Nyoni has served as a treasurer for student senate and as a resident assistant in the residential life program. She has been a leader in the first-year orientation program, partnering with a faculty member to serve as a co-instructor and mentor for a seminar class for new students.

Nyoni, who has aspirations of becoming a certified public accountant, interned last year with the accounting and business advisory firm KPMG in Zimbabwe. She has secured an internship this summer with PricewaterhouseCoopers in St. Louis.

“Baker has prepared me well for a career in business,” said Nyoni, scheduled to graduate in December.

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