Michael Paige, PhD

In 2019, NAFSA was pleased to posthumously recognize R. Michael Paige with the NAFSA International Education Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Field. Paige died on November 9, 2018. Until his retirement in 2012, Paige was professor of international and intercultural education at the University of Minnesota. His intercultural education career began in 1968 when he served as an intercultural trainer for the U.S. Peace Corps. After earning his doctorate from Stanford University, he joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota, where he cofounded the innovative and ground-breaking Comparative and International Development Education masters and PhD degree programs. These programs continue to thrive today. During his tenure at the University of Minnesota, Paige was a lead author for the Maximizing Study Abroad book series and program materials, which emphasize the role of intercultural and language learning in study abroad. He also led numerous studies on study abroad outcomes, including the landmark “Study Abroad for Global Engagement (SAGE).” He retired from full-time work at the University of Minnesota in 2012 but continued to teach until 2017 and advise students until 2018. He remained committed to students throughout his career at the University of Minnesota. However, Paige’s contributions expanded beyond his role as a professor. He was a senior instructor for the Intercultural Development Inventory and a faculty member for the European Association for International Education and the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication. In total, he authored or coauthored more than 140 articles, books, and book chapters. In 2016, he received the University of Minnesota Award for Global Engagement and was named as a Distinguished Global Professor.

Distinguished Contributions to the Field Awardee

Michael Paige received the 2019 NAFSA International Education Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Field.