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Robert Ackerman, Ph.D., professor of speech-language pathology at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, was awarded the prestigious “Friendship Award” from Shenyang Normal University in Shenyang, China. The award is given to a person or group who demonstrates outstanding and long-term commitment to the values and mission of the university.

At the recommendation of an ESU colleague, Dr. Ackerman and his wife, Gretchen, chose SNU to spend a semester teaching English in 1999. Since that time, Ackerman, Gretchen, and their four children have built a relationship with the school, returning often over the years.

“While we were teaching English there our children were learning Chinese,” Ackerman said. “My children have also gone on to teach at the university as well,” he said noting the importance the school has to his family.

As SNU celebrated its 65th anniversary on May 21, 2016, Ackerman and his family were invited to attend a week of festivities, which included an international conference. During this time he was presented the Friendship Award. The award recognizes Ackerman and his family for exceptional and valuable service to the university and its students over a long period of time, and for important cultural exchange and international relationship between SNU and ESU.

The partnership with SNU began in 1998 with friendly correspondence, and became a formal partnership with student exchanges in 2006. Since that time 72 ESU students have studied at SNU, and ESU has hosted eight visiting scholars. Two ESU students will travel to SNU to study for the fall 2016 semester. SNU was the first of five Chinese universities to partner with ESU.

For more information about international programs at ESU, contact Steve Ives at 570-422-3527.