College of Social Work MSW student, John Sheetz was awarded the Center for Global Engagement’s Global Citizen Award on April 3, 2012.  The award is presented annually to two students that exemplify global citizenship by building relationships across cultures and fostering global awareness and mutual understanding on the FSU campus.

John served for two years as a youth development volunteer in the Peace Corps, stationed in Ukraine.  John established solid relationships, personally and within the community, allowing him to serve as a successful teacher and trainer.  Through these experiences he was familiarized with the economic and political problems within this population, including human trafficking.

“By drawing attention to these issues in courses ranging from international social work to crisis intervention to family violence, John has become a conduit of information grounded in experience,” Dr. Abell  said, “leading students in our privileged society to see that violations of human rights are not just the political problems of ‘others,’ but but are realities here at home.”

Through his work as a graduate assistant at FSU’s Center for Global Engagement, John has also had a major impact as a global citizen across campus.  He has developed and managed programs for domestic and international student interactions.  He also has presented to students across campus about the unique and invaluable opportunities that come with international travel and interactions with people from different cultures.

And, within the College of Social Work, John has made significant contributions to social work research and scholarship.  He has assisted several faculty members with important and innovative projects and research, and has earned a reputation for maturity and competence. John was also recently featured in the “Student Highlights” section of the CSW magazine, Communitas, for his achievements and dedication to service.