Susan GilbertzDr. Susan J. Gilbertz

Professor, Geography and Advisor to Environmental Studies, CAS

A tireless champion for both international students and international studies throughout her tenure at MSUB, Dr. Susan J. Gilbertz is this year’s Promoting International Student Success award recipient.

In her nearly 15 years in the College of Arts and Sciences, Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies, Dr. Gilbertz has earned recognition as an avid supporter of international students and persistent advocate for international studies among administrators and faculty.

Students play an active role in her fieldwork and her conference travels. Dr. Gilbertz strives to connect international students with students from Montana in meaningful ways. In one of her classes, students are required to interview an international student which is often a mutually beneficial assignment, as both students connect socially, learn more about each other, and some even develop friendships.

“Thanks to the efforts of professors like Dr. Gilbertz, our international students have been exposed to more American students and have had more opportunities to learn about Montana,” a colleague said.

Her professional work has taken her to China, Indonesia, Oman, Ukraine, Italy, France, Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg. In June, she will travel to Warsaw, Poland as a lecturer. She openly shares her international experiences on campus and in the Billings community.

Last fall, she hosted a group of German colleagues and their students. She coordinated their visit to campus and she organized a visit river tour that began at Pompey's Pillar and ended were Canyon Creek drains into the Yellowstone. Her personal attributes of being considerate, open, gracious, and having a warm heart lend themselves well to accommodating international visitors and welcoming international students.

“Dr. Gilbertz has played a leading role in supporting our international students by creating a campus atmosphere and even ‘culture’ where international studies, international engagement, and study of international topics is part of our campus internationalization strategy,” her nominator shared.