AACRAO is pleased to welcome Aleksander Morawski, Director of Evaluation Services at Scholaro, Inc, to the AACRAO International Institute faculty beginning in February 2019.
“I’m excited to join such a comprehensive training program -- it’s longer and more extensive than trainings I’ve done in the past,” Morawski said. “It will be exciting to have participants who may come in with little knowledge but have a fair amount of functional expertise by the time they leave. It’s also great to build relationships and maintain them after the Institute, so we can all grow our networks of international credential professionals.”
From there to here
Morawski has worked in the field of foreign credential evaluation for 12 years, including positions both in postsecondary international admissions and private credential evaluation companies. He is the chairman of scholarship and publications for AICE, the Association of International Credential Evaluators; provides training at NAFSA events; and participated in AACRAO’s Cuba Project.
“My first job in international education was a part-time position at the ESL department at UW-Milwaukee. That’s where I realized that working with international students is interesting and exciting, and I wanted to make a career of it,” Morawski said. “The diversity of countries, languages, education systems around the world is something that’s always interested me -- even as a child I was excited to take friends and relatives to the airport so I got to see people going to different countries around the world. It’s fun to help students overcome challenges coming to us from such varied places -- Saudi Arabia, Korea, Europe, South America. There’s always a learning curve of working with a new population.”
Why the work matters
“When you’re involved in the international admissions process, it’s imperative to understand foreign educational systems and methodologies for comparison with U.S. systems, as a matter of fairness,” said Morawski. “Good training helps us accurately assess and admit students to programs where they are prepared to succeed.”
Supporting international education is a driver of student success -- and not only for foreign students.
“Admitting international students makes the entire campus community stronger,” Morawski said. “It’s not just for the benefit of the student coming here, but students here in the U.S. benefit just as much. Working alongside students of different cultures, experiences, and perspectives helps students succeed in the global economy in whatever professional sectors they go into.”
Meet Aleks
Though he works with cultures from around the world, Morawski also appreciates the cultural differences in his own backyard. Based in Chicago, one of his favorite ways to relax is a classic road trip.
“In the summer, I love to put the top down on my car and get lost on a country road,” he said. “I enjoy exploring small towns in the U.S. just as much as travelling internationally.”
If the weather permits, will Morawski make the scenic drive to D.C. for his first time as faculty at AACRAO’s Winter Institute in February? Come join us, meet him, and find out.