The University of Nebraska Board of Regents is pleased to present a KUDOS Award to Lori Arias, Associate Director of International Advising for the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s International Programs Office.
Lori has been a part of the international advising team since 1988, which she joined after serving in the U.S. Peace Corps in community development. In her role, she helps lead the team that supports students from various countries arriving in the United States navigate the process of beginning their studies at UNO, including assisting students with airport pickup, shopping, and arranging housing. Lori continues to provide assistance to international students throughout their time at UNO by advising them on a variety of matters, including acting as a point person for questions on visas, and helping students adapt to a new culture. Among other roles, Lori also serves as a 24-hour on-call resource for any crises these students may encounter.
The support Lori provides students has been extremely vital during times of international crisis, but especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, where many international students were unsure of what the future would hold and how they could stay enrolled as travel was grounded in and out of the United States.
Lori’s ability to be an advocate for international students is tied to her own experiences as an exchange student at UNO. She traveled to Bolivia and Peru during her time as a student and was the first student to travel to Japan under a now 42-year partnership with Shizuoka University, located in Omaha’s oldest Sister City, Shizuoka, Japan.
Generations of students have since traveled between the two countries with Lori serving a vital role in bridging the two universities. Since its inception, she has served as coordinator of the annual Shizuoka Summer Tour, where students from Japan spend two weeks in Omaha, exploring the city and State of Nebraska. In 2019, during a 40-year celebration of the partnership, Lori was publicly honored for her years of commitment to the international student experience.
For all these reasons; the countless hours spent advocating for global engagement and global partnerships; the care with which she treats each student regardless of background; and the passion for the work done by UNO and the University of Nebraska system, Lori is a truly invaluable asset not just to the University of Nebraska, but to the city and state.
With Lori today is her children Rosie Arias and A.J. Arias. -- Please join me in thanking Lori for her dedication to the University of Nebraska at Omaha and its students.