Madison Kennedy-Kequom, a senior in James Madison College, received the Award for Academic Achievement Abroad, sponsored by The Forum on Education Abroad, for her work connected to Indigenous rights in Thailand with the Inter-Mountain Peoples Education and Culture Association (IMPECT).

The Academic Achievement Abroad award recognizes thoughtful academic projects that students complete as part of their education abroad programs. Through the award, The Forum aims to highlight the full range of academic excellence that can be achieved through education abroad experiences, in the fine arts and humanities, social sciences, and STEM disciplines.

"Nominated to our office by JMC faculty Amanda Flaim, and with supporting materials provided by Madison, we submitted her nomination package to the Forum and are simply thrilled to learn that she has been selected. Although MSU has had several finalists for this award over the past few years, this is the first MSU winner,” said Leeman Bartzis.

An enrolled member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Madison grew up on the Isabella Reservation near Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. She is studying Comparative Cultures and Politics in James Madison College with minors in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (AIIS) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She participated in the Teaching English in Japan program with the Japan Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU) this past summer.

According to The Forum, Madison’s project, Indigenous Solidarities in Southeast Asia, exemplifies the deep academic and cultural engagement that education abroad can foster. During her semester in Chiang Mai, Thailand, she played a key role in developing a data framework to support Indigenous knowledge sovereignty for IMPECT, who are mobilizing for recognitions of their rights as Indigenous Peoples under the 2007 UN Declaration. She also conducted participatory ethnography anchored in Indigenous methodologies and ethics of reciprocity with Akha, Lahu and Lisu communities in the highlands. Through these activities, Madison built meaningful relationships and made a lasting impact. Her work, which was supported by MSU’s Mekong Culture WELL project, has helped forge new and productive connections between the Asian Studies Center and the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program at Michigan State University. Her dedication continues beyond her time abroad, as she remains connected with communities and leaders and has returned to further her research.

The Forum announced this Academic Achievement Abroad award, and two other major awards, during the virtual portion of their annual conference yesterday. During the virtual session, Madison was able to share more about her project and the impact of education abroad.

More details can be found at Award Winners Announced at The Forum's Virtual Annual Conference 2025.