The Sally M. Heym Award is named in memory of Sally M. Heym, a member of NAFSA Region XI for more than twenty years who provided innovative, creative, and inspired leadership to her colleagues, both in the region and at the national level. One of Sally's areas of special interest was promoting professional development opportunities for NAFSAns at all stages in their careers.

This award will honor a colleague who has made outstanding contributions to the field of international education as a mentor, is an active member of NAFSA Region XI and has played a leadership role in promoting international education in the region, has been in the field of international education for at least five (5) years, and has been an inspiration to colleagues as well as a continuing source of information and wisdom.

This award includes a plaque and a $500 monetary prize that must be used for professional development (e.g., to attend a course or workshop, to undertake a research project, to attend a conference outside of NAFSA, for international travel, for books or videos in the field, etc.). In the event that the recipient is an employee of the federal government or can be seen to have a conflict of interest, no monetary award will be included.

The official presentation of the award will be made at the regional conference.

Past Recipients

• 2023- Natalie Schlegel (Bentley University)
• 2022- Kathy Foley (Middlebury College)
• 2021- Amir Reza (Babson College)
• 2020 - J. Scott Van Der Meid (Brandeis University) - awarded posthumously View Scott's nomination video
• 2019 - Andrea Hogan (Quinnipiac University) - awarded posthumously
• 2018 - Liz Goss (Goss Associates) and Parker Emerson (Yale University)
• 2017 - Emma Swift (UVM)
• 2016 - Penny Rosser (MIT), Dan Berger (Curran & Berger LLP)
• 2015 - Dawn Sedutto (Southern New Hampshire University)
• 2014 - Linda Drake Gobbo (SIT), Julie Leitman (Academic Programs International)
• 2011 - James Leck (Boston University; posthumously awarded), Jeanne Kelley (Boston University)
• 2010 - Natalie Mello (WPI)
• 2009 - Jane Howard (Mount Ida College)
• 2008 - Maureen Martin (Harvard)
• 2007 - Davie Elwell (Brandeis University)
• 2006 - Jane Rosenberg (Boston University)
• 2004 - George Commenator (Southern New Hampshire University)
• 2002 - Scott Quint (Northeastern University)
• 2001 - Jane Etish-Andrews (Tufts University)
• 2000 - Don Ross (Salem State College)
• 1999 - Jennifer Stevens (MIT and independent consultant)
• 1998 - Bob Chudy (UConn)
• 1997 - Carole Cumps (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
• 1996 - Sharon Ladd (Harvard)