For Immediate Release

Washington, May 28, 2019 — NAFSA: Association of International Educators is pleased to announce Temple University will transfer leadership and support of the #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign to NAFSA effective June 1, 2019. Over the past two and a half years since the campaign was first launched, NAFSA has supported efforts to share this message and encouraged higher education institutions and members of Congress to use the hashtag. In this new role managing the campaign, NAFSA has committed to amplifying the message that international students and scholars are welcome in the United States.

#YouAreWelcomeHere sends a welcoming message to international students and scholars to help alleviate concerns from those concerned about studying in the United States. Jessica Sandberg, former NAFSA Managing Editor of IEM Spotlight and then the director of International Admissions at Temple University, noted the positive impact this campaign could have and began filming videos on her campus of students and faculty members telling international students, “You Are Welcome Here.” Sandberg used social media and her professional networks to share these videos and encourage other higher education institutions to participate in the campaign. Under the guidance of Sandberg and her colleagues at Temple University, #YouAreWelcomeHere has been embraced by the international education community. Since the campaign’s initial inception, over 350 higher education institutions, 70 organizations and 20 secondary schools have joined the campaign.

“This remarkable grassroots campaign has spread the important message that international students and scholars are welcome here. NAFSA is proud to accept administration of this nationwide movement that is profoundly consistent with the association’s values,” said Esther D. Brimmer, NAFSA Executive Director and CEO.

“The goodwill generated by #YAWH has been the highlight of my career and I am grateful that I was able to play a role in giving this campaign its start at Temple University,” commented Sandberg. “It has been incredibly rewarding to watch it evolve from a tiny grassroots project to the unofficial global slogan of U.S. higher education. This little idea has made quite a journey and I can think of no better destination for #YAWH than a permanent home at NAFSA. Under NAFSA's leadership, the future of the campaign and its important role in communicating the value of US higher education across the globe is assured.”

NAFSA will also help steer the coordination of the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship program, which is set to award the first recipients for Fall 2019. Fifty-seven higher education institutions around the United States have pledged to offer scholarships to international undergraduate students who commit to furthering the #YouAreWelcomeHere message through intercultural exchange that bridges divides at their future campuses and beyond.

Learn more about #YouAreWelcomeHere and the corresponding scholarship program at www.YouAreWelcomeHereUSA.org.

Sample Tweet: NAFSA taking over leadership of the #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign to spread the message #IntlStudents are welcome in the U.S. https://bit.ly/2HPq2lw

About NAFSA: With more than 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. Visit us at www.nafsa.org/press. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visit www.ConnectingOurWorld.org and @ConnectOurWorld on Twitter.