The James O'Driscoll Distinguished Service Award

The James O’Driscoll Distinguished Service Award is named in honor of James O'Driscoll who served as Chair of Region X in 1990-1991 and held national leadership positions in both TESOL and NAFSA. James was a mentor to many involved in international education and a colleague to many more. He was a longtime associate of the Institute of International Education (IIE), having joined IIE in the late 1960s. He also sat on the Board of Directors of Metro International. He was instrumental in the establishment of both the American Association of Intensive English Language Programs (AAIEP) and the Consortium of University and College Intensive English Programs (UCIEP). As head of the English Language Placement at IIE, he played a significant role in gaining credibility for the TESOL profession and the IEP industry as well as creating and publishing the first ELOPUS. One of his last public contributions to the field was running the TESOL Summer Institute in 1992 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. James died in April 1993, ironically during the weekend of the national TESOL conference, the first national conference he had ever missed. James O'Driscoll received NAFSA's Homer Higbee Award posthumously.

The award is by nomination of current Region X members. Nominees must demonstrate exceptional service to Region X, the furtherance of interests of international educational exchange, and active participation in regional activities, projects and programs.

Past Recipients
1989 Mike Smithee
1992 Claire Fay
1994 Institute for International Education
1996 Joe Williams, Gail Szenes, Eugene Goldstein
1997 Sal Longarino
1998 Helen Stevens, Jerry Wilcox
1999 Mary Ann Campbell
2000 Roger Bowen, Miriam Cheikh-ali
2002 Metro International
2004 Mary F. Idzior
2005 Ellen Badger
2006 Pat Burak
2007 Laura Taylor
2008 Marion Boultbee
2009 Erika Rohrbach
2011 Lilli Holdgaard Jensen
2012 Yocasta Brens-Watson
2013 Beverly Plowucha
2014 June Sadowski-Devarez
Deirdre Colby Sato
2015 Samantha Lu
2016 Saundra Hampton
2017 L. Jane Bush
2018 David B. Austell, PhD
2021 Gwyneth A. Smith
2022 Emily Brew
2023 Lucy Cheung

Lifetime Achievement Award

Region X accepts nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual whose professional life has been dedicated to the field of international education, who has served as a mentor, and who has provided extensive service to the regional and/or national NAFSA community. This award has been established in honor of all our treasured colleagues whose memory we cherish. Any current Region X member may make a nomination.

Past Recipients
2010 Ellie Spiegel
2012 Ellen H. Badger
2014 Jane Havis
2016 David Garrett
2018 Eugene Goldstein
2019 June Sadowski Devarez
2021

Erika Rohrbach

Bruce Sillner

2023 Jackie Vogl

Rising Professional Award

This award recognizes NAFSA members employed in the field of international education for fewer than five (5) years, who has demonstrated a notable commitment to the field through professional or volunteer activities, and who is active in regional and/or national NAFSA affairs. This award includes a small honorarium to be used for professional development.

Past Recipients
2010 Ben Levy
2012 Lucy G. Cheung
2013 Tricia Herritt & Julie Ficarra
2014 Makiko Filler
2015 Shao Chen (Johanna) Pan-Carr
2016 Thomas Carter
2017 Emilie Buse
2018 Claire Rehbock
2019 Michelle Bourassa
2020 Dawn Wilkenfeld
2021

Carlo Fabros

Maria Kopnitsky

2022

Anna Biuso

Hyunjin Yeo

2023 Rukia Rahi