Life Membership is awarded each year to NAFSAns in recognition of their career achievements in advancing the goals of the Association and of international education and exchange. Individuals become eligible for nomination at the time of their retirement from professional responsibilities in the field of international education. Life Membership is not automatically granted to members who attain emeritus status. Life Members shall receive regular membership privileges and a waiver of annual dues and Annual Conference registration fees.

The nomination period for the 2020 Life Membership Award is October 1, 2019 to February 1,2020.

Nominate a Colleague

The nomination period for the 2020 NAFSA Life Membership Award is October 1, 2019 to February 1, 2020.

Nominate a Colleague

Recent Recipients

DeDe Long

Dede Long
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
At the time of her retirement, served as the director of study abroad and international exchange at the University of Arkansas, a position she held since 1994. As a long-time international educator, she attended her first regional NAFSA meeting in San Antonio in 1981. Her extensive service to the...
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Jennifer A. Lund

Jennifer Lund
Jennifer A. Lund retired in July 2018 from her position as associate dean for international education and member of the education faculty at Agnes Scott College. She earned a PhD in counselor education with a specialization in cross-cultural counseling from the University of Florida and has worked...
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Lawrence Bell

Lawrence Bell
Lawrence Bell, at the time of his retirement, served as assistant vice chancellor for global strategic initiatives at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Bell spent the last 32 years of his career as the lead international officer at the universities where he worked and was responsible for...
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Linda Tobash

Linda Tobash
Linda Tobash retired in October 2019 from World Education Services (WES) as senior director of policy, knowledge, and data. Tobash has been actively engaged in NAFSA for many years, first as a charter member on the Education and Training Committee and Trainer Corps and then as session selection...
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Scott E. King

Scott King
Scott E. King, at the time of his retirement, served as director of international students at Johns Hopkins University. His 40-year career in international education has taken him to schools in Alabama, Iowa, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia. He has served NAFSA in a variety of leadership roles...
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All Past Recipients
  • Caroline Aldrich-Langen
  • William H. Alloway
  • Gary Althen
  • Ellen Badger
  • Bill  Barnhart
  • Marvin Baron
  • Ralph P. Barrett
  • Brian A. Bates
  • Alex Bedrosian
  • Lawrence Bell
  • August G. Benson
  • Stan Berry
  • Hazel Boltwood
  • Alice Bonzi Lawler
  • Jon V.C.  Booth
  • Peter Briggs
  • M. Archer Brown
  • D'Ann Burke
  • Jack D. Burke
  • Thomas Carey
  • Eugene R. Chamberlain
  • Denise Connerty
  • Janet Constantinides
  • Phyllis Cotten
  • Garland H. Davies
  • James M. Davis
  • Jean Delaney
  • Edward Devlin
  • Richard D. Downie
  • Marvin Durham
  • Everett  Egginton
  • Kathleen M. Ellinghaus
  • Bob Ericksen
  • Nancy Erickson
  • Dr. James E. Frey
  • Charles W. Gay
  • Kath-Ann Gerhardt
  • Johanne M. Glass
  • Mary Anne Grant
  • John Greisberger
  • Jean S.  Griswold
  • G. James Haas
  • Linda  Heaney
  • David  Horner
  • Stirling  Huntley
  • Sanford C. Jameson
  • Marlene M. Johnson
  • Dixon  Johnson
  • Patricia Jones
  • Judy Judd-Price
  • Robert B.  Kaplan
  • Scott E. King
  • Robert  Klinger
  • Nancy J.  Kopka
  • David  Larson
  • Martin Limbird
  • J. Russell  Lindquist
  • Bob Locke
  • DeDe  Long
  • Diana  Lopez
  • Jennifer A. Lund
  • James F. Lynch Jr.
  • E. Nell Magee
  • Alan M. Margolis
  • Suzanne Marlay
  • Harriet Marsh
  • Mary Cay Martin
  • Josef A.  Mestenhauser
  • Forrest G.  Moore
  • June C. Naughton
  • Joe W. Neal
  • Donald Nelson
  • William E.  Nolting
  • June Noronha
  • John Pearson
  • Connie Perdreau
  • Norman J. Peterson
  • Deborah L. Pierce
  • Ruth H. Purkaple
  • Margaret D. Pusch
  • Richard  Reiff
  • Tom Roberts
  • Kenneth  Rogers
  • Mary  Rogerson
  • Inez  Sepmeyer
  • Clara  Simerville
  • Cliff  Sjogren
  • Mickey Slind
  • William H. Smart
  • Eugene H. Smith 
  • Michael B. Smithee
  • Elizabeth  Soppelsa
  • Paula  Spier
  • Joann B.  Stedman
  • Harvey  Stein
  • Jennifer  Stephens
  • Joy  Stevenson
  • Nancy Stubbs
  • Leo J. Sweeney
  • Gail Szenes
  • Kay A. Thomas
  • Lee Thompson
  • Mary A. Thompson
  • Mary Tinkham
  • Linda Tobash
  • Anders Uhrskov
  • Joyce  Valdes
  • Martha Wailes
  • J. Paul Ward
  • Henry D.  Weaver
  • Jerry Wilcox
  • David B.  Williams
  • Joseph F.  Williams
  • Geoffrey R. Wood
  • Valerie Woolston
  • A. Lee Zeigler
Criteria for Selecting Nominees

To be considered for Life Membership, a nominee must have been a NAFSA member for at least 20 years and have retired from professional responsibilities.

Nominees must have documented achievements in the following areas:

  • Election or appointment to multiple NAFSA national leadership positions
  • Important and lasting contributions to the field of international education and exchange over the duration of their career
  • National recognition in the field of international education
  • Positive influence on the lives or careers of participants or professionals in the field
Selection Information

Nomination Procedures

The primary nominator must be a NAFSA member. Nominations must present clear evidence of the nominee's achievements in the areas mentioned above. Nominations must be supported by a minimum of three additional nominations, each from an individual representing a different institution, organization, and/or NAFSA region and each addressing a different perspective on the nominee's accomplishments. The additional nominations must all be from NAFSA members. Current members of the Membership Engagement Committee, Awards Subcommittee, and NAFSA staff are not eligible to nominate. The nomination process is confidential. Multiple Life Memberships may be offered each year, subject to Award Subcommittee recommendation and Board approval.

Past NAFSA Presidents Life Membership is automatically conferred upon past President and Chairs of the Board of Directors upon retirement from professional responsibilities in international education, with a notification to NAFSA’s Vice President for Professional Development & Engagement.

Benefits and Recognition

Awardees will receive:

  • Complimentary registration to attend NAFSA Annual Conference to receive their award
  • Recognition on stage during a NAFSA Annual Conference plenary, with reserved audience seating for the awardee and two designated guests
  • Acknowledgement on Circle of Excellence signage at the NAFSA Annual Conference and on the NAFSA website
  • A video interview to be hosted on the NAFSA website
  • An invitation to the NAFSA Appreciation Reception for the awardee and two designated guests
  • An opportunity to review Career Center proposals for a future annual conference, and for all future conferences
  • A framed recognition plaque to display at their home or office
  • An invitation to write a NAFSA blog post on their connections to international education, NAFSA leadership, etc.
  • Complimentary NAFSA membership in perpetuity