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 Membership is automatically conferred upon past Presidents and Chairs of the NAFSA Board of Directors upon retirement from professional responsibilities in international education, with a notification to NAFSA's Vice President for Professional Development and Engagement.
Life Members receive regular membership privileges and a waiver of annual dues and Annual Conference registration fees. Multiple Life Membership Awards may be bestowed each year, subject to Board approval.
Nominations for the 2023 awards closed on February 1. Nominations for the 2024 awards will be accepted in late fall.
2023 Recipients
Masume Assaf retired from Penn State after 40+ years in February 2023, where she worked as the assistant vice provost of international student and scholar advising. Assaf co-authored the original workshop “NAFSA F-1 Regulations for Beginners” with Linda Gentile as well as a revised electronic...
Bonnie Bissonette, EdD, retired in 2023 as the senior director of international partnerships and an assistant professor at the University of Maryland-Baltimore. Bissonette’s NAFSA experience began as a mentee in the second NAFSA Academy class, followed by service as the Wisconsin legislative whip...
Management Development Program Trainer
During her more than four-decade career in International Education, Linda Drake Gobbo taught and advised close to 1,000 graduate students at SIT Graduate Institute and led the faculty team that developed the field’s first graduate degree. In 2019, she was named Professor Emerita. She retired as...
University of Washington
As vice provost for global affairs at the University of Washington, Jeff Riedinger had leadership and administrative responsibility for the institution’s diverse global programming including support for international research, study abroad, student and faculty exchanges, and overseas centers. He...
Kathleen Sideli, Ph.D. retired in 2022 as the associate vice president for overseas study at Indiana University (IU) where she had responsibility for study abroad programs on all IU campuses. She taught Spanish for twenty-five years while being active in the field of study abroad for more than four...
Ware|Immigration
David Ware has been an immigration practitioner since 1982, with a consistent focus on higher education. His national practice boasts offices in New Orleans, Denver, and Seattle. He is active in AIEA, AILA, NAFSA, the FBA, and NACUA, and is a frequent speaker and author on immigration topics. He...
Criteria for Nomination
The nomination for Life Membership must highlight the following:
- The primary nominator must be a current NAFSA member. Individuals may not self-nominate.
- The nominee has been a NAFSA member for at least 20 years.
- The nominee must have publicly announced their retirement from professional responsibilities in international education at the time of the nomination. Nominations will be considered within 24 months of the retirement date.
- The nomination must include the nominee's resume or CV.
- Nominations must include two additional letters of support, each from a NAFSA member addressing a different perspective on the nominee's accomplishments.
- The nomination documents 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
- Positive influence on the lives or careers of participants or professionals in the field
Nominations that do not comply with the award criteria or nomination procedures will not be considered. NAFSA does not bestow posthumous Life Membership Awards.
Benefits and Recognition
Awardees will receive:
- Waivers of annual membership dues and annual conference registration fees, per the NAFSA Standing Rules
- Recognition at a NAFSA Annual Conference
- Acknowledgement on signage at the NAFSA Annual Conference and on the NAFSA website
- A video interview to be hosted on the NAFSA website
- An invitation to a special NAFSA 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.
