Awardees include a Historically Black College and University and a Hispanic Serving Institution
For Immediate Release

Washington, (February 14, 2023) - Today, NAFSA: Association of International Educators announced that seven U.S. universities and colleges, including a Historically Black College and University and a Hispanic Serving Institution, have been selected to receive a 2023 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. Named after the late Senator Paul Simon of Illinois, the awards celebrate outstanding innovation and accomplishment in campus internationalization, defined by NAFSA as a conscious effort to integrate and infuse international, intercultural, and global dimensions into the ethos and outcomes of their students' education. 

"For more than twenty years, the Senator Paul Simon Award has recognized the true standard-bearers in campus internationalization, and this year's cohort is no exception, " said Daniel C. Stoll, PhD, NAFSA interim executive director and CEO. "Through faculty partnerships that bridge languages, cultures, and continents; a commitment to serving Afghan refugee students; and dedication to equity and affordability in study abroad participation, these awardees demonstrate how relevant international education is to a rapidly changing world. As NAFSA marks its 75th anniversary, we salute this year's recipients for their creative approaches to making a globally enriched education accessible to all students."

The Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization distinguishes overall excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses. The 2023 Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization recipients are:

  • East Carolina University (Greenville, North Carolina)
  • Georgia State University (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois)
  • University of Kentucky (Lexington, Kentucky)

The Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award recognizes a specific program or initiative that contributes to internationalization on campus. The 2023 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award recipients are:

  • Albany State University (Albany, Georgia)
    • Program: Curriculum Internationalization Initiative 
  • Arizona State University (Tempe, Arizona)
    • Program: Afghan Women's Education Project
  • Cedar Crest College ( Allentown, Pennsylvania)
    • Program: Carmen Twillie Ambar Sophomore Expedition

Institutions selected for the Simon Awards will be featured in NAFSA's report, Internationalizing the Campus: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities, to be published this fall, and honored during NAFSA's 2023 Annual Conference and Expo this spring. To learn more about NAFSA's Senator Paul Simon Awards, visit www.nafsa.org/SimonAward.

Sample Tweet: Congrats to the 2023 NAFSA #SimonAward winners! @EastCarolina, @GeorgiaStateU, @NorthwesternU, @UniversityofKY, @AlbanyStateUniv, @ASUNews, and @CedarCrestColle are true innovators in internationalizing U.S. campuses & strengthening global ties. More at www.nafsa.org/SimonAward

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About NAFSA: Serving more than 10,000 members and international educators worldwide, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. Visit us at www.nafsa.org/press. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visit www.nafsa.org/takeaction. Resources to guide our members on these issues can be found at www.nafsa.org/reginfo.