In honor of Homer Higbee and Marita Houlihan
This award recognizes a current NAFSA member who has shown leadership in associational activities or sustained stewardship of the field. The award honors imagination, personal enterprise or creative contributions to professional development through leadership, mentorship, program development, training, writing, or research. NAFSA welcomes nominations from the United States and from the international education community worldwide.
The Award for Distinguished Service to NAFSA honors Marita Houlihan and Homer Higbee, two early trailblazers in international education. Marita Houlihan, pioneered in the establishment and administration of the Fulbright international student exchange program in the 1940s and 1950s. She was also instrumental in the development of the U.S. government program for improving the cultural and academic experiences of privately sponsored students through grants to universities and institutions which share this goal. Homer D. Higbee was awarded NAFSA life membership, and served as NAFSA president (1970-71), chair of the Field Service Steering Committee, and on the boards of trustees/directors of numerous professional organizations. His landmark study of foreign student advising on American campuses in 1961 provided the first comprehensive profile of NAFSAns as a professional class.
In 2020, the former Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Field in Honor of Marita Houlihan and the Award Distinguished Service to NAFSA In Honor of Homer Higbee were merged to create the NAFSA International Education Award for Distinguished Service to NAFSA in honor of Homer Higbee and Marita Houlihan.
Past Recipients
Carnegie Mellon University’s Office of International Education
Linda Gentile is the director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Office of International Education, which coordinates study abroad and provides immigration advising to international students, faculty, and staff. Gentile has spent more than 30 years in international education, joining NAFSA before she...
University of Minnesota
In 2019, NAFSA was pleased to posthumously recognize R. Michael Paige with the NAFSA International Education Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Field. Paige died on November 9, 2018. Until his retirement in 2012, Paige was professor of international and intercultural education at the...
Nominate a Colleague
The nomination period for the International Education Award for Distinguished Service to NAFSA is November 16, 2020 to February 1, 2021.
Criteria for Nomination
The nomination must highlight the following:
- The nominee has contributed to 10 years of service to NAFSA.
- The nominee has shown leadership in associational activities as evidenced through service on national or regional committees or has shown sustained stewardship to the field beyond formal NAFSA leadership roles.
- The nominee has displayed imagination, personal enterprise, or creative contributions to program development, writing, or research.
- The nominee is a NAFSA member.
Nomination Procedures
- The primary nominator must be a current NAFSA member.
- Nominations must present clear evidence of the nominee's achievements in the four areas mentioned above.
- Nominations must be supported by two additional letters of support, each from a NAFSA member addressing a different perspective on the nominee’s accomplishments.
- Current members of the NAFSA Board of Directors and NAFSA staff are not eligible for consideration.
- Individuals may not self-nominate.
- The nominations process is confidential. As recommended by the NAFSA Board of Directors, only one Award Distinguished Service to NAFSA will be given each year.
- If not selected, the nomination will carry over for two years for consideration as long as the nominee remains eligible for the award.
- Nominations that do not comply with the award criteria or nomination procedures will not be considered.
Benefits and Recognition
The awardee 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 Shared Interest proposals for a future annual conference
- 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.
All Past Recipients for the Award for Distinguished Service to NAFSA in honor of Homer Higbee
- Linda Gentile, Carnegie Mellon University, 2019
- Fanta Aw, American University, 2018
- Christopher J. Viers, Indiana University, 2017
- Adria L. Baker, Rice University, 2016
- Sara Thurston-González, Kansas State University, 2015
- Joy Stevenson, University of Central Missouri, 2014
- Masume Assaf, Penn State, 2013
- Rose Mary Valencia, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 2012
- Anita Gaines, University of Houston, 2011
- Janice Bogen, Thomas Jefferson University, 2010
- Patti Jones, Western Illinois University, 2009
- Peter Briggs, Michigan State University, 2008
- Evelyn Levinson, American University, 2007
- Bill Barnhart, University of Utah, 2006
- Dr. William W. Hoffa, Amherst College, 2005
- Michael Smithee, Syracuse University, 2004
- John Pearson, Stanford University, 2004
- Denise Connerty, Temple University, 2003
- Marian Beane, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, 2002
- Ann Kuhlman, Yale University, 2001
- Heidi Gregori-Gahan, University of Southern Indiana, 2001
- Catheryn Cotten, Duke University Medical Center, 2000
- Kenneth A. Rogers, Indiana University-Bloomington, 1999
- Jean Delaney, University of Colorado-Boulder, 1998
- Robert Watkins, University of Texas-Austin, 1998
- Kay Thomas, University of Minnesota-Minneapolis,1997
- Valerie Woolston, University of Maryland-College Park, 1997
- Stephen C. Dunnett, State University of New York (SUNY)-Buffalo, 1996
- G. James Haas, Indiana University/Purdue University, 1995
- Patricia Byrd, Georgia State University, 1994
- James R. Graham, Colorado State University, 1993
- Clayton Hubbs, Transitions Abroad, 1992
- James Frey, Educational Credential Evaluators, 1991
- Jon V.C. Booth, University of Minnesota, 1990
- Marvin J. Baron, University of California-Berkeley, 1990
- Rosalie H. Berg, Columbia Council for Internationals, 1989
- David Horner, Michigan State University, 1989
- Jerry D. Wilcox, Cornell University, 1989
- M. Archer Brown, NAFSA, 1988
All Past Recipients for the Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Field in Honor of Marita Houlihan
- Michael Paige, University of Minnesota (2019) posthumously awarded
- Joan Solaún, Academic Programs International (2018)
- Gayle Woodruff, University of Minnesota (2014)
- Philip G. Altbach, Boston College (2013)
- Ellen Badger, Binghamton University (2012)
- Joan Rosalie Dassin, Ford Foundation International Fellowships Fund (2011)
- Rosemarie Arens, U.S. State Department in Lima, Peru (2010)
- Bruce Sillner, SUNY-New Paltz (2009)
- Ellen Mashiko, Japan-United States Education Commission (2008)
- Marty Etchison Babcock, University of North Carolina (2007)
- Rebecca Zeigler Mano, US Embassy – Harare, Zimbabwe (2006)
- Teresea D. O'Donnell, Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (2005)
- Jody Olsen, Peace Corps (2004)
- Kay Thomas, University of Minnesota-Minneapolis (2003)
- Hans de Wit, University of Amsterdam (2002)
- Linda Heaney, (2002)
- Ivy McQuiddy, University of Texas-Austin (2001)
- Todd M. Davis, Institute of International Education (2000)
- Ann Helm, City University of New York-Staten Island (1997)
- Stephen Dunnett, SUNY at Buffalo (1996)
- Janet M. and Milton J. Bennett, Intercultural Communication Institute (1995)
- Josef Mestenhauser, University of Minnesota (1994)
- Caroline Atsuko Matano Yang, U.S.-Japan Educational Commission (1993)
- Kevin Scheiffer, Experiment in International Living (1992)
- Axel Market, University of Tuebingen (1991)
- Ralph Smuckler, Michigan State University (1990)
- Alice Chandler, State University of New York (SUNY)-New Paltz (1989)
- Cassandra Pyle, CIES (1988)
- Eugene Smith, University of Colorado-Boulder (1986)
- Edward S. Blankenship, California State University-Long Beach (1986)
- Rene Greenwald, IIE-Mexico (1985)
- Gary Althen, University of Iowa (1983)
- Mary E. Peterson, NAFSA (1982)
- Norman Peterson, Georgetown University (1982)
- Linda Heaney, Linden Educational Services
- Terry O'Donnell, Commission on English Language Program
