As we step into a new year, I want to begin with gratitude for the lessons we learned, the relationships we strengthened and forged, and the collective resolve that carried us through a complex and consequential year.
Despite significant headwinds facing higher education in the United State and globally, the NAFSA community showed up with courage, creativity, and care. Together, members, volunteers, partners, and staff advanced our mission, strengthened our organization, and reaffirmed why international education matters now more than ever.
What follows is not a list of accomplishments for their own sake, but a reflection of what is possible when a global community acts with purpose together.
A Conference That Reaffirmed Community and Leadership
NAFSA’s 2025 Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego was a powerful demonstration of resilience and relevance. Attendance surpassed expectations, with over 8,000 participants, even amid uncertainty across the sector.
Participant feedback tells the story best:
- 93.3 percent overall satisfaction
- 92 percent satisfaction with networking, underscoring the value of connection and community
New initiatives, including the inaugural Presidents’ Summit, expanded educational tracks on data, partnerships, and emerging trends; enhanced first-time attendee onboarding; and debuted an upgraded expo hall experience that deepened engagement and set a new standard for our future gatherings.
This success reflected strong programming as well as trust—in NAFSA as a convener, thought leader, and community anchor.
A Membership Community That Endures and Evolves
In a year when many institutions faced financial and enrollment pressures, NAFSA’s membership remained strong and steady, climbing to more than 11,000. This is a testament to NAFSA’s reputation as a place to find connection, professional development, and trusted guidance.
We sharpened our focus on member experience and engagement, launching:
- a refreshed onboarding strategy for new members, including a two-year engagement arc;
- new resources tailored for early-career and international members; and
- more than 40 free webinars on timely topics ranging from policy changes to enrollment management and well-being.
Perhaps most striking was the growth of Network.NAFSA, particularly for the international student advising community. There was an unprecedented surge in participation that reflects the field’s reliance on NAFSA for real-time knowledge and peer exchange.
Learning, Knowledge, and Leadership in a Time of Change
In 2025, NAFSA intentionally leaned into its role as an educator and convener during uncertainty.
We delivered more than 100 virtual and in-person programs:
- Webinar attendance ranged from 300 to 1,800 participants.
- LinkedIn Live sessions drew up to 900 live viewers, with video views reaching 9,000.
- Over 1,000 learners participated in NAFSA’s Core Education Program (CEP) workshops.
The Senior Leader Internationalization Summit and other briefings created trusted spaces for candid dialogue on policy, enrollment, and global trends—bridging strategy and practice at the highest levels of leadership.
Our “one-stop” website for policy updates, launched in early 2025, quickly became an authoritative resource not only for members, but also for media, policymakers, and peer organizations seeking clarity amid rapid regulatory change.
Advocacy, Policy, and Trusted Voice
NAFSA continued to serve as the leading voice on international education policy, working in coalition and across sectors to protect students, scholars, and institutions.
From NAFSA’s 2025 Advocacy Day, which brought together 141 advocates from 35 states for 105 congressional meetings, to sustained engagement on issues such as visa processing, Duration of Status, and Optional Practical Training, our partnership with international educators paired expertise with action. Our community sent more than 63,500 letters to members of Congress on issues of key concern to the field.
Equally important, we worked hard to shift the narrative, partnering with coalitions to counter misinformation and articulate the value of international education to communities, economies, and national interests.
Global Reach, Presence, and Partnership
Several notable efforts expanded NAFSA’s global engagement. These efforts reflect a clear shift: NAFSA is increasingly seen as globally grounded and globally relevant. Over the past year, NAFSA’s global footprint expanded meaningfully, with:
- engagements across Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East-North Africa, and Latin America;
- our first CEO delegation to Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, and Senegal;
- launch of the WES-NAFSA African Fellows Program; and
- deeper collaboration with government ministries, institutions, and associations worldwide.
We also laid the groundwork for new ways of convening, including NAFSA’s forthcoming first global summit outside the United States in Tangier, Morocco.
Reach, Influence, and Storytelling at Scale
In 2025, NAFSA’s voice reached further than ever before, with:
- nearly 14,400 media mentions;
- a global reach of 72.2 billion impressions, a 250 percent increase year over year;
- regular citation in top-tier outlets across the United States and around the world;
- issues of International Educator that reached the NAFSA membership and greater international education community each month;
- weekly issues of NAFSA.news to keep our community informed with the latest news in our sector and crucial context and updates during a year change; and
- Connecting Our World, NAFSA’s public policy and advocacy weekly newsletter, nearing 20,000 subscribers.
These numbers reflect more than visibility; they reflect trust.
Looking Ahead—Together
None of this work happens in isolation. It is the result of members who invest their time and expertise, partners who believe in our mission, volunteers who lead with generosity, and staff who bring deep commitment and care to their work every day.
While there is much to be proud of, it would be incomplete—and irresponsible—not to acknowledge that the year ahead will require us to operate differently.
Higher education is changing rapidly. Economic pressures, geopolitical tensions, demographic shifts, and evolving student needs demand greater agility, sharper focus, and a willingness to rethink how we work. NAFSA is not immune to these realities. Like the institutions we serve, we must confront our own constraints, address areas where we need to improve, and be open to change—even when it is uncomfortable.
This means being willing to try new approaches, retire legacy practices that no longer serve us or our community, and invest in innovation with intention. It means strengthening areas where we have capacity gaps, modernizing systems and structures, and ensuring that our programs, convenings, and services continue to deliver real value in a rapidly shifting landscape.
Most importantly, it means staying anchored in our purpose while adapting our methods.
What gives me confidence is not the absence of challenge, but the strength of this community. NAFSA has always evolved in response to the moment, guided by its members and grounded in shared values. The progress we made this past year is evidence of what is possible when we lead collectively with humility, honesty, and resolve.
As we enter the new year, I invite you to stay engaged, to push us to be better, and to continue investing in this work—your work. International education needs institutions and organizations that are willing to adapt, speak clearly, and lead with both courage and care.
Thank you for your partnership, your trust, and your belief in what we can accomplish together. Thank you for believing in NAFSA, for investing in this community, and for advancing international education as a force for good. The work continues, and it continues best when we do it together.