NAFSA Blog

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Five Ways That NAFSA Regions Are Connecting and Supporting Members During the COVID-19 Crisis

September 10, 2020

My first volunteer position with NAFSA was as part of the Local Arrangements Team for the NAFSA 2013 Annual Conference & Expo in St. Louis, Missouri. I loved the experience, and it spurred me to look for more ways to be involved. That led me to seek leadership positions on the Region IV team, and it

Counting Down to the November Election: What You Can Do Now to Make a Difference

August 19, 2020

With the 2020 election less than 100 days away, now is a great time for a quick policy and advocacy check-in. I know the pace of policy these days often moves at the speed of Twitter—I’m on NAFSA’s policy and advocacy team, and it is easy for me to feel overwhelmed. Let us help you cut through the

NAFSA’s Annual Election Now Open for Voting

August 18, 2020

NAFSA’s Annual Election is now open for voting. All current NAFSA members in good standing are eligible and encouraged to vote. The election is a key part of NAFSA’s robust volunteer leadership opportunities, and the process is dictated our the NAFSA Bylaws and Standing Rules. This year’s slate of

Top Five Tips for Submitting an Effective Annual Conference Proposal

August 11, 2020

Helpful hints to make your workshop, session, or poster proposal shine.

Celebrating Our Future: 30th Anniversary of the ADA

July 28, 2020

The 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) civil rights regulations offers an opportunity to celebrate our efforts to provide greater inclusivity and emphasizes our shared future in a diverse world. So many individuals and organizations have helped create today’s more

Best Practices for Integrating the ADA in the ISSS Office

July 27, 2020

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the law’s impact on the international education community continues to evolve. International student and scholar services (ISSS) advisers play a critical role in introducing our students to the ADA and how to request

International Students are Critical to Fighting Two Pandemics: COVID-19 and Systemic Racism

July 13, 2020

My phone started buzzing in the evening last Monday, with NAFSA members calling to ask, "Did you hear the news from ICE?" and "What can we do to protect international students?" Within hours of the new July 6 guidance from ICE mandating that international students take at least one in-person class

The Power of Shared Moments

June 12, 2020

I loved the image evoked by a NAFSA leader who wrote that seeing familiar names pop up in the chat box during eConnection was like running into friends in the hallways at the annual conference. I was surprised and delighted by the emotional power of seeing participants exchanging greetings through

Lessons Learned After 9/11 Can Guide Us Through the COVID-19 Crisis

May 22, 2020

There were just three of us on the plane from Minnesota to Washington, DC, one week after September 11, 2001. The Pentagon and the World Trade Center had been attacked, and the "20th hijacker" arrested in connection with the attacks had been taking flight training courses in Minnesota, where I was

Join Us for the 2020 NAFSA eConnection

May 15, 2020

At this time of the year, all of us would be busy preparing for and looking forward to the NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo to reconnect with old friends and make new connections. It is disappointing that we are not able to gather in St. Louis and celebrate our accomplishments. But it has provided an