2022 NAFSA Region VII Conference

Early Bird Deadline- Wednesday, October 12

Pre-Conference Workshops

Region VII is pleased to be offering the following NAFSA Core Education Program (CEP) workshops as Pre-Conference workshops for the 2022 Region VII Conference in Charlotte.

Each of the workshops below is a full-day of content that will be split across the afternoon of Sunday, November 6th and the morning of Monday, November 7th. All workshops will end in time for participants to attend the NAFSA Region VII Opening Plenary Luncheon at 12:00 noon on Monday. Workshops will be held at the conference hotel, the Sheraton Charlotte Hotel, 555 South McDowell Street Charlotte, NC 28204.

The registration fees for each workshop are:

• NAFSA Member: $350
• Non-member: $450
• Student: $250

The registration fee includes the CEP workshop curriculum, instruction, workbook, and coffee breaks on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.

Register for any of the Pre-Conference workshops through the Conference Registration Portal. Note that pre-registration is required as we must order workshop materials in advance of the conference.

Education Abroad: Critical Skills for the Adviser

As the field of education abroad continues to advance, the demands placed on advisers grow. Learn the skills you need to be effective in today’s dynamic education abroad setting. Explore the different roles required of an adviser to be successful. Discuss the advising profession with others in the field while interacting with each other and the workshop content in a multi-faceted way. Grow as a professional by gaining a comprehensive view of your role within the larger educational context.

Learn more about this Education Abroad: Critical Skills for the Adviser workshop and its objectives.

F-1 Student Advising for Beginners

A must-have training for the new Designated School Official (DSO) to jump-start their career. The workshop offers new advisers a key foundation for understanding the compliance role of the DSO. Participants will benefit from a solid combination of specific knowledge that can be applied to common scenarios as well as understanding how and where to find the regulations for further reading and research. The workshop materials serve as current resources for referral when the DSO is back in the office confronting the daily tasks of advising F-1 students.

Learn more about the F-1 Student Advising for Beginners workshop and its objectives.

F-1 Student Advising: Intermediate

As a seasoned F-1 Adviser, you have learned that most student advising cases are not as straight forward as they initially seem. This workshop allows you to walk through nuanced situations and learn how to integrate federal regulations with your campus’ own rules to build sound institutional policies that create accurate and consistent advising. Take a deeper dive into student advising through case studies and learn model practices so you can apply them to your own campus.

Learn more about the F-1 Student Advising: Intermediate workshop and its objectives.

J-1 Advising: Intermediate

This workshop compliments and broadens your knowledge gained after completing the J-1 Advising for Beginners workshop since it goes more deeply into grey areas of J advising. This workshop is designed to help you think through the development of policies, procedures, and practices necessary to maintain a healthy J program for your institution. Ample time is provided to focus on model practices based on current scenarios as well as to reflect on how these practices could improve your own J program.

Learn more about the J-1 Advising: Intermediate workshop and its objectives.

For any questions about the Pre-Conference Workshops, contact Region VII Past-Chair Angie Edwards.

Sheraton Charlotte Hotel
555 South McDowell Street
Charlotte, NC 28204

To book with group rate:

• Group name: NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Region VII Conference 2022
• Dates: November 3-November 11, 2022
• Group rate: $209 USD per night
• Link to book: https://www.marriott.com/events/start.mi?id=1660251699764&key=GRP 

Please see below for our exhibitor benefits and sponsorship opportunities. Click on the photos to see larger PDF version. 

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The Region VII Conference schedule is now available! Through the Online Planner you can view the time, room, presenters, descriptions, and learning objectives of the sessions. You can also star the events you're interested in and create your own conference agenda, to view on the mobile webpage at the conference! There is also information on Sponsors, Exhibitors, and more!

Newcomers Orientation: Monday, November 7 at 11:10AM in Mecklenburg 2

Are you new to NAFSA or the field of international education? Join us at this session to learn how to make the most of your conference, get an overview of all of the opportunities available to you through NAFSA, and meet your Region VII team.

Region VII Mentorship Program: Sign up during your conference registration!

The purpose of the NAFSA Region VII Mentorship program is to create a welcoming environment for new International Education professionals. Participants commit to a three-month period surrounding the fall conference. The program will begin shortly before the fall conference and will end by December/January as participants schedule allows. Mentors should aim to meet with their mentees either as a group or individually virtually before the fall conference and commit to one in person meet up at the conference. Mentor should have at least three years of experience in International Education, have a knowledge of NAFSA and/other professional resources, and have an interest in helping new professionals!

*Please sign up by early-bird deadline of Oct. 12 to participate in this program.

Resume Reviews:

NAFSA Region VII will be matching experienced international educators with those seeking feedback on their resume. Resume reviews will be assigned based on reviewer availability and knowledge community. This program will be taking place virtually following the fall conference. Please indicate in your conference registration if you would like to participate in this program as a reviewer or reviewee.  

HBCU Forum: Sponsored by LewerMark Student Insurance

Free nationwide virtual event. More information coming soon!

Innovation Hub: Sponsored by Study Abroad Association 

A collaborative space to develop innovative solutions to current issues or share unique programs in international education. We also hope that these sessions will allow participants to dig deeper into these topics and have actionable next steps to develop similar programs on their own campus. Sessions to be held in the Innovation Hub...

• “Innovative practices : Global Learning through UNC-Chapel Hill’s Diplomacy Initiative”
• “Virus to Viral: Effective Social Media Plans for International Educators”
• “Community Collaborations: Striving for International Students/Scholars’ Sense of Belonging”
• “Virtual Global Learning Courses and Credentials Guaranteed to Engage Students”
• “Virtual Exchange and Access to International Education at Community Colleges”

Join us for our Opening Plenary Luncheon featuring keynote speaker DeLesslin "Roo" George-Warren. Roo will share with attendees, an overview of history and culture of the Catawba Nation, traditional and contemporary Catawba songs, and an introduction to indigenous LGBTQIA+ identities.

Further exploration of topics featured in the keynote will take place during the Local Highlights: Catawba International session following the Plenary Luncheon.

About the Keynote Speaker: 

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DeLesslin George-Warren is an artist, researcher, and educator from Catawba Indian Nation whose work ranges from performance to installation art to community education to food sovereignty to language revitalization. From 2017-2019 he was the Special Projects Coordinator for the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project where he facilitated the Catawba Language Project (including developing and programming online digital assets such as the Catawba Language App), several food sovereignty initiatives, and other community education projects. Since 2019 he has continued to work for his tribe as a contractor on many projects including: language revitalization, food sovereignty, educational sovereignty, cultural healing, teacher training, grant writing and much more. He has performed, lectured, and exhibited throughout the U.S. including the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, College of Charleston, Vanderbilt University, Ithaca College, and more. In 2018 DeLesslin was recognized as a 2018 “40 Under 40” by the National Council on American Indian Enterprise Development. In 2017 he was selected as a Dreamstarter by Running Strong for American Indian Youth and in 2016 he was recognized as a “25 Under 25” by United National Inter Tribal Youth. Roo is an alumnus of Vanderbilt University (B. Mus., 2014), Humanity-in-Action (Copenhagen Fellowship, 2014), and Columbia University’s Indigenous Studies Summer Program (2016). Some of his work can be seen at delesslin.com 

Thank you to our Sponsor: Armstrong Law, LLC

You are invited to the Queen's City Ball on the evening of November 8th for a night filled with dancing, fun, food, drinks, and performances by local Drag Queens; Malayia Chanel Iman, Devida, and Lilli Frost.

If desired, we encourage you get fancy and come in your favorite gala/ball inspired attire.

This event is featuring and celebrating the work of another Charlotte based organization, Campus Pride. Campus Pride represents the leading national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization for student leaders and campus groups working to create a safer college environment for LGBTQ students.

6:00PM-7:00PM: Food, Fun, and Reconnecting with Friends
7:00PM-9:00PM: Drag Queen Performances and Meet the Queens

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for In-Person Attendees

NAFSA considers the safety of all those onsite at 2022 Regional Conferences as our top priority including our attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and event staff. In an effort to host a safe and productive event, we pledge to follow all guidelines and requirements set by state and local authorities as well as Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

NAFSA will require proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for all participants, including all conference registrants, exhibitors, NAFSA staff, vendor partners, and guests. If you have received all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO), then you are considered to be fully vaccinated.

Check acceptable COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine proof here. All doses of authorized and approved vaccines must be completed two weeks prior to your arrival at the event. Attendees will receive communication and further instruction on how to easily submit their vaccination credentials in their registration confirmation email, and can also submit vaccination credentials here.

Individual Accountability

NAFSA has preventive measures in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19. NAFSA cannot, however, guarantee that attendees will properly social-distance and that its attendees will not become infected with COVID-19. Attendees agree to COVID-19 specific terms & conditions of attendance as part of the registration process.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, are waiting for COVID-19 test results, have COVID-19 symptoms, or have had close contact with a person who has tested positive for or who has symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home. Be sure to practice everyday preventive actions, including but not limited to social distancing, washing hands often, and monitoring your health daily.

On-Site Safety

On-site safety practices include:

• Masks are required for all attendees at the conference except for when actively eating or drinking. Participants are responsible for providing their own masks.
• Reminders to socially distance when appropriate, wash your hands often, cover your cough, or sneeze and stay away if you are sick.
• Prior to arriving, we encourage each attendee to do the following:
  • Be sure to register and upload your proof of vaccination PRIOR to arriving onsite to reduce congestion and forming of lines in the registration area.
  • Monitor your daily health and self-assessment prior to traveling.
• Event Management has the right to remove or exclude anyone from the event if they do not follow our Health & Safety policies or do not follow Health & Safety instructions set forth by the Event or venue staff.

Public health guidance on preventing the transmission of COVID-19 continues to evolve, and NAFSA will base its on-site protocol on the latest guidance from the CDC in addition to local regulations.