Spotlight Presenters at NAFSA 2020
The Spotlight Presenters series features diverse voices from within and beyond the field of international education. This year’s Spotlight presenters will explore the NAFSA 2020 theme, Innovate, Influence, Impact.
Carol Camp Yeakey, PhD
Challenges in American Higher Education: In Pursuit of the Public Good
Day/Time: Tuesday, May 26 | 2:30 p.m.– 3:30 p.m
Carol Camp Yeakey’s presentation examines some of the major challenges confronting American higher education today. These interrelated issues are global, federal, and municipal at the same time. In her presentation, Camp Yeakey discusses how colleges and universities faced with institutional discrimination, inadequate funding, unequal access and affordability or internal and external competition, can confront their public good missions and continue to advance social justice on - and beyond - their campuses.
Learn more about Carol Camp Yeakey
Christina Pope
Strategies for More Welcoming & Inclusive Communities
Day/Time: Wednesday, May 27 | 10:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m.
Welcoming America leads a movement of inclusive communities that are making everyone who lives there, including immigrants, feel they belong. The organization supports initiatives that reduce divisions and generate greater civic, social, and economic participation among new and longtime residents alike. Christina discusses Welcoming America’s approach and how you can be part of the movement.
Learn more about Christina Pope
Samantha Ramirez-Herrera
Borderless Dreams
Day/Time: Wednesday, May 27 | 11:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m
Creative entrepreneur, activist and immigrant DREAMer Samantha Ramirez-Herrera shares her compelling journey growing up undocumented and forging forward despite of the challenges she faced from language barriers, economic obstacles, cultural differences, immigration policies, and lack of resources for higher education. She offers her perspective on courage, resilience and the power of stories and imagination in fighting for social and economic justice.
Learn more about Samantha Ramirez-Herrera
Kehkashan Basu
Facilitating Youth Engagement in Sustainable Development (Influence track)
Day/Time: Wednesday, May 27 | 1:00 p.m.– 2:00 p.m.
Young people are amongst the largest stakeholders of civil society and their involvement is critical in the sustainable development process. Ms. Basu’s presentation showcases the example of social innovation enterprise, Green Hope Foundation, and how she uses Education for Sustainable Development as a transformative tool to empower young people from across the world in finding local solutions to global issues of climate change, gender inequality, biodiversity conservation and sustainable consumption.
Learn more about Kehkashan Basu
Travis Sheridan
The Healing Power of Innovation: Social Justice, Leadership & Collaboration (Innovation track)
Day/Time: Wednesday, May 27 | 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Innovation is a process to improve the human condition. One city does not hold the solution, but multiple cities each hold a piece. The key is for everyone to recognize what pieces they hold, how to share them across geographies and effectively articulate the collective impact. Innovation won’t just change economies, it will change lives.
Learn more about Travis Sheridan
Saul Flores
The Walk of Immigrants (Impact track)
Day/Time: Thursday, May 28 | 1:00 p.m.– 2:00 p.m.
Saul spent three months walking, hitchhiking, and sleeping on the ground and in hiding places, from Ecuador to North Carolina. He walked 5,328 miles through ten countries and nine border crossings to document how grueling and dangerous the journey of immigrants to the United States can be and to raise money for an elementary school in Mexico. Attendees relive The Walk of the Immigrants along with Saul and create a deeper understanding of the struggles, hardships, joy, and hope that immigrants experience on their journey.
Silvia Figuiera, PhD
Innovation for Social Impact (Innovation track)
Day/Time: Thursday, May 28 | 2:30 p.m.– 3:30 p.m.
Engineering is about improving life. At Santa Clara University we want our engineering students to understand that their engineering skills are powerful and can be used to improve life in impoverished areas. By working with a real community and delivering tools to empower underserved people, our students have a chance to use their skills to contribute to society. In this presentation, Figuiera discusses how the Frugal Innovation Hub at Santa Clara University connects students and faculty with innovative humanitarian projects around the world for global and local impact.