Nov. 5 - 7, 2000
La Crosse, WI

On behalf of Scott Speegle, Conference Program Chair, and the entire Region V team, let me invite you to participate in the 2000 Region V Conference to be held in La Crosse, Wisconsin on November 5-7. After having visited La Crosse for the first time in April and seeing the city and the conference facility, I can assure you that you are destined for a great time!!

There will be a pre-conference PPW on F-1 Regulations for Beginners, as well as other day long workshops focusing on study abroad, transfer credit evaluations and international admissions. Having sampled some of the wonderful food at the hotel, we can guarantee Sunday's plenary will be preceding a wonderful social event. Exhibitors with current program information and products will be in attendance. We are exceptionally fortunate to have been selected as a visitation site for one of our OSEAS advisors again this year. Our representative from the "sending" side of the globe for international students will be Mr. Santosh Singh, who is the Information Officer for the Commission for Educational Exchange in Kathmandu, Nepal. Our regional liaison from the NAFSA Executive committee is Norm Peterson, and he will participate in our regional Town Meeting.

The conference will include a day and a half of sessions focusing on a myriad of topics from the Educational System of Vietnam to Boozing and Binging overseas, to updates on current INS topics. Special programming will include the "Best" of each of our state program selections taken from the presentations made during the Spring of 2000 in each of our respective state meetings. There is something for everyone, from newcomers to the "seasoned" veterans, as well as student and community volunteer sessions. Following the conference there will be two, half-day workshops covering H and J visa concerns.

Meeting on the Mississippi has great meaning for people from the Midwest. The Mississippi has been the vehicle for much of the travel that this region experienced in the early exploration period. Come and explore your own potential and expand your horizons through our social events as well as our professional development activities. There will be an opening plenary on Sunday evening followed by the conference reception. But, there will also be time for quietly connecting with old friends or making new ones -- many restaurants are close by, or are located in the hotel, and provide a wonderful variety of food possibilities.

Newcomer and mentoring programs will also be offered this year as they have been for a number of years. If you are a "newcomer" or "first timer" for Region V, plan to attend the session on Sunday evening at 5:00 p.m. The mentoring session follows at 6:00 p.m. for those who sign up to be a mentor or a mentee. Please be sure to return the form if you are in either of these categories -- and as always we need qualified mentors.

With all of these things being offered as well as the warm hospitality of our UW-La Crosse hosts -- who could fail to have a wonderful experience when we "meet you on the Mississippi"!!

Patti Jones
Region V Chair