Nov. 6 - 8, 2005
Springfield, IL

Greetings From Springfield

Springfield is the site of the 2005 NAFSA Region V Conference. Springfield is also the home of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. In Springfield, Region V members will have the opportunity to learn more about the changes NAFSA: Association of International Educators is going through as the association transitions from the sections that veteran NAFSAns are familiar with to knowledge communities—and other changes. Therefore, the theme for the conference is From Lincoln to NAFSA: Embrace the Changes.

Springfield is full of life as the new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum is bringing thousands of visitors to the downtown area. The library and museum show Lincoln from his early years and his work as a lawyer and legislator in Springfield through his turbulent presidency. The museum provides visitors with 40,000 square feet of permanent and interactive exhibits ‚ twice the size of any other presidential museum. The galleries employ 21st-century technology to make the 19th century live again. Springfield, the capital of Illinois, also features Lincoln’s home and tomb, the Illinois State Museum, the Dana Thomas house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and a variety of other cultural and tourist offerings.

International education has changed tremendously since Lincoln’s day. Traveling or studying abroad was a matter of arduous journeys across continents on horseback, in wagons, trains, or ships, usually taking weeks. These trips can now be made in less than a day. But, then again, in Lincoln’s day, there were no real border controls, no visas, nor I-20s or DS2019s. Learning English was not really integrated into the higher education system, and knowledge of international education systems and credentials was haphazard at best.

Today, these elements are part of our international education world. And we offer a variety of workshops and sessions to help you keep abreast of the latest developments in international education and help you enhance your knowledge and experience to become a more effective leader to serve your students, scholars, institution and community—and ultimately, the international community.

We look forward to having you join us in Springfield, the home of Lincoln, where you can learn more about our 16th President and embrace the changes in NAFSA and in international education!

Rick Bystry and Ali Soltanshahi
NAFSA Region V Local Arrangements Committee Co-Chairs

Download the entire conference packet (1.2mb )