Take 5: Fresh Thinking

In our bimonthly Take 5 column, International Educator poses a thought-provoking prompt to five members of the NAFSA community. These international educators, who represent a diverse range of voices and perspectives, respond with their insights, recommendations, and personal reflections on the myriad themes and questions that are facing the field.

What areas of international education would you most like to see innovation in? Where are creative thinking and fresh approaches most needed?

Elenora Haag, Wake Forest University School of Law
I feel there is scope for innovation in building stronger connections between U.S. students who study abroad and international students on U.S. campuses. There are opportunities to develop global learning experiences that integrate and benefit both these populations—for example, focusing on intercultural competence, leadership, and career preparation. This could include specific coursework as part of a global learning certificate, events or workshops that are organized by representatives from both these populations, or global living and learning communities.

These efforts would speak to the concept of a “global learning ecosystem” as well as to the goals of comprehensive strategic internationalization. The same goes for developing closer links between professionals who work in education abroad and those in international student recruitment or advising, who often have very little, if any, contact with one another. I feel this is a missed opportunity for professionals on campuses to learn from one another and to share expertise and resources.

S. Nichole Hunley, Lehigh University
In the current landscape of international education, the most urgent area for innovation isn't technology, but a shift in our professional DNA. We are being forced to move away from being niche specialists and toward becoming “jacks of all trades”. The greatest opportunity lies in our ability to make connections across our campuses and businesses that previously lived in silos.

Creative thinking is most needed in how we integrate internationalization into the broader institutional mission. By understanding the whole of our organizations—from finance and enrollment to student life—we can advocate for international students more effectively. Innovation today means being the bridge-builders who speak multiple institutional “languages” to ensure global initiatives remain a priority in a changing economic environment.

Trisha Chaparala Iyonsi, Oklahoma State University
I would like to see more innovation focused on international student-athletes, particularly around financial literacy, money management, and mental health. In the era of NIL (name, image, likeness), revenue sharing, and other emerging income streams, these students face unique risks tied to immigration status, tax compliance, and visa restrictions—often while managing significant sums of money for the first time.

Too often, these issues are approached from a recruitment lens or institutional risk perspective rather than student well-being. Students navigate coaching turnover, mid-season firings, transfer portals, injuries, and travel limitations all while making complex financial decisions. Many need guidance on contracts, agents, and high-dollar agreements. In my work with nonresident alien tax, I see firsthand the opportunities to partner with athletic departments to provide proactive, student-centered support that empowers international student-athletes to navigate financial responsibilities, plan for their future, and make informed decisions with confidence.

C.K. Kwai, Cleveland State University
International education should be central to higher education, serving as the diplomatic arm of the institution rather than an afterthought. In an era marked by global uncertainty, deepening divisions, and authoritarianism, universities have a responsibility that extends beyond classrooms and borders to foster hope, compassion, and dialogue.

International education equips students and scholars to respond to despair with creativity, to anger with empathy, and to conflict with understanding. Rather than becoming paralyzed by global challenges, higher education must model the courage to hope and engage across differences. This work begins at the individual level—reaching out to those with differing viewpoints, listening with compassion, and committing to meaningful dialogue. By elevating international education as a core mission, institutions can help shape a more peaceful, collaborative global environment built on mutual understanding—an environment where learning transcends borders and serves as a bridge rather than a barrier.

Omobonike Odegbami, Hamilton College
After two decades in international education, I believe the greatest opportunity for innovation lies at the intersection of immigration compliance and student care. Our systems remain overly transactional, reactive, and fear-based, despite serving students who are navigating cultural transitions, geopolitical instability, and personal vulnerability. We need creative approaches that embed compassion into compliance by reimagining SEVIS advising as proactive education, predictive support, and trauma-informed practice rather than surveillance. Innovation is needed in how we use technology, data analytics, and storytelling to help students understand regulations without feeling policed. There is an opportunity to design systems that protect immigration status while also preserving dignity, agency, and trust.

Christian Wilwohl, Providence College
In a postpandemic world, I think we need to revisit campus internationalization and be more inclusive of perspectives beyond Western cultures and tradition. Technology could certainly be leveraged in multiple ways to facilitate dialogue between students, scholars, and administrators all over the world. Senior international officers should be empowered with greater resources to lead these initiatives to transform their campuses and foster greater intercultural understanding. In virtual spaces, culture transcends international borders. Today’s students need to learn from and engage with their peers more than ever to understand and navigate the complex world in which they will live and work. What this will look like will vary across cultures, and we can’t rely on mobility to get us where we need to be. •