Advocacy Day FAQs

NAFSA’s Advocacy Day includes:

• Personal, virtual meetings with the offices of your federal lawmakers
• Late-breaking updates from policy experts on Washington state-of-play
• Cutting edge analysis of immigration reform, study abroad policy, and legislation
• Presentation training and messaging tips to enhance the effectiveness of your advocacy all year-long
• Networking with the field’s most passionate advocates—both first-time and veteran!

• International educators at any level of their career who want to speak out as private U.S. citizens for policies that will lead to a more globally engaged and welcoming United States.
• Students who have studied abroad and international students and scholars who want to share their meaningful experiences in order to make an impact on Capitol Hill and on their campus.

• If you are a first-timer to Advocacy Day, you will gain a better understanding of international education policy issues, congressional processes, and proven methods to effectively tell your story and frame the issues. Open the door to new relationships with your elected officials and their staff.
• If you are a returning participant, you will deepen your relationship with congressional staff. Leverage up-to-the-minute legislative updates provided to all NAFSA Advocacy Day participants. Impart a clear understanding of how legislation that impacts international education can create a more globally engaged United States, and a more secure and peaceful world.
   

• Yes! As a direct result of past Advocacy Days, members of Congress have signed on as cosponsors to bills we champion, given public floor statements, hosted events, tweeted support for our issues, and more.
• While the global coronavirus pandemic has suspended traditional face-to-face meetings between lawmakers and constituents in Washington, Congress has quickly embraced digital tools. Connecting by video or phone call is the new norm. Make sure international educators are heard in this new landscape!
• Keep in mind: advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want to have a greater and long-term impact, you must follow up with the congressional staffers you met throughout the next year. NAFSA will provide reminders and resources such as relevant news articles to assist you with your communications. A good goal is to reach out once a month with an email or phone call.

• Since you will be advocating as a private U.S. citizen and constituent, we ask for your voting address on the registration form so that we can match you with your Senators and Representative and schedule your congressional appointments. Sometimes we have to provide your voting address to the congressional office to verify your status as a constituent before the office will confirm the meeting.
• If you are an international student or scholar, please use the address of your institution.

• No, NAFSA does not expect you to speak on behalf of your institution. We ask for your voting address on the registration form so that we can schedule appointments for you as a private U.S. constituent with your Senators and Representative.
• If you wish to speak on behalf of your institution, NAFSA recommends that you speak with your federal relations officer or government affairs professional prior to attending Advocacy Day.

• We aim to schedule three meetings for each participant (two with each of your Senate offices and one with your Representative’s office in the House).
• Because members of Congress have extremely busy schedules, most of your meetings will be with staff. Meetings with staff can be extremely productive because they advise the member on the issues, draft legislation, and negotiate with other offices. Congressional staffers often work in multiple offices throughout their career on Capitol Hill, so your advocacy efforts can have a positive impact around the country!
• You will attend these meetings with other participants from your state and congressional district.
• Your meetings with Congress will be scheduled according to your home voting address and not that of your institution. All Advocacy Day attendees are encouraged to attend as private citizens.

• Most congressional meetings are simple conversations. You do not need to do a formal presentation such as a PowerPoint slide deck.
• Meetings can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. You will share data, stories, and your personal knowledge of how international education impacts your campus, students, scholars, district, and state.
• You will connect with your lawmakers' office through either a video or phone conference.

• View the event schedule.
• Pre-event preparation: Watch our on-demand training, including a newcomers orientation and the structure of a successful Hill meeting, and review meeting “leave-behinds’ for congressional offices.
  Day 1: Get the latest on the political landscape in Washington and NAFSA’s corresponding political strategy to advance the field of international education. Network with attendees from your state and region in breakout rooms. Train and strategize with NAFSA issue experts and advocates from around the country, which will carry over into a virtual mixer (optional).
  Day 2: Personal phone or video conference meetings scheduled for you and fellow constituents with your members of Congress or their staff. Debrief afterward where you’ll share your experiences and get energized to advocate year-round on the top issues impacting the field.

• In the month or so before the event, keep an eye out for email messages from NAFSA with online briefing materials that will help you get up to speed on the policy issues and legislation that we will be advocating for in April.
• For a more meaningful experience, get to know your Senators’ and Representative’s stances on education, foreign policy, and immigration reform in advance. Look up their bios on Connecting Our World. Follow their work and appearances in the news, become familiar with their websites, find out what committees they serve on, and follow their social media profiles.

• Remember, you’ll be representing yourself as a constituent. You will not be expected to act as a lobbyist or to have all the answers. Simply be confident in the knowledge that you do have: personal stories and on-the-ground knowledge about what is happening in your district and state that is very valuable to your members of Congress.
• Follow @NAFSA on Twitter.
• Have fun!