Washington, D.C. -- Today, NAFSA: Association of International Educators announced that eight U.S. universities and colleges have been selected to receive a 2026 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. Named after the late Senator Paul Simon of Illinois, the awards celebrate outstanding commitment and accomplishment in campus internationalization.
“We are pleased to honor the achievements of eight institutions that have distinguished themselves as standard-bearers in the practice of internationalization,” said Fanta Aw, NAFSA executive director and CEO. “Amid a rapidly changing higher education landscape, their demonstrated excellence and innovation in preparing students for a globalized society and workplace provide the field with welcome inspiration. With five repeat winners this year, we are again reminded that campus internationalization at its best is a continuous, dynamic process. We applaud all of this year’s awardees for their unwavering dedication to building a more globally connected future.”
The Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization recognizes excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses. The 2026 Comprehensive Award recipients are:
- Lone Star College (Houston, Texas)
- Luther College (Decorah, Iowa)
- Saint Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, Illinois)
- Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, Missouri)
The Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award recognizes a specific program or initiative that contributes to internationalization on campus. The 2026 Spotlight Award recipients are:
- University of Delaware (Newark, Delaware)
- Program: UD World Scholars Program
- The University of Tulsa (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
- Program: Jumpstart TU
- Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, Kentucky)
- Program: WKU Resilient Refugee Program
Institutions selected for the Simon Awards will be featured in NAFSA's annual report Internationalizing the Campus: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities, to be published this fall, and honored during NAFSA’s 2026 Annual Conference & Expo this spring. To learn more about NAFSA’s Senator Paul Simon Awards, visit nafsa.org/SimonAward.
Sample Tweet: Congrats to the 2026 NAFSA #SimonAward winners! @lonestarcollege @luthercollege @SLU_Official @UofIllinois @washu @UDelaware @UTulsa and @wku are setting the standard for excellence in internationalizing U.S. campuses & broadening students’ understanding of the world. nafsa.org/SimonAward
About NAFSA: Association of International Educators
NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest and most comprehensive nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. NAFSA promotes policies that ensure the continued growth and impact of global learning, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding through study abroad, international student services, and campus internationalization. With a network of over 10,000 professionals in the field at more than 3,500 institutions in 150+ countries, NAFSA is committed to fostering a more globally connected and peaceful world.