NAFSA's International Educator International Educator magazine

We're back! This episode of the International Educator podcast is the first in a mini series about innovation and technology. We spoke with Ben Nelson, founder and CEO of Minerva Project and a founder of Minerva University. In a time when many people and institutions claim to be innovators, Ben is a true disruptor and innovator in the higher education space, challenging the existing paradigm.In this interview, Ben talks about what the term “innovation” means to him; the inspiration behind cre...

This month, longtime member and previous NAFSA president Fanta Aw assumes the role of NAFSA’s CEO and Executive Director. Originally from Mali, Aw came to the United States as an international student at American University, where she spent both her academic and professional careers to this point. Most recently, she was vice president of undergraduate enrollment, student life, and inclusive excellence. (Read more about Aw in NAFSA’s press release announcing her appointment as CEO.)In this int...

This episode of the IE podcast brings you insight from four professionals in the field who are working to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in international education. You'll hear from:Jewell Winn, Tennessee State UniversityLysette Davi, Arizona State UniversityMarcus King, Prairie View A&M UniversityAdriana Smith, AIFS AbroadThey share their motivations, how they support students from diverse backgrounds, and how they create inclusive international experience for all student...

NAFSA liaises with many different government agencies on behalf of, and in the interest of, its members and the students they serve. In addition, NAFSA advocates and works with Congress and the White House on a number of policy priorities. At the midpoint of the Biden administration, how are those government agencies and policymakers faring? In this episode of the IE Podcast, NAFSA's Steve Springer and Erica Stewart give a progress report—complete with letter grades—on these agencies, Co...

To mark Hispanic Heritage Month, this episode of the IE podcast is a conversation with Lysette Davi at University of Arizona and Frances Santiago of University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez.They share their career journeys in international education, perspectives on diversifying the profession, challenges and successes in serving the Hispanic student population on their campuses, what international educators on all campuses can do to better serve these students, and more.

In this episode of the IE Podcast, we're going behind the scenes of the newly refreshed International Education Competencies 2.0 (IE Competencies 2.0) with Holly Hudson and Marcel Bolintiam. Holly and Marcel are two members of the Competencies Commission, the group of NAFSA members and leaders who were nominated by their peers to create the new edition of the IE Competencies. They give a glimpse into what's changed since 2015, when the original IE Competencies was published, why certain chang...