IIE at NAFSA 2025

Enhance International Recruitment with the U.S. Departments of Commerce and State

Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 8:15 a.m. – 9:05 a.m. PT

Join the U.S. Departments of Commerce and State to learn how to effectively leverage U.S. government resources to strengthen your international recruitment strategies. Through case studies and interactive discussion, this session will explore effective ways to expand your global reach through the U.S. Commercial Service and EducationUSA.

• Chair: Jacqueline Roeder
• Jennifer Brown, U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs
• Giselle Marina Dubinsky, REAC: Regional Manager for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, EducationUSA

Cultivating Enrollment Yield with Student-to-Student Engagement Strategies

Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 9:30 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. PT

Explore advanced student-to-student engagement strategies in international enrollment management. This session highlights successful initiatives from various universities and includes insights from EducationUSA. Attendees learn how to use admitted student engagement platforms to create meaningful connections, boosting student yield and community building.

• Chair: Cory A. Cottingim, Director of Graduate and International Admissions, New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Candice Chan, Assistant VP for International Enrollment, The University of Tampa
• Stene Verhulst, Director, International Enrollment Center, Colorado State University
• Melissa A. Deschamps, REAC: Regional Manager, EducationUSA

Leveraging English Language Programs through Data-Driven Strategies for Purposeful Global Engagement

Wednesday, May 28, 1:00 – 1:50 p.m. PT

An expert panel from EnglishUSA, the Institute of International Education (IIE), and the U.S. Department of Commerce discusses emerging trends in international student mobility and their implications for English-language programs. Presenters share insights from the latest Open Doors data and provide updates on evolving trends in key recruitment markets for these programs. Presenters:

• Chair: Cheryl Delk-LeGood, Executive Director, EnglishUSA
• Julie Baer, Lead, Research and Learning, IIE

You’re Hired! Building Career Readiness Through a Global Internship

Wednesday, May 28, 2:30 – 3:20 p.m. PT

Internships are a key differentiator among employers when hiring. This session explores how global internships affect students’ skills development and entry to the workforce. The panel shares findings on employability and global internships, highlighting successful program models and practices for increasing access to underrepresented students. Presenters:

• Courtney Giordano, Senior Director of Strategic Global Initiatives, University of California, San Diego
• Chair: Leah Mason, Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, IIE
• Patrick Moran, Vice President of College Enrollment, CIEE

Data-Based Insights on Emerging Markets for Student Enrollment

Wednesday, May 28, 2:30 – 3:20 p.m. PT

Recruitment strategies should go beyond traditionally prioritized places of origin. This panel reviews trends in emerging international student markets, including Africa, East Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, looking at data on global student mobility and prospective students, and sharing expert advice. Presenters:

• Elle Butler, Director of Marketing – USA, IDP Education
• Julie Baer, Lead, Research and Learning, IIE

Strengthen Your Global Competitiveness: Outreach Strategies and Resources

Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 2:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. PT

Join higher education experts to explore strategies that strengthen the competitive edge of U.S. colleges and universities. Learn about data-driven tools, adaptable marketing resources, and academic/professional options to expand opportunities and recruitment networks for your institution.

• Chair: Jennifer Brown, U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs
• Charles M. Hornstra, Regional Manager (REAC) – Western and Northern Europe, EducationUSA
• Mona Menking, Director of International Graduate Recruitment, Baylor University
• Mark Howard, Office Director of the Office of Private Exchanges, U.S. Department of State

Leveraging Community and Municipal Resources for International Education

Wednesday, May 28, 2:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. PT

Learn how to identify and collaborate with local leaders at the municipal and state level to boost international recruitment efforts. This session offers strategies for building partnerships and engaging community leaders to enhance international recruitment. Practical insights are shared by officials in Delaware, Texas, and the U.S. Department of State.

• Chair: Martha Henry, International Relations Manager, Global Engagement Office, City of San Antonio
• Patricia A. Cannon, Director of Special Projects, State of Delaware/Department of State
• Jamie Sharp, Acting Director, Global Educational Programs, U.S. Department of State

Recruiting in Your Neighborhood: Enrolling International High School Students

Wednesday, May 28, 4:30 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. PT

This panel shares the latest research on recruiting international students from U.S. secondary schools, including data on where students study and how they navigate the college application process. It also explores best practices on how institutions can use data to create strategies for recruiting and enrolling these students. Presenters:

• Chair: Leah Mason, Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, IIE
• Murphy Miller, Director, National Association for College Admission Counseling
• Michael Lu-Jones, Assistant Director, Nonresident Recruitment, University of California, Davis

Data-Driven Insights and Strategies for Recruiting African Students

Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 4:30 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. PT

Learn about the distinguishing features that set African countries apart from other world regions in the context of international student mobility. This session presents data on African student interest, tuition sensitivity, and language ability to inform efficient recruitment, admissions, and enrollment practices.

• Chair: Bolu Oluwadiya, Regional Manager, Business Development and Communications, IELTS USA
• Ashley Marie Tankersley, Chief International Recruitment Officer, Hillsborough Community College
• Damaris Clark, Data Analytics Consultant, Studyportals
• Lisa A. Maroni, Regional Manager (REAC) For East And Southern Africa, EducationUSA

Pursuing Purpose in Institutional Partnerships Between the Middle East and North Africa and the United States

Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 4:30 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. PT

This session explores diverse institutional partnerships between entities in the Middle East and North Africa and the United States, from formal agreements to opportunistic collaborations. Case studies from Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, & Saudi Arabia highlight strategies, challenges, and benefits. Participants learn how to foster meaningful collaborations for mutual growth and understanding.

• Chair: Melissa A. Deschamps, REAC: Regional Manager, EducationUSA
• Brian D. Seilstad, Director of Internationalization and Partnerships, Al Akhawayn University
• Sarah Woller, Manager for International Recruitment & Relationships, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Mark Johnson

Zero-to-Low-Cost Recruitment Strategies with EducationUSA

Thursday, May 29, 2025, 9:30 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. PT

Many U.S. higher education institutions face the reality of needing to raise their profile and compete internationally while navigating staff cuts and budget challenges. This session explores cost-effective recruitment strategies with EducationUSA, including capitalizing on market intelligence, cutting-edge recruitment tools, strategic communication, and global partnerships.

• Chair: Matthew Washburn, EducationUSA Program Officer, U.S. Department of State
• Vincent Flores, Regional Manager (REAC) for Northeast Asia and the Pacific, EducationUSA
• Roger Fong, Director of International Recruitment, San Diego State University
• Angela Yang, Director of International Student Program, Saddleback College

Forgotten Wars and the Social Responsibility of International Education

Thursday, May 29, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. PT

This session examines the responsibility of international education leaders to engage with forgotten wars and their far-reaching consequences, from refugee displacement to disrupted educational systems and knowledge loss. How can institutions foster academic access, preserve intellectual capital, and contribute to peacebuilding? Through case studies and innovative partnerships, this session will challenge educators, policymakers, and institutions to rethink their role in shaping a more just, informed, and globally responsible future.

• Chair: Francisco Marmolejo, Higher Education President, Qatar Foundation
• Jonathan Becker, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Director, Center for Civic Engagement, Bard College
• Ahmad Almasri, EducationUSA Virtual Adviser, Syria, EducationUSA
• Victoria C. Fontan, Provost, American University of Afghanistan
• Amir Dhia, Manager of Higher Education, Education Above All

Admission Challenges and Connecting Students from Countries in Crisis

Thursday, May 29, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. PT

Students from regions in crisis need international educators’ understanding and flexibility as they enter new countries and new systems of education and employment. Presenters discuss how these students’ educations are affected when they start studying in a new country and the challenges they face as displaced students.

• Chair: Martha Van Devender, Senior Evaluator, Educational Credential Evaluators
• Karen Bauer, Regional Manager (REAC) for the Middle East and Central Asia, EducationUSA
• Amy Kawa, Senior Manager of Evaluation, Educational Credential Evaluators

Become an IIE Member

Through our IIENetwork, we share our extensive knowledge and decades of experience with others who are working to internationalize their campuses and build international partnerships. Becoming a member of our IIENetwork grants you special access to IIE’s membership services and benefits.

Contact: membership@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Lindsay Calvert and Rose Raufman, Booth 1726

Resource: Harness the Power of International Education with an IIENetwork Membership

Build International Partnerships

Through our Center for International Partnerships, we connect institutions and individuals, lead workshops and trainings, and advance theory and practice. Our flagship program, the International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP) has worked with over 200 higher education institutions in 12+ countries to develop sustainable academic partnerships over more than a decade.

Contact: cip@iie.org

Launch a Scholarship Program

IIE specializes in the international exchange of people and ideas, managing many of the world’s most prestigious global scholarships. Through a wide variety of educational programs sponsored by the U.S. government, corporations, foundations, and foreign governments, we annually work with thousands of U.S. and international educational institutions and more than 29,000 students, scholars, and professionals around the globe.

Contact: development@iie.org

Research, Evaluation, and Learning

IIE’s leading experts in academic mobility and evaluation conduct timely and relevant research, assessments, and impact studies. The REL Unit provides holistic services to domestic and international governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, foundations, and corporations to facilitate the collection of more comprehensive and policy-relevant data on international education, and to assess the impact of programs on beneficiaries, communities, and policymaking.

Contact: rel@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Leah Mason and Julie Baer, Booth 1726

Crisis Response

IIE’s history of aiding students, scholars, and artists in emergencies goes hand in hand with the history of our organization. The Scholar Rescue Fund® (IIE-SRF), Artist Protection Fund, IIE PEER, and IIE Emergency Student Fund help formalize our unwavering commitment to preserve the lives, voices, and ideas of students and scholars around the globe.

U.S. Exchange Visitor Sponsorship

IIE is honored to be a designated sponsor of the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA Program, providing international students and scholars with the opportunity to enter the U.S. and complete academic exchanges under the J-1 non-immigrant visa.

Contact: jvisasponsorship@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Hilary Hartley, Booth 1726

Boren Awards for International Study

Boren Awards are an initiative of the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO). The Boren Awards provide scholarships and fellowships focusing on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad.

Contact: boren@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Baleigh Preston, Booth 1726

EducationUSA

EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 430 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories. The network promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering accurate, comprehensive, and current information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States. EducationUSA also provides services to the U.S. higher education community to help institutional leaders meet their recruitment and campus internationalization goals.

Contact: educationusa@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Booth 1709

Fulbright Programs

Sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and administered by IIE, the flagship Fulbright programs expand perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue.

Contact: fulbright@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Collette Agnese and Kristen McGuire, Booth 1726

Korea – U.S. Special Exchange Program for STEM Students (KORUS)

In partnership with the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), IIE created KORUS, a series of experiential learning activities for groups of Korean students studying abroad in the U.S. to give them firsthand exposure to professional pathways in STEM fields.

Contact: cagnese@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Collette Agnese, Booth 1726

The Language Flagship

The Language Flagship provides grants for universities to advance language learning programs in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, and Russian. Each program offers an intensive language and culture curriculum accessible for undergraduates of all majors and backgrounds. Programs culminate in a Capstone year abroad in which students live, work, and study fully immersed in the target language, aiming to reach a superior level of language proficiency.

Sign up for updates and information regarding future open competitions for domestic and overseas Flagship program grants.

Contact: flagship@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Baleigh Preston, Booth 1726

Working at IIE is not just a job; it is a place to build a rewarding career! Learn more about our culture and explore career opportunities with us. Details on our robust benefits package and our recruitment experience are available at IIE Careers.

Contact: hr@iie.org | Meet at NAFSA: Matt Kelly, Booth 1726

The IIE Delegation includes:

• Collette Agnese
• Julie Baer
• Maryam Bugaje
• Lindsay Calvert
• Hilary Hartley
• Matt Kelly
• Kristen McGuire
• Leah Mason
• Baleigh Preston
• Rose Raufman

The EducationUSA Delegation includes:

• Ahmad Almasri
• Adina Archer
• Fatou Badine-Toure
• Karen Bauer
• Melissa A. Deschamps
• Giselle Dubinsky
• Vincent Flores
• Charles Hornstra
• Kristina Jenkins
• Mariah Magness
• Lisa Maroni
• Noel Panebianco