OIP Staff Connect, Learn and Lead at NAFSA Annual Conference in San Diego

Staff from the Office of International Programs (OIP) attended the NAFSA 2025 Annual Conference in San Diego, California from May 27-30. More than 8,000 attendees who are leaders, learners and changemakers from 100+ nations across the globe joined together during the weeklong event to gain knowledge, share critical insights and build lasting relationships and partnerships. OIP staff had an opportunity to connect and conduct meaningful meetings with exchange partners, visit database providers at the expo hall and learn about resources various service providers offer to support both inbound and outbound students.

Attendance at the immigration regulation sessions was crucial to OIP staff, as these sessions provided essential updates and strategies for navigating the evolving landscape of international education and immigration policies. NAFSA's regulatory sessions serve as a vital platform for professionals in international education to stay informed about these policy changes, especially during the current political climate. 

One highlight from the conference was Johanna Pan-Carr, director of International Student Services, presented two insightful sessions with colleagues from New York University, UC - Davis and UC-Berkeley exploring topics:

• “Somehow We Manage: Best Practices When Inheriting Staff”, a session for mid-career international education professionals who take on a new management role and may inherit an existing staff and staff culture. The session explored strategies on how and when to implement effective changes, what situations a manager might face and shared best practices going forward.
• “Moving Beyond Immigration to Make Diversity and Inclusion Accessible for International Students”, which discussed through programming, how to help international students understand and unpack the complexities of the U.S. diverse racial and social landscape while trying to relate to their own identity and experiences.  

Both sessions were well received, with attendees engaging in thoughtful, hands-on discussions through collaborative case studies. Johanna has served as a workshop trainer and poster session presenter at the NAFSA annual conferences in the past. This is the first time she presented non-regulatory sessions.

Andrea Hundley, International Student Scholar advisor and first-time NAFSA annual conference attendee, shared her excitement about the experience saying, "This experience was truly fulfilling. I attended a variety of sessions that offered fresh insights and best practices to better serve our international student population. I also had the chance to meet and connect with colleagues from across the country at networking events."

Andrea is also actively involved in the NAFSA community, currently serving as the Region X Knowledge Community Liaison for International Student Services and Scholars. She, along, with a team of members from various institutions in New Jersey and New York will commence planning with international education colleagues from NAFSA Region VIII (PA, DE, MD, DC, VA) on the Bi-Regional NAFSA conference held later this year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Categories: Nation and World