Advocacy Tip of the Month, September 2008

Use International Education Week to Build Your Relationship with Your Member of Congress

The ninth annual International Education Week (IEW), scheduled for November 17-21, 2008, is quickly approaching. As many of you know, IEW is a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education that aims to promote international understanding and build support for international educational exchange.

IEW provides you with the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange on your campus and in your community. NAFSA encourages all members to participate by organizing events on campus and/or in the community to help promote cultural competency and global awareness.

This year, we encourage all U.S. campus-based NAFSAns to consider inviting a member of Congress to campus for an IEW event or to organize a campaign for students to send letters to their members of Congress about their study abroad experiences. For guidance on how to plan a visit for a member of Congress, view page 7 of NAFSA's Advocacy Handbook.

For additional guidance, please feel free to contact Kari Lantos at grassroots[at]nafsa.org.

Action Steps for September

If you haven't already, plan an IEW 2008 event and invite your House representative or senators to it! For assistance with generating ideas for an event, view the list of IEW events in 2007.