Global Leader Awards

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The NAFSA Global Leader Award was established in 2002 in response to the increasing desire of international education professionals to honor their elected officials who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in advancing international education issues on the national agenda. Below is a list of elected officials who have received a NAFSA Global Leader Award:

House

Representative David R. Obey, D-Wis. (2010)
In recognition of his commitment to ensuring access to education for all Americans, and realizing the fundamental value of internationalizing education at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels, strengthening HEA-Title VI and Fulbright Hays programs, and supporting foreign language study.

Representative Tom Lantos, D-Calif. (2008)
In recognition of his commitment to advancing America's ability to lead in a global society and specifically for introducing and securing the passage by the House of Representatives of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007.

Representative Sherwood L. Boehlert, R-N.Y. (2005)
In recognition of his leadership in improving policies hindering international exchange and in seeking to expand foreign language study.

Representative Barney Frank, D-Mass. (2004)
In recognition of his extraordinary leadership on issues related to the implementation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), and for championing English language programs in urging Secretaries Powell and Ridge to work out a reduced SEVIS fee for intensive English program participants.

Representative James P. McGovern, D-Mass. (2004)
In recognition of his leadership in authoring a letter in March 2003 to Secretary of State Colin Powell expressing concerns about the impact of visa delays on educational exchange, and for being among the first to cosponsor a resolution encouraging an international education policy in the United States during the 107th Congress.

Representative Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz. (2004)
In recognition of his sponsorship (along with Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn.) of a resolution encouraging an international education policy in the United States during the 107th Congress, for his sponsorship of the Border Commuter Student Act of 2002, which established new nonimmigrant classes for border commuter students, allowing our Canadian and Mexican neighbors to cross the border to attend U.S. colleges and universities, and for his continued support of international education programs, namely overseas advising centers, during the annual appropriations process for the U.S. Department of State.

Representative Betty McCollum, D-Minn. (2002)
In recognition for her support of sensible immigration reform legislation that supports international education and exchange.

Senate

Senator Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill. (2007)
In recognition for his longtime support of international education and exchange through his introduction of visionary study abroad legislation and his support for legislation to ensure the United States remains competitive in attracting international talent.

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Tex. (2005)
In recognition for her leadership on issues related to international education and exchange, such as the sponsorship of the Border Commuter Student Act of 2002, a bill that helped to establish new nonimmigrant classes for border commuter students, allowing our Canadian and Mexican neighbors to cross the border to attend U.S. colleges and universities, for cosponsoring the Enhanced Border and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001, which ensured that if our nation's immigration functions were to be included in the new Department of Homeland Security, they would function as seamlessly as possible and in a manner that respected both the enforcement and service of our immigration laws, and for cosponsoring S.Con.Res.7, a resolution encouraging an international education policy in the United States, which passed with unanimous consent in the Senate in April 2001.

Senator Norm Coleman, R-Minn. (2005)
In recognition for his leadership on issues related to international education and exchange, such as sponsoring the ACTION Act of 2005, which seeks to amend the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 to facilitate United States openness to international students, scholars, scientists, and exchange visitors, for sponsoring legislation during the 108th Congress to improve access to graduate schools in the United States for international students and scholars, which led to a hearing and an in-depth roundtable discussion by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to examine this issue, and his cosponsorship of the People-to-People Engagement in World Affairs resolution, which encourages the active engagement of Americans in world affairs.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. (2004)
In recognition of his leadership role as a voice of moderation in the Senate following the events of September 11, 2001, for his cosponsorship of the Enhanced Border and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001, which ensured that if our nation's immigration functions were to be included in the new Department of Homeland Security, they would function as seamlessly as possible and in a manner that respected both the enforcement and service of our immigration laws, for his co-sponsorship of the Cultural Bridges Act of 2002, which sought to promote the national security of the United States through international educational and cultural exchange programs between the United States and the Islamic World, for his co-sponsorship of the People-to-People Exchange in World Affairs Resolution in 2004.

Senator John F. Kerry, D-Mass. (2004)
In recognition of his leadership in sponsoring S.Con.Res.7, a resolution encouraging an international education policy in the United States, which passed with unanimous consent in the Senate in April 2001.