Today, NAFSA: Association of International Educators announced that eight U.S. universities and colleges have been selected to receive a 2025 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. Named after the late Senator Paul Simon of Illinois, the awards celebrate outstanding commitment and accomplishment in campus internationalization.
“For more than two decades, the Simon Award has stood as a hallmark of excellence in campus internationalization, and this year’s recipients continue that proud tradition,” said Fanta Aw, NAFSA executive director and CEO. “The inclusion of minority-serving institutions and public land-grant universities among the honorees underscores that global education can thrive in a variety of institutional settings. Notably, five repeat winners reaffirm that campus internationalization is not a one-time achievement, but a continuous, evolving commitment guided by core principles. We commend this year’s recipients for their unwavering dedication to building a more globally connected future.”
The Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization recognizes excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses. The 2025 Comprehensive Award recipients are:
- The Pennsylvania State University (University Park, Pennsylvania)
- San Diego State University (San Diego, California)
- University of Arizona (Tucson, Arizona)
- University of Georgia (Athens, Georgia)
- University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, Indiana)
The Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award recognizes a specific program or initiative that contributes to internationalization on campus. The 2025 Spotlight Award recipients are:
- Saint Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri)
- Program: Partnership for a Higher Purpose
- University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service (Little Rock, Arkansas)
- Program: International Public Service Project (IPSP)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, Illinois)
- Program: IGlobal Program
Institutions selected for the Simon Awards will be featured in NAFSA's annual report Internationalizing the Campus: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities, to be published this fall, and honored during NAFSA’s 2025 Annual Conference & Expo this spring. To learn more about NAFSA’s Senator Paul Simon Awards, visit nafsa.org/SimonAward.
Sample social post: Congrats to the 2025 NAFSA #SimonAward winners! @penn_state @SDSU @uarizona @universityofga @NotreDame @SLU_Official @ClintonSchool and @EDUatIllinois are setting the standard for excellence in internationalizing U.S. campuses & broadening students’ understanding of the world. nafsa.org/SimonAward