Finding Inspiration in Examples of Excellence

Every year, peers select institutions from a strong and diverse set of nominees to receive NAFSA’s prestigious Senator Paul Simon Awards for Campus Internationalization. The Simon Awards celebrate the legacy of the late Senator Paul Simon of Illinois, a lifelong advocate for international education and exchange, by recognizing universities that are taking bold and concrete steps to foster international understanding and a more just and peaceful world. 

The COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on higher education and of course, student mobility in particular. The 2023 Simon Award recipients—who are profiled in the yearly report Internationalizing the Campus—reveal the resilience of the field and the tremendous gains that can be made when leadership, vision, and steadfast commitment combine to weave international and intercultural dimensions into the DNA of institutions. These institutions set a high standard and by their example, remind us that providing an international education for all—regardless of background, race, religion, ethnicity, etc.—is very much an educational imperative for the twenty-first century. 

What most inspires me about the work being done by the 2023 Simon Award recipients is how it reflects specific issues currently facing students and scholars around the world and also the universal thread that runs through all successful international education programs: building bridges across differences to work toward a more peaceful, just, and equitable world. 

I encourage the field to follow their example and heed the call for action to enact bold, comprehensive, sustainable, and holistic approaches to campus internationalization that unlock the potential in all students. 

Arizona State University, for example, was recognized with a Spotlight Award for the Afghan Women’s Education Project, which welcomed more than 60 women to campus in late 2021 after they were forced to flee Afghanistan. Northwestern University received a Comprehensive Award for its commitment to address the instability and inequality driven by climate change in its approach to internationalization. 

Georgia State University—a Comprehensive Award recipient—has prioritized access for domestic students by giving away passports and for international students by offering need-based tuition waivers. And Albany State University, which received a Spotlight Award, has centered curriculum internationalization in order to promote global learning at home and overcome the barriers that hinder student mobility.

At a time when international education is still grappling with complex challenges—including the global pandemic, social inequities, demographic shifts, and political polarization—I hope that international educators across all levels will find renewed hope and inspiration in the work being done by the Simon Award recipients and will stay committed to advancing and elevating the important work of campus internationalization. On behalf of all of NAFSA, I encourage the field to follow their example and heed the call for action to enact bold, comprehensive, sustainable, and holistic approaches to campus internationalization that unlock the potential in all students.  •