Take 5: Dream Team

This year, International Educator is bringing back a familiar favorite—our Take 5 column—but with a fresh approach. Each month, we pose a thought-provoking prompt to five members of the NAFSA community. These international educators, who represent a diverse range of voices and perspectives, respond with their insights, recommendations, and personal reflections on the myriad themes and questions that are facing the field.

If you could add one staff role to your team, what would it be and why?

Global Pathway Programs Specialist

I would add a global pathway programs specialist, a role that traditionally does not sit in international enrollment management. The person in this role would establish development programs and create academic pathways and enrichment experiences for undergraduate and graduate students. Investing in pathway programs can accelerate student learning, fuel curiosity and passion for learning, and help students to thrive in new environments, all while creating student admissions pipelines.

The person in this role could also liaise with secondary and university communities to create a global student pathway program. So, this isn’t only about study abroad, but about academic pathways and enrichment experiences for [all] students.
—Stav Boutsis, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Deputy SIO

I would add a deputy senior international officer (SIO) so that I could focus less on operations and more on strategy.
—David Di Maria, University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Information Systems and Assessment Specialist

At this point in time, my dream addition to our team at the Office of International Student Affairs at