Spotlight Presenters at NAFSA 2024
Don’t miss inspiring spotlight presenters who will address topics related to resilience, community engagement, leadership, and technology.
Dr. Nichole Prescott
Cultural Dimensions of Leadership
Wednesday, May 29, 8:30 to 9:20 a.m.
Dr. Nichole S. Prescott is a proud citizen of the Miami Nation of Oklahoma (Myaamia) and actively participates in the culture and language revitalization efforts of her people. Dr. Prescott was raised on the Texas/Mexico border before she moved to Austin to pursue a college degree at The University of Texas as a first-generation college student. She currently serves as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas System. Equity-minded in her work, Dr. Prescott targets historic inequities and systemic racism, including opportunity and achievement gaps for historically minoritized student populations.
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Eric Rodriguez
The Future of Human Experience
Wednesday, May 29, 3:30 to 4:20 p.m.
When Eric Rodriguez was eleven years old, his family made the life-changing move from Houston to Ecuador. The stark contrast in wealth and poverty was a culture shock for young Rodriguez, and he quickly realized the power of education in helping to bridge this gap. In seventh grade, his school, El Colegio Javier, opened its first computer lab. Since then, Rodriguez has become a leader in the technology sector, collaborating with organizations such as Aguila Youth, SHPE, Prospanica, Intel Foundation, and INROADS. Rodriguez holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston and an MBA from Loyola University in New Orleans.
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Mary Maker
Readjustment
Thursday, May 30, 8:30 to 9:20 a.m.
South Sudanese refugee Mary Maker is a refugee education activist working with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). After fleeing her war-torn country as a child, she found security and hope in attending school in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. By highlighting her own personal story, Maker points out the resilience, talents, and ambitions of the forcibly displaced. In 2021, Maker started a non-profit, Elimisha Kakuma, a Swahili word for Educate Kakuma where she has been able to partner with Virginia Tech, UNHCR, and Duolingo. In 2023, she was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR.
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Dr. Walter Kimbrough
Is a Beloved Community Impossible?
Friday, May 31, 8:30 to 9:20 a.m.
Dr. Walter Kimbrough’s career was built in student affairs. His path led him to Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas where, at 37-years-old, he was named the college’s 12th president. Dr. Kimbrough has leveraged his influence to be a voice in the community. In 2010, he made the coveted Ebony Magazine Power 100 list of the doers and influencers in the African American community. In 2013, he was named to TheGrio 100: History Makers in the Making. The following year, he was named HBCU Male President of the Year by HBCU Digest, and he was named by TheBestSchools.org as one of the “20 Most Interesting College Presidents” in 2016. The HBCU Campaign Fund named him one of the “10 Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2018,” and College Cliffs named Dr. Kimbrough one of their “50 Top U.S. College and University Presidents” in 2020. In 2021, Dr. Kimbrough was a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, Georgia State University where he earned his Ph.D. in higher education administration.
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Spotlight Presenters are supported in part by CAMPUSPEAK.