U of A Makes Its Mark at Annual International Education Conference

American Councils for International Education

Curt Rom, Kim Needy and Gloria Flores Passmore were among the U of A delegation at the NAFSA: Association of International Educators conference

The U of A was well-represented at the annual NAFSA: Association of International Educators conference earlier this month in Los Angeles. The U of A delegation was among international education professionals from more than 100 countries who were in attendance. The conference is the world's largest gathering of professionals in international education.

DeDe Long, director of the Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange, chaired a session titled, "Creative Solutions to Reaching a Balance in the U.S.-EU Exchange Partnerships." The session featured presenters from Ghent University and Institut Polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais, as well as Curt Rom, associate dean for International Education at the U of A.

Gloria Flores Passmore, director of the Office of Sponsored Student Programs, served on the conference's selection committee for the "Best Practices in International Enrollment Management" poster fair.

Karl Anderson, assistant director for international student recruitment, helped preside over a NAFSA Region III update meeting at the conference. Anderson is the chair-elect of Region III and is helping plan the region's 2018 conference, slated to be held in Little Rock.

"The University of Arkansas is fortunate to have an incredibly talented team of international education professionals," Rom said. "Their international education expertise is greatly beneficial to the state of Arkansas. It's wonderful to see them put a greater focus on our students, our university and our state by taking on leadership roles in the international education community."

While at the conference, the U of A International Education team hosted a gathering for international student alumni living in the Los Angeles area. Several alumni attended the event, some who graduated this spring and others who graduated more than a decade ago.

"Reconnecting with some of our international student alumni was a truly rewarding experience," Rom said. "It's gratifying to see so many of our alumni are achieving success in their postgraduate lives, and it's humbling to hear how their experiences at the University of Arkansas were transformative in shaping them to be successful in their professional lives."