Nick Pevato, international student adviser in the Office of International Students and Scholars, has been selected for the 2024 cohort of the NAFSA Academy, an intensive yearlong training program for rising international education professionals.

Through the program, Pevato will attend three training events complemented by written assignments, participate in regular conference calls and receive professional coaching. The programming will span a variety of topics in the international education field, including enrollment management, student advising, education abroad and advocacy in international education.

Pevato started in his current role in December 2023. A dual citizen of Canada and the U.S., Pevato has lived and worked extensively as a teaching assistant in Spain, France and Russia. He sees NAFSA Academy as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.

"I am in a cohort with other members of the international education community from universities in the Southwest region," Pevato said. "Each cohort is made up of people not just from International Students and Scholars offices, but also Study Abroad, Enrollment Management and other sectors. This gives me a great opportunity to view international education from different perspectives and broaden my knowledge."  

"I wanted to apply because I want to be able to best serve our international students here at the U of A," he continued. "Along with classes, exams, getting settled in a new country and life abroad in general, the complexity of immigration regulations is another facet that can weigh on the minds of international students. My goal is to be able to help students navigate it as seamlessly as possible, so they can focus on their academics and achieve their goals in university."

In addition to the academy, Pevato has also been involved with NAFSA through its mentorship program, which pairs new advisers with a longstanding international education professional for a yearlong mentorship, and is also serving on the mentorship program's 2024 leadership committee. Additionally, he has been selected as the 2024 Region III Conference planner apprentice and will serve as the primary conference planner for the 2025 conference.

"We are thrilled that Nick has been accepted for the NAFSA Academy class of 2024," said Audra Johnston, associate director of international students and scholars. "He has been a wonderful addition to our advising staff since joining us just over a year ago, and we are pleased to see him take such a meaningful step toward building a strong foundation for his career as an international education professional."