Reminder: Tweet #NoMoreCuts to exchanges today!

Today is a day of action on Twitter to oppose more cuts to non-defense discretionary (NDD) programs, like international exchanges. 

Throughout the day, tweet directly to your Members of Congress, and ask them not to cut exchanges and other NDD programs any further. Encourage your members, volunteers, followers, and friends to do the same. Make sure to use the hashtag #NoMoreCuts.

Included below are sample tweets for your use. Include the Twitter handle of the Member you are tweeting in your message. This ensures that the Member will get a notification of being “mentioned” in your message and will see what you’ve sent. [For a complete list of Members and their twitter handles, please see these House & Senate lists. To find your Members of Congress, enter your zip code here. ]

Thank you for taking action on this important issue!

Sample Tweets

• Leadership, cultural learning, & lang study: #InternationalExchange prepares Americans for global economy, [insert member twitter handle]. #NoMoreCuts!

• #InternationalExchange enhances US natl security & smart power. [insert member twitter handle] make sure there are #NoMoreCuts! #sequester

• A secure #America needs more than #military might! [insert member twitter handle] #NoMoreCuts to #InternationalExchange! #sequester

• #InternationalExchange is an investment in the future, expanding the vision of current & emerging leaders. [insert member twitter handle] #NoMoreCuts! 

• #InternationalExchange teaches Americans critical skills and enhances US global competitiveness. [insert member twitter handle] #NoMoreCuts! #sequester

• Discretionary cuts to #InternationalExchange harm the #economy! [insert member twitter handle] say #NoMoreCuts! #sequester

• #Sequestration means an 8.2% cut to #InternationalExchange funding in 2013. [insert member twitter handle] make sure there are #NoMoreCuts!

• Discretionary investments have already been cut by nearly $1.5 trillion. [insert member twitter handle] make sure there are #NoMoreCuts! #sequester

• Remember [insert member twitter handle], over 3000 groups want you to say #NoMoreCuts to discretionary investments! #sequester

Members of Congress need to hear directly from YOU, their constituents about the local impact of exchanges in their home states, districts, and communities. 

Call for Proposals: International Education Research Poster Fair for NAFSA 2013

CALL FOR POSTER PROPOSALS, NAFSA 2013 ANNUAL CONFERENCE ST LOUIS, MISSOURI, MAY 26- MAY 31, 2013 

Are you working on a research project related to international education? If yes, why not share

 it with colleagues, receive their feedback, and develop new collaborations at a professional conference? Both qualitative and quantitative research projects are invited.

NAFSA deadline to submit a poster proposal is December 10, 2012. Proposal requirements can be found at www.nafsa.org/proposals.

For questions about International Education Research poster fair please contact Yuliya Kartoshkina, Poster Fair Organizer for 2013 Annual Conference, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, at: yuliya.kartoshkina@email.und.edu.

Tweet #NoMoreCuts to exchanges on Monday

The Alliance for International Educational & Cultural Exchange is engaged with a broad coalition (led by the Coalition for Health Funding) that opposes sequestration and further cuts to non-defense discretionary (NDD) programs, like international exchanges.

The NDD coalition is mobilizing a day of action on Twitter (using the hashtag #NoMoreCuts) this Monday, December 10, and we encourage you to be involved. Tweets are a simple but effective way of getting this message out to policy makers.

So what do you need to do? Simply tweet directly to your Members of Congress, and ask them not to cut exchanges and other NDD programs any further. Encourage your members, volunteers, followers, and friends to do the same.

Included below are sample tweets for your use. Make sure you include the Twitter handle of the Member you are tweeting in your message. This ensures that the Member will get a notification of being “mentioned” in your message and will see what you’ve sent. [For a complete list of Members and their twitter handles, please see these House & Senate lists. To find your Members of Congress, enter your zip code here. ]

Thank you for taking action on this important issue. We'll send a reminder on Monday, as well as begin tweeting ourselves!

Sample Tweets

• Leadership, cultural learning, & lang study: #InternationalExchange prepares Americans for global economy, [insert member twitter handle]. #NoMoreCuts!

• #InternationalExchange enhances US natl security & smart power. [insert member twitter handle] make sure there are #NoMoreCuts! #sequester

• A secure #America needs more than #military might! [insert member twitter handle] #NoMoreCuts to #InternationalExchange! #sequester

• #InternationalExchange is an investment in the future, expanding the vision of current & emerging leaders. [insert member twitter handle] #NoMoreCuts! 

• #InternationalExchange teaches Americans critical skills and enhances US global competitiveness. [insert member twitter handle] #NoMoreCuts! #sequester

• Discretionary cuts to #InternationalExchange harm the #economy! [insert member twitter handle] say #NoMoreCuts! #sequester

• #Sequestration means an 8.2% cut to #InternationalExchange funding in 2013. [insert member twitter handle] make sure there are #NoMoreCuts!

• Discretionary investments have already been cut by nearly $1.5 trillion. [insert member twitter handle] make sure there are #NoMoreCuts! #sequester

• Remember [insert member twitter handle], over 3000 groups want you to say #NoMoreCuts to discretionary investments! #sequester

 Members of Congress need to hear directly from YOU, their constituents about the local impact of exchanges in their home states, districts, and communities. 

With permission of The Alliance, this IHEC Blog post is a copy and paste job (with only slight modifications) of an e-mail message I received from them on Thursday, December 6th.  IHEC Blog thanks The Alliance for all of their advocacy efforts in the international education arena.

NAFSA Statement on STEM Jobs Act of 2012

WASHINGTON, November 29, 2012 - NAFSA: Association ofInternational Educators opposes H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act of 2012, because it perpetuates a divisive, us-versus-them approach to immigration reform.

NAFSA supports the goal of creating a direct path to green cards for graduates of U.S. institutions of higher education, including but not limited to the STEM fields. Talented, innovative people are found in all fields, and all who are prepared to become productive members of our society and to contribute to our economy should be welcome. We do not support creating a new path for international students by eliminating another immigration program.

In the acrimonious political debate about immigration reform, we lose our way by embracing a mistaken, zero-sum approach to permanent immigration. Proposals like H.R. 6429 in this context appear guided by the fear of doing anything that increases the number of people who may immigrate to the United States. There is no reason to regard the current annual limit on the number of green cards as sacrosanct law.

We believe immigration is an opportunity, not a threat. Immigrants renew this nation and have done so since the country was created. The United States has been successful at attracting and integrating immigrants who have added tremendous value to our country and economy. We must continue to do so through a reformed immigration system that meets the needs of the whole nation.

NAFSA looks forward to supporting a comprehensive immigration reform bill that provides new immigration opportunities. Such a bill will be possible when the discussions move away from responding to individual constituent demands and towards a win-win situation that addresses the needs of all of us.

Via NAFSA Media/Press release.

15-Year Old Engineering Whiz Kid Kelvin Doe from Sierra Leon visits MIT

Interview: How David Comp Found His Niche In Education Abroad (my interview with Brooke Roberts of Inside Study Abroad)

Many thanks to Brooke Roberts of Inside Study Abroad and GoAbroad.com for the interview!



You can read more about the interview on Inside Study Abroad!

Secretary Clinton's Remarks on International Education