Reflections from #NAFSA75
Reflections from a first-time NAFSA attendee.
Reflections from a first-time NAFSA attendee.
Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Annie Kuster (D-NH) reintroduced a House Resolution yesterday supporting Department of State BridgeUSA exchange programs. Supported by more than 400 organizations, associations, and businesses, the resolution recognizes international exchange as an invaluable public diplomacy tool, as well as a way to strengthen American business and our economy.
Angela was first exposed to international exchange as a Gilman Critical Language scholar in 2019. That interest blossomed she learned more about public and citizen diplomacy during her internship with Global Ties U.S. in 2022. She first learned about the Alliance as part of her advocacy onboarding training in 2022 and had her first in-person interaction at the Alliance Annual Conference. It was eye-opening to meet with representatives from such a wide spectrum of international exchange organizations.
“How are we fostering the next generation of international exchange leaders?” Jacob Gandolfi, Program Officer at FHI 360, reflects on what the next 30 years of our field will look like and how we can continue to grow as a community.
A new SEVIS by the Numbers report shows that there were 276,723 active J-1 exchange visitors came to the U.S. in 2022, an increase of 15% from the previous year’s figure of 240,479. This report from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) also highlights other key data illustrating information and trends on F and M international students studying in the United States.
The Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) appropriations cycle is officially in full swing with the release of the Biden Administration’s proposed budget late last week. The President’s $6.8 trillion request, while unlikely to be enacted in the current divided Congress, presents a starting point for the negotiations to come.