In a statement responding to the Trump administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Esther D. Brimmer, DPhil, calls the move the “antithesis of American values.” NAFSA has joined with other higher education organizations defending DACA and signed on to letters led by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and the American Council on Education (ACE). Take action to support Dreamers today by urging your members of Congress to pass the Dream Act.

This November, Region IV will be joining forces with Regions I and II to offer the first ever Tri-Regional Conference in the vibrant city of Denver, Colorado. This year's theme embraces the connections that can be made across state and regional divides: Regional Connections, Global Reach.

This fall, take advantage of eleven pre-conference workshops, an extensive conference schedule covering all NAFSA knowledge communities, and many networking events!

In addition to the various workshops and conference sessions, participants can also sign up for morning yoga, downtown Denver restaurant hop, downtown Denver pub crawl, and a concluding gala with auction.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear perspectives from international educators from across Regions I, II, and IV!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:

Heading to the Tri-Regional in Denver? Consider volunteering at the conference. Region IV's conferences are a success in part due to the contribution of volunteers. Signing up is easy and can be done during registration. We cannot do it without your help - sign up to volunteer today!

UPCOMING CONFERENCE DEADLINES:

October 1: Early-bird registration deadline
October 9: NAFSA Awards nominations due (see below)
October 27: Regular conference registration ends (on-site registration available at higher rate)

Additional conference information is available on the NAFSA website.

Are you attending the conference? Connect with other attendees on Instagram and Facebook!

Region IV is full of incredible talent in the field of international education. If you know an international educator or institution who has been doing exceptional work, submit a nomination by October 9 for one of these Region IV Awards:

• Distinguished Service Award
• Internationalization Achievement Award
• Most Innovative International Initiative Award
• Outstanding Student Award
• Outstanding New Professional Award
• Friend of the Region Award

See awards descriptions/criteria. Nominations are reviewed by the leadership team and announced at the regional conference.

Become a member of the Region IV team! Interest forms are being accepted for 2017 open positions. Some of the positions available include:

• Chair-Elect
• IEL Representative
• Scholar Regulatory Ombudsperson
• Missouri State Representative

Check out all the available positions and descriptions on the NAFSA website. Interested? Submit an online interest form. Applications received by October 1 will receive consideration. Contact Karen Williams (Region IV Chair) if you have questions about the position or application process.

After serving on the NAFSA Region IV team for more than 4 years and recently rotating off the team, I have reflected on my experiences as a NAFSA leader. Like many, I would not have considered myself a “natural” leader and was hesitant to see myself in leadership roles in the past, but with prompting and encouragement from supervisors and mentors, that has changed over the years.  I have taken advantage of several leadership opportunities, both at the state level (through Minnesota International Educators) and through NAFSA, including co-presenting at various conferences, participating as a trainee in the NAFSA Academy (2010), serving on the Region IV team as a St. Paul Conference Co-Planner (2014) and Communications Coordinator (2015-2017), and participating in NAFSA Advocacy Day (2016). Each of these experiences has offered a unique opportunity, with varying levels of challenge and commitment, and through them I have learned that the benefits of being a volunteer leader are many:

• Learn or enhance new skills that are not always a part of your “day job”
• Build confidence in your professional abilities
• Expand your personal and professional network
• “Pay it forward” and give back to the field of international education
• Gain a better understanding of NAFSA offerings at the regional and national level
• Expand name recognition for yourself and your institution
• Strengthen your CV/resume
• And many more!

If you are considering a leadership position - or if you haven’t yet considered, but can be convinced - I encourage you to give it a shot! It is never too early or too late in your career to become involved, and applying for a Region IV team position is a great way to start.

NAFSA Region IV is comprised of five states (IA, MN, MO, SD, ND), each with its own team member representative.

Iowa:

Save the Date: The 6th Annual Iowa International Education Conference will take place on Friday, April 20, 2018 at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. Check future newsletters and the NAFSA Region IV website for more details about the conference, which will be available later this fall. If you have any questions about the upcoming conference, please contact either Karla McCollum (Karla.McCollum@indianhills.edu) and/or Ashley Albertson (Ashley.Albertson@indianhills.edu).

We encourage you to join and use the Region IV Google Group -- our primary email list-serv -- to be sure you don't miss any updates! In addition to important NAFSA member info, this list includes other international education-related announcements and job vacancies.

You can select the frequency of email notifications by going to My Settings → Membership and email settings, then setting email delivery preference (individual emails, daily summaries, etc.)

• Join the Region IV Google Group (see above)
• Remember to update your NAFSA member profile contact information if you change jobs
• Connect with Region IV on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Please contact the Communications Coordinator if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities.