In her years of service to the international education community, Dr. Fanta Aw has long held a deep respect for the work of NAFSA and her long-standing connection with her peers.
Three decades, Dr. Fanta Aw’s passion for building the international education community has only strengthened.
In an exclusive interview on the MSM Reporter podcast, The Academic Edge, the chief executive officer of NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, shared her journey from being an international student herself to leading what many in the industry call the “UN of higher education.”
Dr. Aw had been a seasoned college administrator at American University since 1992 before moving on to lead NAFSA. “The shift to me is a natural progression where my passion and professional trajectory have been,” she said.
“The transition was smooth because, coming from American University, I had a very broad portfolio of responsibility with multiple stakeholders and [I had] to think strategically as well as tactically.”
Dr. Aw has long held a deep respect for NAFSA’s work and her long-standing connection with the association as both a member and leader.
The CEO highlighted two primary reasons for making this significant shift. First, she recognized that the higher education landscape was evolving due to the pandemic and global changes.
She believed this was an opportune moment to contribute to international education’s recovery and growth, an area she is deeply committed to. Second, she saw this transition as an opportunity to serve the field.
‘A true homecoming’
While acknowledging the organization’s evolution since her previous involvement in 2016, Dr. Aw found comfort in the familiar mission and membership focus of NAFSA, making the transition relatively seamless.
“Coming to NAFSA is a true homecoming for me because the mission reflects very much what I believe. I found my home,” she said.
“I remember finding my passion and my purpose when I became engaged with NAFSA as a member over 25 years ago. So, to come back to the organization – in many ways – really did feel like coming home.”
Leading an organization often referred to as the “UN of higher education” has been an invigorating experience for Dr. Aw.
She described it as inspiring and full of opportunities, particularly considering the rapidly changing landscape of higher education institutions, society, and global affairs in 2023.
Dr. Aw emphasized the need to engage, re-engage, and reimagine the field to address the evolving challenges and opportunities.
Life as an international student
Prior to Dr. Aw’s academic career, her journey as an international student brought her to the US. Her pursuit of higher education opened doors.
“Being an international student meant that I was one of the privileged few when you look at the number of students around the world that are getting access to higher education,” she told The Academic Edge.
“I’ve had the privilege and the opportunity to be immersed in a very different culture, in a very different environment, and to have had the opportunity in many ways to meet people from nearly all around the world. To learn with them and learn from them has been most meaningful to me.”
Nathan Yasis
Nathan studied information technology and secondary education in college. He dabbled in and taught creative writing and research to high school students for three years before settling in as a digital journalist.
