UPDATE: The NAFSA 2020 annual conference was canceled, for obvious reasons.

5th Annual Viet Nam Recruitment Seminar at NAFSA 2020 in St. Louis. It will take place from 9-11 a.m. on Tuesday, 26 May in St. Louis. Location TBA. Co-sponsor: Study in the USA.

Pathway Programs: State of Play Today and Projections for the Future (Eddie West, Chair, SDSU Extended Studies; Lali Yang, UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Extension; Mark Ashwill, Capstone Vietnam)

Abstract: A growing number of international students begin their study abroad journeys in pathway programs, in Australia, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other leading destinations. Presenters discuss the pros and cons of private sector pathway programs versus homegrown options and examine their contemporary and future impacts on the international enrollment management field.

Date & Time: Tuesday, 26 May 2020 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Poster Session: Successful Student Recruitment in Viet Nam: Stories from the Field. Model Practices in International Enrollment Management Fair.

Abstract: Some institutions currently active in Viet Nam are achieving their recruitment goals with impressive results. This session takes a look at a US high school with a boarding option, a community college, and a four-year university that have been successful recruiting high-quality Vietnamese students, and explores what they are doing right.

Date & Time: Wednesday, 27 May from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the International Education Expo Hall

The Art and Science of Selecting and Monitoring Education Agents (Lindsay Addington, NACAC, Chair; Mark Ashwill, Capstone Vietnam; Lisa Maroni, Shoreline Community College)

Abstract: The use of education agents among educational institutions continues to rise among both secondary and postsecondary institutions. Presenters from academic, the private sector, and a higher education NGO will discuss ways in which colleagues can select quality and ethical, plus effective monitoring techniques in the spirit of “trust but verify.”

NOTE: All of the above presentations at NAFSA 2020 assume, of course, that the conference is not postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay tuned!

Date & Time: Thursday, 28 May 2020 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

From the Mayflower to Viet Nam: Confessions of a Native Son: A planned November 2020 lecture tour in the US. Why 2020? Because it’s my 15th anniversary of living and working in Viet Nam and it’s the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower at what became Plymouth Colony. Interested in learning more and possibly hosting me? Email me at markashwill[AT]capstonevietnam.com, and I’ll send you the password to this blog post.

Shalom (שלום), MAA