Author: Mark A. Ashwill

Of Intercultural Incompetence & Chutzpah

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

My wife and I recently had lunch at a restaurant in downtown Hanoi.  It was after the 12 noon rush and there was only one other guest where we chose to eat, a middle-aged white expat man who was eating, drinking, and reading a book.  So far, so good, right?  After a couple of very … Continue reading Of Intercultural Incompetence & Chutzpah

Vietnamese Student (Mis)Perceptions of the USA

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , , , ,

I recently talked with a Vietnamese student who had studied in the US and was back home.  When I asked him about the experience of living there, one reply really stood out:  people are free and equal.  That answer jump-started my interior monologue, which quickly went into overdrive.  The first reply was Which people, in … Continue reading Vietnamese Student (Mis)Perceptions of the USA

Vietnamese Students Contribute Over $1 Billion to the US Economy

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Reports, Updates , ,

In 2016/17, Vietnamese students enrolled in US colleges and universities contributed $818 million to the US economy, according to the Open Doors 2017 report.  (Source:  US Department of Commerce)  Keep in mind that those data are from fall 2016 and are limited to higher education. Let's update and extrapolate using SEVIS data from December 2017.  … Continue reading Vietnamese Students Contribute Over $1 Billion to the US Economy

“International Students Contribute to Our Economy & American Innovation”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

This image, created by NAFSA:  Association of International Educators, a "non-profit professional organization for professionals in all areas of international education including education abroad advising and administration," was recently posted on Facebook by a US higher education colleague.  All compelling points with which I agree 100%.  In fact, they could create another graphic that lists … Continue reading “International Students Contribute to Our Economy & American Innovation”

R.I.P. Michael Cull: A Life Well-Lived

Mark A. Ashwill Announcement , , , , ,

I received a very sad but not totally unexpected message last night from my friend, Chuck Searcy, informing me and many others that Mike had died at 8:50 EST (8:50 p.m. Viet Nam time) of pancreatic cancer, after slipping into a coma almost four hours earlier.  Here's what Chuck wrote, which best sums up the … Continue reading R.I.P. Michael Cull: A Life Well-Lived

Fiscal Year 2016 Entry/Exit Overstay Report- Department of Homeland Security

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Reports , , , , , ,

A colleague recently sent me this report with the above title.  (Thank you, K!)  Yeah, I know; it's not most people's idea of a good time but it is interesting to wonks like me who follow these trends in the field (and industry) of international education.  Information is power, right?  OK, if not power, then … Continue reading Fiscal Year 2016 Entry/Exit Overstay Report- Department of Homeland Security

The Wave Continues to Build: Vietnamese Students in the USA

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Reports, Updates , , , ,

According to the latest Mapping SEVIS by the Numbers update from last month, there are currently 31,389 Vietnamese students in the US at all levels of the education system.  (2.59% of all international students in the US are from Viet Nam.)   Viet Nam remains in 5th place sandwiched between Saudi Arabia, which experienced the sharpest decline … Continue reading The Wave Continues to Build: Vietnamese Students in the USA

US Department of Education “Derecognition” of ACICS, & EducationUSA

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , ,

As I've written before and as some of you may know, EducationUSA, a US Department of State network of over 400 international student advising centers in more than 170 countries,works with both regionally and nationally accredited US institutions of higher education.  Among the latter are hundreds of institutions, mostly for-profit career schools, that are accredited … Continue reading US Department of Education “Derecognition” of ACICS, & EducationUSA