JY Zhou appointed NAFSA 2026 conference committee chair

JY Zhou, executive director of JMU's Center for Global Engagement, has been appointed chair of the NAFSA 2026 Annual Conference Committee. The Annual Conference Committee is responsible for setting the vision and developing the educational program for the NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo, and the chair will lead the committee in the conference program planning process.

The NAFSA Association of International Educators is the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. Founded in 1948, NAFSA serves the needs of more than 10,000 members and international educators worldwide at more than 3,500 institutions, in more than 160 countries. The strategic goals that guide NAFSA’s work are educate, advocate and innovate.

With more than 8,500 attendees, international educators from more than 100 nations attend NAFSA’s annual conference each year to discover the latest innovations, proven strategies, and best practices through sessions, workshops, posters, and networking opportunities. Conference attendees work primarily at higher education institutions and focus on international enrollment management, international student and scholar programming, advising, education abroad management, and leading campus internationalization and global partnerships.