By welcoming international students to the United States and encouraging American students to study abroad, institutions are enhancing the competitiveness of the U.S. educational system, connecting future global leaders with American culture and business, and creating a positive impact on the national economy. To engage further in today’s conversation and to learn more, members of the Office of International Affairs (OIA), George F. Kacenga, Director of International Enrollment Management and Genny M. Parker, Senior International Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator, participated in the 4^th annual EducationUSA Forum in Washington D.C. from June 26-28, 2013.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the EducationUSA Forum brought together 500 college and university recruitment and admissions professionals with almost 60 EducationUSA regional educational experts and advisers from around the world. Sessions included topics such as: South America Overview; Cultivating Relationships with Foreign Embassies; South and Central Asia Overview; The Ground Crew: Making the Most of Your Foreign Travel; From ESL to Academic Program: Recruitment and Retention; Setting Students up for Success: Effective Pre-Arrival Communications; and Virtual Fairs as an International Student Recruitment Tool.

“The U.S. is the premiere study destination for international students,” said Kacenga. “There is a growing interest in the degree programs offered by CU Denver, as well as in the curriculum offered by the university’s ESL (English as a Second Language) Academy”.

The nation’s educational sector represents the fifth largest U.S. services “export; this added nearly $23 billion to the U.S. economy in 2011/12.

EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State-supported network of hundreds of advising centers around the world.  Each year, EducationUSA advisers provide millions of international students with accurate, comprehensive, and current information about how to apply to U.S. colleges and universities.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs promotes mutual understanding between Americans and people from around the world through a wide range of academic, cultural, private sector, professional and sports exchange programs. These international exchanges engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes and emerging leaders from the United States and nearly 170 countries. Alumni of these exchanges comprise over one million people around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and more than 350 current or former heads of state and government.

Contact
School/School Contact, George F. Kacenga, 303-315-2384, george.kacenga@ucdenveredu
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, (202) 632-6454, ECAPress@state.gov