by Kiara Posey
Nearly 100 educators from across Alabama gathered at Troy University for the Alabama Association of International Educators 2023 Conference. The one-day conference featured sessions from different professionals about topics such as law updates and ways to protect foreign nationals from harm.
“We come to these conferences to get ideas about how to put together new events, help students, and make sure we keep up on immigration regulations,” said Maria Frigge, Dean of International Student Services.
The conference was used as a tool to share new ideas to improve the experience of international students, and to brainstorm ways to get more domestic students to go abroad.
“Sometimes you get in the habit of how you do things,” Frigge said. “So, we try to share new ideas with everybody, because it is a field where we like to share and teach each other on how we can get better.”
Carol Armstrong, an immigration attorney, gave a presentation on how to protect foreign nationals from harm. During the presentation, she discussed topics such as asylum, DACA, T visas, and humanitarian parole. Armstrong used the conference to share her knowledge and to learn from those around her.
“I always learn a lot from the other people here,” Armstrong said. “Just seeing what their facing in their offices and the challenges that they’re facing helps me do my job better.”
Attendees of the conference used the experience as an opportunity to network, share ideas, and learn more about their field.
“For me, I got the opportunity to network with current clients, and reconnect with colleagues and clients,” said Annemarie Estrada, the Vice President of International Student Insurance. “Relationship building is what I got out of it.”
Frigge discussed the benefits of going abroad and encourages students to invest in studying another culture.
“You can see a different way of how to do things,” Frigge said. “When we just stay in our home country, we kind of get used to what works and we think that it’s the only way it works.
“You also get a chance to appreciate where you come from. So easily do we forget that we take things for granted, like drinking from a water fountain, and if you don’t step outside of your comfort zone, you’ll never experience anything else.”
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