The Nominations Committee of the AIRC Board of Directors presents the following candidates for President-Elect (3-year term), Agency Delegate (3-year term) and two Institutional Delegates (3-year terms). The election will take place September 21 - October 8, 2020. The AIRC member voting delegate may vote for one person in the categories of President Elect and Agency Delegate and two people in the Institutional Delegate category.
Duties and Tasks for the Positions (Download descriptions here.)
For President Elect (one will be elected):
Sophia Iliakis-Doherty, Peninsula College
Jerry Martin, Miami University/Regional Campuses
For Institutional Member Delegates (two will be elected):
Derrick Alex, University of Houston
Kirsten Feddersen, Northeastern University
Virginia Guneyli, St. Charles Community College
Kara Johnson, Governors State University
For Agency Member Delegate (one will be elected):
Bios and Statements:
Sophia Iliakis-Doherty, Peninsula College
President Elect Candidate
As Associate Dean for International Programs at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Washington, Sophia Iliakis-Doherty directs and oversees all international initiatives for the college. She is a member of various international education professional organizations such as AIRC, NAFSA, WCCCSA and NIEA and has spoken on international recruitment to various audiences.
Sophia worked at Green River College, Highline College, and Kaplan/LCP Language Programs in in Washington State. Her positions mainly focused on international student recruitment and agency/institutional partnership development.
Sophia has a Master’s Degree in Communication and Leadership from Gonzaga University (GU) with concentration in College Teaching of Communication. She has a double Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and Italian Language and Culture from GU. She completed a graduate study program in Derry, Northern Ireland focused on Peacebuilding Through Dialogue, and a year abroad in Florence Italy as an undergraduate. She taught English in Japan for three years on the Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program.
Candidate Statement
Warm Greetings AIRC Colleagues and Partners -
I hope you are all safe and healthy.
Thank you for considering me for the position of President-Elect. Over the course of my six-year membership, I have been earnestly involved in this influential and expanding organization through various AIRC leadership roles. I endeavor to increase AIRC’s reach through promotion of its mission and goals to non-member agency partners, advocacy at my institution as well as neighboring and partner institutions. Without the collective contributions of our institutional, agency and pathway members, AIRC would neither be unique, nor would it be effective. With the challenges currently facing higher education at home and abroad, our work is more important than ever. We have a highly strategic and exceedingly significant role to play in the ever-changing international education landscape.
This year we celebrate our 11th year. We have worked hard to stay true to our mission, and as a result, we have matured as an organization and are recognized for our “gold standard” of quality, best practices and promotion of ethics in standards-based recruitment. That success provides the solid foundation we need to be an influential and representative voice on behalf of our membership. It provides reinforcement to meet the challenges within our industry at a time of unprecedented hardship that impacts the success, and in some cases, the viability of our individual members, and institutions.
Having worked in international education the past 23 years from entry level to senior administration in small, medium and large international program offices at three different community colleges in Washington State, as well as a private language program, I understand the impacts, struggles and dynamics faced from all angles of the international recruitment and enrollment equation during times of challenge and glory. Having worked and studied overseas, I am committed to the inclusion of student voice in decision-making and would encourage AIRC to look more closely at ways to actively incorporate students into our organization.
It is also timely that we recognize and utilize this time in our country’s history to review and improve upon our organization’s focus on equity, diversity and inclusion to ensure that all of our members feel valued and fairly represented. Equally important are the emphasis and effort we place on strategic membership growth, for without sustainable growth, AIRC cannot continue its mission.
In recognition of these two points as vital elements to the future success of AIRC, I gladly accepted the invitation to co-chair AIRC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force and serve on AIRC’s Membership Committee. As agency certification is central to AIRC’s mission, I served two terms on AIRC’s Certification Commission, during which I was elected as Chair of the Commission for one year. Alongside that honor, I also served as a non-voting member of the Board of Directors. I currently serve as an Institutional Delegate on AIRC’s Board of Directors.
The current challenges to the international education and student recruitment sector are truly unprecedented. As such, they also provide much room for creativity and opportunity. I have identified areas for growth. As your President-Elect, I welcome the challenge to work together with our Board to lead AIRC in optimizing those growth opportunities.
I hope you will kindly consider me as your next President-Elect. It would be my honor to serve you.
Stay safe and healthy,
Sophia Iliakis-Doherty
Jerry Martin, Miami University/Regional Campuses
President Elect Candidate
Jerry Martin is Regional Director, Regional Campuses Global Programs at Miami University Regionals. He has extensive experience on both sides of the institution-agent relationship. He is active in AIEA, AIRC, and NAFSA. He has completed NAFSA and AIEA S1O academies and AIRC's Certificate Course in International Student Recruitment and Enrollment Planning. He specializes in developing revenue-generating programs such as intensive English and English for international business. He holds an MBA in global management and a doctorate in education leadership from the University of Phoenix.
Candidate Statement
Dear AIRC Members and Colleagues:
The use of international student recruitment agencies is no longer optional in strategic recruitment initiatives at higher education institutions in the United States. Institutions continuing to ignore current market realities will suffer the consequences of significant drops in revenue and diversity on their campuses. Using international student recruitment agencies has become the gold standard around the world. Unfortunately, U.S. higher education institutions not only delayed accepting this reality but also placed unnecessary barriers for those responsible for recruiting international students. This delay or outright refusal to use international student recruitment agencies has significantly damaged institutions and their associated stakeholders. American students have missed opportunities making them less prepared to engage with people from diverse backgrounds in the highly competitive global workforce. Communities have been severely affected because of missed economic opportunities including potential for entrepreneurial initiatives. Local business owners have lost revenue-generating prospects leading to lost tax revenues that could have been used in strengthening local education programs and community building. This loss cannot be undervalued. The data overwhelmingly highlights the negative effects of not having international students on campus and is only exacerbated in communities hosting institutions of higher education.
The founding members of AIRC not only understood the importance of recognizing the professionalism of recruitment agencies around the world but also dispelling the myths surrounding agencies that permeated throughout U.S. higher education institutions. As the President-elect of AIRC, one of my goals, besides learning from the current AIRC President, would be to double AIRC membership through the direct targeting of higher-level administrators (presidents and provosts) and also legal counsels, who often are too conservative when it comes to agent contracts. Membership in AIRC is a great investment! Another initiative I believe would benefit AIRC is the continued education of our elected officials at all levels of government on the benefits of using agencies to promote U.S. institutions.
AIRC leadership needs to be a motivator more than ever during these challenging times. When issues arise, offering potential solutions is important. Through creative thinking and entrepreneurial initiatives, U.S. institutions can position themselves to not only recover but also expand in their comprehensive internationalization. For example, workshops could be provided to AIRC members and non-members on the importance of offering value-added services to their associated recruitment agencies in support of international recruitment efforts.
During my 20 years in Japan leading IEPs and working at a recruitment agency, I experienced firsthand the hard work and value that recruitment agencies and counselors provide to our current and future students. International recruitment efforts are most effective when institutions and agencies work together toward the betterment of the overall international student experience. I believe in the mission, vision, and values of AIRC and will be a sustained stalwart of its membership growth while promoting the realization of its benefits for as many U.S. institutions and international recruitment agencies as possible. I welcome the opportunity to work with the current AIRC President and the organizational team to develop strategic growth initiatives.
Derrick Alex, University of Houston
Institutional Delegate Candidate
In my current role, I serve as the Director of International Admissions and Recruitment and Director of Admission Processing (U.S. students) at the University of Houston (a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university). I served as the Chair for the Study Oregon Consortium from 2012-2015, Co-author NAFSA Online Guide to Education System – India 2011, and have lived and worked abroad with fluency in a several Indian languages.
I have been committed and involved in many AIRC initiatives and have served in different roles since its inception in 2008. My association with AIRC over the years includes:
Longest serving member on the AIRC Certification Commission.
Served as an external reviewer for several agency site visits.
Served as co-trainer for External Reviewer Training at AIRC events.
Played an active role in bringing a few US institutions onboard as AIRC institutional members and leading conversations that opened doors to agency-based recruitment at these institutions.
Candidate Statement
It’s an honor to be considered for the Institutional Representative position on the AIRC Board of Directors. My association with AIRC in different roles since its inception has helped me understand the purpose and value of this organization and I remain committed to its growth and success.
My initial experience of working with an international student recruitment agency was way before AIRC was founded. It was in the pre-Internet days in the 90s, when I was exploring possible options of coming to the United States as an international student from India. As gathering relevant and accurate information about the U.S. admission process during those days was challenging, I ended up going to one of the very few student recruitment agencies that was operating in my city, not knowing what to expect from them. Even though the agency was able to help me get admission and an I-20 from a U.S. institution, there were some major hiccups in the process perhaps due to the limited information and experience the agency counselor and I had about the entire process. After graduating with a U.S. degree, I started my career in the field of international education at a U.S. institution that heavily relied on agency recruitment (and was very successful in it).
This early exposure to agency based recruitment (initially as a student relying on an agency for guidance about the admission process and then as a university representative collaborating with agencies for student recruitment), helped me understand the importance and need of quality measures, standards, training, collaboration etc. in the university agency relationship.
I was leading international admissions at the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) when AIRC was founded in 2008. It was a time when there was a lot of apprehension and/or misinformation among U.S. institutions about agency-based recruitment. Even though I was confident about the purpose and the value of this new organization, convincing institutional leadership to be a part of this brand-new agency affiliated membership organization required some work - partly because the institution had never worked with agents and had reservations about this model of recruitment. The institutions focus on international initiatives along with my prior knowledge and experience in agency-based recruitment, helped convince leadership and UC Denver came onboard as one of the launching institutional members of AIRC. This was a great first step towards agency-based recruitment for the institution and I served as a site reviewer for the first group of agency certifications.
Over the years, I have stayed involved with AIRC in different roles (site reviewer, co-trainer/presenter, AIRC certification commission) and continue to raise awareness about AIRC and its role for US institutions that are on the fence about agency partnerships.
I am looking forward to this possible opportunity to serve on the AIRC Board. It will help me collaborate with AIRC leadership/members in leading this important enterprise forward as we focus on broadening its influence among institutions, agencies, government branches, other key constituencies both national/global all in efforts to promote internationalization and help international students.
Kirsten Feddersen, Northeastern University
Institutional Delegate Candidate
Kirsten has worked in international higher education since 2004, where she joined the international office at Aarhus University in Denmark. In 2006 she moved to EDU Danmark, Denmark’s only AIRC-certified agency, where she participated in the initial certification process and remained for almost six years. In 2012 she took a position with the State University of New York (SUNY) System's Office of Global Affairs under Dr. Mitch Leventhal, which led her to a position at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), where she remained for five years, most recently as AVP of International Programs. When she accepted her first role at SNHU in 2014, Kirsten also joined AIRC’s Board of Directors, where she served for three years. In late 2019, she transitioned to Northeastern University in Boston where she currently serves as Senior Director of International Enrollment Management.
Candidate Statement
In reflecting on my involvement with the American International Recruitment Council, I realized that the acronym AIRC has meant different things to me over the last decade since I first learned about the organization. It started as an idea that I heard about in passing from my then-manager at education agency EDU Danmark and it soon shifted to being the organization that was mentioned on a daily basis as we were going through the certification process to become one of the first 8 AIRC certified agencies. Since then, and particularly after I took on my first role with a US institution in 2012 (SUNY system), I have been involved with AIRC through conference participation, as a frequent presenter, through various projects and, most importantly, as an institutional delegate for the AIRC Board from 2014 - 2017. So why run again, you ask? The answer is simple: I believe in AIRC as an organization and I have seen it undergo a tremendous growth and development in the past decade, even as international higher education and the international enrollment management sub-sector in particular has weathered quite a few storms. AIRC has become a hub where agency and education professionals come together to learn from each other and pledge to honor a set of standards that ultimately serve the population that is at the core of everything we do – the students. There is still more we can do, more we can learn, and ways we can pivot to adapt to an ever-changing landscape that may never stop moving. It’s not a matter of waiting out the storm – it’s a matter of figuring out how to build while it’s still raging.
My vision for AIRC is to build an organization that’s truly resilient no matter what comes our way. It is and should remain an advocate for its members and facilitate collaboration across national borders and sectors. Diversity in our member base from both the agency and the institutional side is essential and something we should continue to strive for as an organization. We need the voices of all types of institutions, agents and pathway providers because only then are we able to represent a truly diverse body of students.
In addition to my previous term on the AIRC Board, I’ve been able to not only experience being an international student in the US both at the undergraduate and graduate levels but also to work for a Danish higher education institution, an AIRC-certified agency, a public US institution and, most recently, in leadership positions in international enrollment management at both Southern New Hampshire University and Northeastern University. All of these perspectives will serve me in representing AIRC member institutions if I am elected for the board.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to my continued involvement with AIRC and all of its members.
Virginia Guneyli, St. Charles Community College
Institutional Delegate Candidate
Virginia Bunn Guneyli has been in higher education in different roles since 2002, and she is now the Director of International Student Services at SCC and an AIRC membership committee member. She has been an international educator for 16 years, and she recently successfully defended her dissertation on higher education administrators' perceptions of internationalization and will be awarded her Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University in December 2020. In 2007, she began teaching at St. Charles Community College in the greater St. Louis area. There, she earned tenure and took on leadership roles in the English department and in international education, serving as the Associate Chair of the English department, and the Chair of the Diversity Certificate of Specialization. She also served as Program Manager for Global Studies and International Student Services and built outbound and inbound programs, and was a Diversity Impact Program leader for NAFSA. She currently serves as the Community College Representative for NAFSA Region IV, and has presented at AIRC and NAFSA, as well as other impactful organizations around the world.
Candidate Statement
As the institutional delegate for the American International Recruitment Council, I am positioned to offer insights and experiences from a variety of institutional perspectives, for I have served and led in different roles and types of institutions in the United States and abroad. I was a faculty member at an International Baccalaureate high school in Mexico City, Mexico, and a faculty member at two universities in the United States. Furthermore, after more than a decade as both a faculty-administrator and tenured professor at a community college, I became the Director of the international program at St. Charles Community College in the greater St. Louis, Missouri, area. I’m seeking the opportunity to serve as the Institutional Delegate for AIRC because I believe that diverse, multicultural, ethical, and creative leaders are the essential to recovering and prospering during and after this unprecedented time of disruption to the field, and an institutional delegate with experience at different institutional types would benefit the Board and AIRC members. Furthermore, I feel compelled to serve to give back to AIRC. After all, in great part due to the resources I utilized through AIRC, I’ve led successful recruitment initiatives that resulted in increases in enrollment and support services, changing the lives of thousands of students. Just as overall undergraduate and community college enrollment was decreasing nationally in the United States in 2018 and 2019, I realized increases for my institution and even led an increase in enrollment this Fall, at one of the most difficult times in higher education. I believe deeply in the power of productive relationships and partnerships with the purpose of providing student support and nurturing educational opportunities.
At this pivotal time in history, I can offer my expertise and creativity in building pathways and partnerships that initiate approaches conducive to the new and changing field of higher education. Also, having recently defended my dissertation on higher education administrators’ perceptions of internationalization, which was built on a study conducted in the midst of the shut-down due to the pandemic, I can offer the Board timely insights into the shifting perspectives of leaders in higher education. I am passionate about diversity and inclusivity as essential ingredients for innovation, and I envision an AIRC Board that includes representatives who are fit for the nuanced needs of all of us in international education during this unprecedented time. I possess the deep conviction that the various disruptions to international education and higher education in general have presented AIRC members and leaders with an opportunity to articulate the lessons gained from the disruption and the opportunities for the future. Most of all, I believe that just as the organization always has, and now more than ever, AIRC will lead by promoting ethical, energetic, and creative recruitment initiatives that facilitate education.
Kara Johnson, Governors State University
Institutional Delegate Candidate
Kara Johnson is Director of International Services at Governors State University. Prior to joining GSU in 2016, Kara served as Assistant Director of Illinois Institute of Technology’s International Center and University of Illinois’ International Student and Scholar Services. Kara is Chair-Elect of Study Illinois and member of the NAFSA Member Engagement Committee. Additionally, Kara is an AIRC external reviewer and was a member of the 2018 and 2019 AIRC Conference Committees. Kara’s previous volunteer leadership positions include Content Chair for the 2017 NAFSA Annual Conference in Los Angeles, NAFSA Region V Chair, International Educators of Illinois Chair, NAFSA Region V Conference Chair, NAFSA Trainer Corps member, and NAFSA Region V Illinois State Representative. In 2014, Kara participated in the Fulbright International Education Administrators program in South Korea. Kara received a BA in French from Southeast Missouri State University and a MA in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University.
Candidate Statement
I was introduced to AIRC in 2016 when I joined Governors State University (GSU) as Director of International Services. My previous experience was in international student and scholar immigration advising and in study abroad, so the world of international student recruitment and admissions was new, exciting, and a bit scary. That December, I attended my first AIRC conference and I have returned every year since.
AIRC has been instrumental in my professional growth in the area of international recruitment and admissions. I had no prior experience working with recruitment agents, but my institution did have a small number of existing agreements. The AIRC conference and resources helped me to eventually develop an agency onboarding process, including creation of a questionnaire and an agent manual. As I have started to add more agencies to our network, I always give first consideration to those certified by AIRC because I understand the rigorous process they have gone through, as well as the ethics and standards by which they operate.
After attending a couple of AIRC conferences, I decided to join the conference committee in order to learn more about the organization itself, to network with colleagues, and because I have a general love of conferences. Although it was not a large commitment, I was happy to participate and contribute in a small way to the planning of the 2018 and 2019 conferences.
My desire to learn more about the certification process led me to volunteer with AIRC as an external reviewer. Serving as a reviewer has given me a great behind-the-scenes look at the certification process and leads me to be more thoughtful about my own interactions with GSU’s current and potential agency partners. I highly recommend our institutional members to consider becoming an external reviewer.
As AIRC continues to grow and evolve, I envision expanding the member resources, including a more robust library of sample documentation for institutions who are developing their agent networks. I found the sample agreements, questionnaires, and training manuals to be extremely valuable, and feel our members would benefit from continued expansion of these resource materials. AIRC has offered a wonderful variety of webinars and short videos since COVID-19 began, and I would love to see this continue on a regular basis as yet another resource for our members. Additionally, we are nothing without our institutional members and certified agencies, so ongoing outreach to build our membership is paramount to AIRC’s future.
I am truly honored to have been nominated for the position of Institutional Delegate on the AIRC Board of Directors. While there is still much I can learn about international recruitment, my extensive experience with international student services and immigration regulations will help to diversify the perspectives of the Board. I welcome the opportunity to give back to the organization that has aided with my professional development, and I hope my experiences and viewpoints can assist others as well.
Val Daily, IDP Connect
Agency Delegate Candidate
Val Daily is the Network Engagement Manager at IDP Connect-USA. In this new position, her main goal is to increase diversity as well as enrollments by developing and implementing effective relationships between the Onshore Team, Partner Institutions and Global Network.
Focused on delivering the highest level of customer service, she provides assistance in building recruitment strategies that include IDP's services in order to maximize its clients’ results. Val received her Hospitality degree in Milan, Italy. She also studied in France, Germany and the UK. Soon after graduation, she began her professional career with the Disney Company working at the Orlando and Paris Resorts as well as their Cruise Line. After a near 10-years hiatus taken to raise her daughters, she re-joined the workforce as one of Full Sail University’s International Department’s opening team members, where she successfully built and managed their agency network.An active member of AIRC since 2011, Val co-authored their white paper "Best Practices in International Recruitment" in 2012, and has delivered workshops and sessions at many regional and national conferences, including AIRC and NAFSA . She is currently serving her 5th year as a member of AIRC's Annual Conference Planning Committee, recently joined the Diversity & Inclusion Committee and is their Mentorship Program founder and Chair.
Candidate Statement
The strong desire to connect people across countries and cultures, thirst for knowledge, and strong ambition, with a sprinkle of wanderlust, have been my driving forces for as long as I can remember. Back when I was a student, they were the reason why I decided to study abroad. After school, they were what made me hop on a plane, with only a few dollars in my pocket, to take a job on the other side of the ocean without the slightest idea as to what to expect. Today, they continue to be my motivation every day, on both professional and personal levels.
Though I never thought a career in this field even existed, when I became part of the International Education community, I realized my journey had come full circle: because of my personal background, I understand the challenges international students may face and I can assist them in finding the right path in education to lead them towards realizing their career aspirations.
In the past 9 years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know many of you and I don’t think my story is very different than any of yours. Our common ground is what brings us together, unites us in promoting International Higher Education to students all over the world, gives us a great sense of purpose in our roles, and what has made AIRC successful.
Personally, I started contributing to the organization by co-authoring the "Best Practices in International Recruitment" white paper in 2012. From then on, I've delivered educational workshops and conference sessions, participated as an active member on two committees and Chaired the Mentorship Program.
As a collective, we made incredible strides in advancing AIRC’s mission of “promoting standards-based international recruitment strategies”, even after our hit in 2016. Now, not only we continue to face the usual obstacles (constant changes in regulations, international competition, etc.), but we also have the fallout from the pandemic to overcome.
Since March, perceptions have drastically changed; prestige and quality of education no longer suffice for the US to maintain its position as top destination for Higher Ed. If elected as Agency Representative on the Board, I will work closely with my colleagues in building a strategy that could assist AIRC and its Members in rebuilding trust and restoring our country’s reputation with international students across the world.
By leveraging connections through IDP Education’s Global Network of offices, I will also work on expanding AIRC’s brand visibility (amongst agent, institutions, local state/government officials and stakeholders), continue to strengthen collaboration and engagement with EducationUSA, and assist in ensuring the needs of the membership continue to be met.
I would like to thank the Board for selecting me as a candidate for this position. I am extremely honored to accept this nomination and humbly submit it for your consideration.
Lesley Hendry, Firstpoint USA
Agency Delegate Candidate
Lesley Hendry is USA Partnerships Lead at FirstPoint USA, a global market leader in the recruitment of international students and student-athletes for USA scholarships. Working at the heart of the industry for three years, Lesley has the professional experience to match her personal insight – she is mother of three ‘boys’ who have taken the scholarship pathway from Scotland to the States. Lesley holds a BA in Business Management (University of the West of Scotland) and has previous career experience as partner in a leading IT and management consultancy firm. It was following her eldest son pursuing a scholarship at a US institution that Lesley’s interest was piqued and she developed a real passion to learn more about the possibilities and needs of international students. This drove Lesley to join FirstPoint USA where she now performs the critical role of lead on USA partnerships, developing connections at key institutions across the States.
Candidate Statement
It is an honor to put myself forward as a candidate for election to the AIRC Board. The greatest motivation for me is making a difference to the prospects of our key stakeholder, students around the world, by enhancing the information and opportunities available to them, their parents and their support networks. I believe I have a unique perspective and range of experiences to offer, which are very personal to me. As a mother of three young men who are now at various stages of the USA scholarship journey I have lived and breathed the entire process and all the highlights and challenges which that presents to the family of athlete-scholars. These experiences motivated me to pursue a career of my own within the industry.
I am proud to be USA Partnerships Lead at FirstPoint USA, a role with responsibility which provides me with huge fulfillment, learning and opportunity of my own on a daily basis. FirstPoint has been a leader in its field for 20 years, so there has been no better place for me to enhance my personal insight with professional experience and practical involvement on a daily basis. At the heart of any future ambitions for AIRC must lie the unwavering objective to maintain best practice in international student recruitment and advocate for ethical and proper recruitment practices. It is in the interests of everyone working in industry to uphold those standards of ethical practice, to continue to deliver world-leading training to further assist agencies and institutions and to strengthen the certification of those standards. Communication is key to this and a fundamental part of my role each day.
It is my personal mission and desire to help the AIRC expand its reach globally and attract more institutional and agency members who share that passion and drive for “best in class” recruitment practices. Above everything, I believe that the life-changing experience and opportunity that is a USA sports scholarship should ultimately be a potential option for every person in the world, regardless of background, gender or place of birth or living. That is something we have been very proud to make considerable progress with at FirstPoint during 2020 and I am personally driven to support agencies and institutions in ensuring this is possible for student applicants from anywhere around the globe.
Nothing is more relevant to my interest in this position than the personal connection I have to international student recruitment. With three sons in the USA at university I feel the opportunities afforded to them and the process that we went through to get them there are crucial for families considering their child’s future at an institution in the USA. With my professional expertise, personal insight and parental perspective, I believe I can provide a unique, fresh and exciting approach that can add to the excellent collective already driving the AIRC. The future of international student recruitment is full of opportunity and I’m personally committed to making a positive difference in any role I am fortunate enough to hold.
Shariful Khan, The Professional Network (TPNL)
Agency Delegate Candidate
Shariful Islam Khan is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Professional Network & Link-TPNL, an AIRC Certified Agency headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. TPNL is a leading Bangladeshi educational advising and recruitment agency which has been advising students to study overseas since 2000. TPNL is the first and only educational agency to be certified by AIRC in Bangladesh. The agency has offices in Bangladesh and Nepal. The agency has been AIRC Certified since 2014 and through 2029.
Shariful was the Founding General Secretary of the Australian Education Agents’ Association of Bangladesh (AEAAB). In addition to his activities with AEAAB, he has been an active presenter, volunteer and attendee at NAFSA Annual Conferences since 2010, and ICEF events since 2008. A regular attendee at AIRC Conferences, he has presented in sessions with AIRC Board member institutional and agency delegates. Shariful sees great value in meeting with his institutional partners and makes regular trips to these and to prospect members in the US, Australia, the UK, Malaysia, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Japan and India. He is a PIER Qualified Education Agent Counselor, an ICEF Trained Agency Counsellor, a graduate of the ICEF US Agent Course on US Education, and Canada Course for Education Agents, a Education New Zealand Trained Agency, a British Counsel Trained Agent and an Irish Education Agent Course graduate.
Candidate Statment
My association with AIRC goes back to AIRC’s initial days when Mitch Laventhal and John Deupree just started floating the idea. It was also the time our agency, TPNL, started exploring possibilities of representing US schools. As soon as came to learn about an association like AIRC, I immediately contacted Mitch to express my interest to be a part of it. It was the beginning of a great association between AIRC and our agency TPNL.
The reason I wanted to be a part of AIRC was that I always believed in delivering our services to the students in the right manner. I spent most of my student life in overseas after completing a Diploma of Engineering in Bangladesh. I moved to another city for my Diploma program at a young age. My age or inexperience could not stop me from becoming the President of the Student Union. It was perhaps my baptism by fire. What a rewarding experience it was!
My experience as an international student in countries like Cyprus, UK, and Australia taught me ways to learn to cope with issues like home sickness, compatibility, adjusting to new lives and most importantly, how to be tolerant and respectful to other cultures. As an elected international student representative in the student union while I was in Cyprus, I was able to learn how to share my ideas and thoughts with others to find the best possible environment for international students.
I managed the Bangladeshi Students’ Association in Cyprus as the Founding General Secretary which taught me to take challenges at a young age. In an alien environment, in a new culture and settings – it was a tough task to manage a group of young individuals. My family history of leading from the front perhaps made it easier for me. My elder brother is a leading and very well-respected politician in Bangladesh who set a good example for all of us. It was his achievements and accolades that encouraged me to take leading roles. I never hesitated to assume responsibilities.
In my professional life as an educational consultant, I have always played positive roles and managed to lead from the front. I have been discharging the responsibilities as the Founding General Secretary of Australian Education Agents’ Association of Bangladesh- AEAAB since 2006. AEAAB is the only association in Bangladesh to be recognized by the Australian Trade Commission and Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Bangladesh.
It was a huge honor and matter of pride for TPNL to become Bangladesh’s first agency to be certified by AIRC back in 2013. I am delighted to be able to lead the agency to more progress back in 2019 when we have been re-certified for another 10 years. In the meantime, TPNL became Bangladesh’s first agency to open an international office in Nepal.
After all these years in the industry, I thought this is time for me to be more involved with AIRC. AIRC’s mission and vision truly reflects what TPNL and I believe in entirely. It would be a great honor to be able to contribute to AIRCs continuous growth and assist the industry to overcome this unprecedented scenario due to the COVID-19 pandemic.