For Immediate Release
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Executive Director
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Andrade to further the organization’s advocacy for international students by broadening membership and strengthening public and private partnerships.
Falls Church, VA, (Feb. 28, 2022) – Vanessa Andrade, director of international partnership and program development and deputy senior international officer at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), has been appointed treasurer of the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) board of directors.
The position is a three-year commitment, during which time Andrade will help bolster advocacy for international students worldwide by broadening AIRC membership to include boarding schools, community colleges, and recruitment agencies in underrepresented countries, while also reaching more private and public universities.
At a time when institutions across academia are facing budget cuts to their international education programs, AIRC remains a strong, highly valuable resource helping institutions allocate their resources wisely and effectively.
“Vanessa’s well-known entrepreneurial talents and proven ability to grow revenue, reduce costs, and improve organizational performance will help keep AIRC on task as it grows a stronger, more diverse membership and continues to build key relationships with government and partner agencies,” notes AIRC Executive Director Brian Whalen.
The US has a big task in strengthening its position as a study destination. It takes a strategic, collaborative effort involving many stakeholders and AIRC plays an important role. Vanessa has long been a strong leader and champion for international students.
It’s an assignment Vanessa feels drawn to. “International education changed my life as a young person. Now, through my work with AIRC and CSUN, I am able to pay it forward. I love my industry. I’m a product of my industry. And I am proud to be in a position to help shape international education as it exists today and into the future,” said Andrade. “I believe deeply in the power of cross-cultural understanding and connection.”
In addition to her work with AIRC, Vanessa serves on the advisory board of directors for IDP Connect; Cambridge North America Advisory Council; MSN Media US Advisory Board; is president-elect for the Study Consortium of California; and has been appointed to the Southern California District Export Council by US Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. She specializes in recruitment agency management, international partnerships, international language center management, academic program operations, staff training and development, ESL instruction, and curriculum development.
“Vanessa is an exceptional talent who has served AIRC in many capacities, including helping to develop our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Declaration last year. I’m thrilled she has accepted a spot on our board’s leadership team,” added Whalen.
About California State University, Northridge
Since 1958, California State University, Northridge has been elevating Los Angeles and beyond. The university’s commitment to student success, inclusive excellence, and service to the community has made it a national model for institutions of higher learning. Its history began as San Fernando Valley State College in portable classrooms on former agricultural land and has evolved into the second-largest public master’s university in the nation. As of 2020, more than 370,000 alumni serve as the economic spark for Southern California and beyond. CSUN graduates more than 11,000 students annually, who go on to create social change, make new discoveries, and better our world.