April 10, 2024 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Lehigh University linderman library, room 200
sponsored by the office of international affairs
Lehigh University is pleased to host a one-day symposium, “Recruiting International Students and Scholars for Pennsylvania Higher Education: A Strategy for Economic Competitiveness and Innovation,” which explores opportunities to grow enrollments in state colleges and universities. Pennsylvania ranks fourth nationally in terms of the number of international scholars enrolled in state colleges and universities. These students and scholars help drive cutting-edge research and development, fill job openings in critical STEM fields, advance national security, and bolster the state and U.S. economy by generating new domestic startups and businesses.
Dr. Allan Goodman, CEO of the Institute for International Education, will keynote the summit with a discussion about the capacity in US higher education to substantially grow the number of international students -- to double enrollments by 2030 -- and the opportunities this presents for Pennsylvania.
Elle Butler, head of Marketing for IDP, will present the results of a national survey that was conducted with 10 international education organizations, regarding the need for a national policy on international education. Her remarks will focus on specific levers that a national or state strategy can pull.
The summit will conclude with a panel response featuring representatives from the PA Department of Commerce, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Council, and Congresswoman Susan Wild's office about how robust enrollment of international students can contribute to state competitiveness.
There is no fee to attend and lunch will be provided, but registration is required.
Itinerary of Events
10:00 AM: Symposium Open with Recorded Welcome Remarks from Congresswoman Wild
10:15 AM: "What's Ahead, and It's All Good News"
- Dr. Allan Goodman, CEO, Institute for International Education
- Dr. Mirka Martel, Head of Head of Research, Evaluation & Learning (REL), IIE
11:15 AM: "Results of a National Survey on International Education", Elle Butler, Head of Marketing at IDP
11:45 AM: Buffet Lunch
12:30 PM: Panel Discussion: Impacts and Opportunities for Pennsylvania
- Megan Beste, District Director, Congresswoman Susan Wild
- George Lewis, Senior Assistant to the President and CEO, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Council
- Ali Natale, Senior International Trade Specialist, US Commercial Service
- Moderator: Dr. Cheryl Matherly, Vice President/Vice Provost, International Affairs
1:30 PM: Concluding Remarks, Dr. Cheryl Matherly
1:45 PM Networking
Speaker Profiles
Dr. Allan E. Goodman is the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of International Education. Previously, he was Executive Dean of the School of Foreign Service and Professor at Georgetown University. He is the author of books on international affairs published by Harvard, Princeton and Yale University presses. Dr. Goodman served as Presidential Briefing Coordinator for the Director of Central Intelligence in the Carter Administration. He has a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard, an M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and a B.S. from Northwestern University.
Mirka Martel is Head of Research, Evaluation & Learning at the Institute of International Education. She manages research and evaluation projects specializing in international education, leadership, and development. Dr. Martel’s oversight of key resources, including the historic Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange and the Project Atlas research initiative on global student mobility, advances the field and provides strategic insight into the future of academic mobility flows in the United States and worldwide. Her recent publications include Prospects for International Students amid Rebounding Global Mobility (2022) and Senior International Officers on U.S. Higher Education Campuses (2023), co-authored with IIE’s CEO Allan Goodman. She holds a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University and a Doctorate in International and Comparative Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Elle Butler is Head of Marketing for North America at IDP Connect. She holds 13 years of experience in higher education marketing, with ten of those years in international education. At IDP Connect, Elle leads the marketing strategy and thought leadership for the US and Canada, engaging with current and future partners to support their international student marketing and recruitment efforts.
Panelist Profiles
Megan Beste has served as the District Director for Congresswoman Susan Wild (PA-07) since 2018. Congresswoman Wild’s district includes the Lehigh Valley, Carbon County, and a portion of Monroe County. Prior to her work as an employee of the House of Representatives, Megan worked as a consultant in the areas of community relations, philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. She and her family reside in Bethlehem.
George Lewis is Senior Assistant to the President & CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. He supports LVEDC’s initiatives to market the region through strategies that attract and develop talent, and recruit and retain companies in key target sectors. He previously led the Marketing, Communications, and Research functions at LVEDC, which he joined in 2017 after a 30-year career in Corporate Communications at PPL and Talen Energy. He began his career as a journalist and editor at a central Pennsylvania newspaper. He has a degree in Journalism from Penn State University and has completed executive programs in business communications, crisis communications, finance, and leadership.
Ali Natale is an International Trade Specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce - U.S. Commercial Service Philadelphia. Ali covers the Education, Textiles, Chemicals, Automotive, and the Consumer Goods industries, working closely with U.S. businesses to assist them in growing internationally. Ali is also a NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP). Previously, she worked at Axalta Coating Systems, a coatings manufacturer, where she most recently held a Product Management role, specializing in managing product portfolios and leveraging and transferring technologies and products across global regions. Ali was also a previous intern with the U.S. Commercial Service, where she supported efforts to connect U.S. products with international buyers. Ali graduated from Saint Joseph's University in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in International Business and minors in Spanish and Economics.
Campus Navigation
- Directions to Lehigh University
- Directions to Linderman Library
- Directions to Alumni Memorial Building Parking Pavilion (parking can be paid for using the Passport Parking App - Park. Pay. Be on Your Way. © in the designated areas)
- Directions to additional visitor parking
Nearby Hotels
- Bethlehem Comfort Suites 0.3 miles from Lehigh University
- Wind Creek Bethlehem 0.9 miles from Lehigh University
- Historic Hotel Bethlehem 1.3 miles from Lehigh University
For more information, contact The Office of International Affairs, 610-758-2981