2026 Region XII Southern District Mini Conference
Global Tremors: A Student's Perspective

The 2026 Region XII Southern District Mini Conference will be hosted on Thursday, July 23 from 8:30AM - 4:30PM PST at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, CA. This year's theme, "Global Tremors: A Student's Perspective", explores the most pressing regulatory, legal, and student-experience issues facing international educators today, with a strong focus on the student point of view.

Sessions include:

• Official SEVP Regulatory Update with three of the SEVP Field Representatives serving Southern California (Donald Delgado, Lindsey Ludwig, and Timothy Pointer), moderated by Violet Ket
• Legal/Regulatory Practitioner Panel featuring Nusha Shishegar (Glendale Community College), Paul Herzog (Law Offices of Paul Herzog), and Candice Garrett (Stone, Grzegorek & Gonzalez LLP)
• OPT/CPT: Student Perspective — a workshop on what students need to navigate when finding a job/internship, managing the paperwork, and closing out the process
• International Student Acclimation — first-hand stories from international students and their peer advocates
• NAFSA Recruitment & Networking — how to get involved with Region XII, followed by a structured speed-friending activity
• Study Abroad: The Student Experience — students who participated in study abroad share their experiences

Event Contact: For questions about the conference, please contact Southern District Chair, Mildred Oriza-Stephens ([email protected]) or Chair-Elect, Becky Kyles ([email protected]).

Registration: Registration will open Monday, June 8, 2026 at 9AM PST. Registration ends the night before the event on Wednesday, July 22 at 11:59PM PST. Onsite registration will not be available.

Registration Rates
From June 8 through July 22, the regular registration fees are as follows:

• $55 for NAFSA members
• $40 for NAFSA Life members or NAFSA retired professional members
• $75 for nonmembers

Sponsorship Opportunities
Full Event Sponsor: $850 (1 available)
Benefits include:

• Recognition as Full Event Sponsor across all event communications
• Prominent logo placement on event welcome page and schedule
• Verbal recognition at opening and closing
• 2-3 minutes to address participants at the start of the event
• exhibitor table with prime placement
• One complimentary registration

Lunch Sponsor: $700 (1 available)
Benefits include:

• Recognition as Lunch Sponsor
• Logo on event welcome page and during lunch hour
• Verbal recognition at lunch
• 1-2 minutes to address participants before lunch
• Exhibitor table during lunch period
• One complimentary registration

Coffee Break Sponsor: $500 (2 available)
Benefits include:

• Recognition as Coffee Break Sponsor
• Logo on event welcome page
• Verbal recognition during breaks
• Signage at the refreshment station
• One complimentary registration

Exhibitor Table: $300 (4 available)
Benefits include:

• Exhibitor table in networking area for the full day
• Logo on event welcome page
• Verbal recognition during opening remarks
• One complimentary registration

Need an account? To register for this event, you must have an account with NAFSA. You can create a FREE NAFSA account by clicking HERE. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Accessibility: We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact the event coordinators Mildred Oriza-Stephens ([email protected]) or Becky Kyles ([email protected]).

Cancellation Policy: Attendee registrations and sponsorships are nonrefundable for this event. Only in exceptional or extenuating circumstances may refunds be considered. To request an exception to this policy, attendees/sponsors must contact the event coordinators Mildred Oriza-Stephens ([email protected]) or Becky Kyles ([email protected]).