The NASPA International Symposium facilitates the advancement of global discussion and worldwide understanding of student affairs and services. A key International Symposium goal is to invite and explore new perspectives, and to create new connections to bridge international boundaries. In doing so, the International Symposium expands NASPA’s objective of providing professional learning opportunities to support preparedness for the realities of an increasingly globalized society.

The planning committee has developed a two-day schedule meant to engage and inspire action. You will start Saturday setting the stage for the rest of the weekend, engage with our keynote speaker, and connect with colleagues through networking opportunities. On Sunday, you will engage with experts who will be sure to motivate and inspire you through small group dialogues, breakout sessions and panel discussions. Topped off with plenty of networking opportunities, the NASPA International Symposium will provide you with motivational ideas, actionable steps, and opportunities to connect and learn from your peers.

Roger Blaine Ludeman

President Emeritus
International Association of Student Affairs and Services

Roger Ludeman has spent his entire career working with students at all levels of U.S. public education with the last 35 years being in higher education student affairs and services. He received his undergraduate degree in Music Education and Science Education at the University of South Dakota, Springfield. He has master’s degrees at both the University of South Dakota, Vermillion (Secondary Education and Educational Psychology) and The University of Pittsburgh (Counselor Education and Educational Psychology). He received his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Educational Psychology from The University of Pittsburgh in 1973.

Roger taught school music and science and was a director of guidance (school counseling) for 8 years in South Dakota public schools. He was an accomplished high school band director, a role he cherishes to this day.

Roger entered higher education student affairs work in 1967 serving in senior level student affairs positions in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin until his retirement in 2001.

Ludeman’s professional focus changed to international education in the 1990s when he was designated coordinator of the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater student exchange agreement with Umeå University in Sweden. Since then, most of his professional activity has been in international and comparative aspects of higher education student affairs and services. He has been an active member of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, ACPA – College Student Educators International, and NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and is an honorary member of several associations globally.

Ludeman founded the NASPA International Symposium and International Exchange Program in 1996. He served as the guest editor of Thuso, the Journal of the South African Association of Senior Student Affairs Professionals (SAASSAP) in 2002. He also was editor-in-chief of the groundbreaking UNESCO book, Student Affairs and Services in Higher Education: Global Foundations, Issues and Best Practices in 2002 that has seen 2 additional editions, the latest in 2020, published by Deutsches Studentenwerk. More recently, he co-edited the Boston College Center for International Higher Education book, Global perspectives on student affairs and services: A handbook (2023).

Ludeman has served as a consultant and speaker for numerous institutions and organizations in over 25 countries, the latest being in Turkey. He received three Fulbright grants (Germany, Japan and South Africa). His crowning achievement is as founder (2010) of the International Association of Student Affairs and Services (IASAS) for which he served as its first President.

In addition to volunteering at homeless shelters in Eugene, Oregon, Roger has been active in supporting gay rights and serving on boards of several community organizations. To this day, he regularly meets with University of Oregon international students as their conversation friend resulting in the development of lifelong friendships with students from China, Korea, Nepal and Turkey. He currently sings bass in both the Eugene Concert Choir and the Eugene Symphony Chorus.

He and his wife, Sandy, together have 6 children and 4 grandchildren. They reside in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Baishakhi Taylor

Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
NYU Abu Dhabi

Taylor serves as NYU Abu Dhabi's associate vice chancellor for student affairs, providing strategic oversight for a comprehensive set of programs and resources for students that enables the university to reach its highest aspirations as a source of intellectual, cultural, and social vitality for both the UAE and the wider world. In this role, Taylor oversees the Division of Student Affairs, including residential education, leadership and career development, student life, community outreach, spiritual life, intercultural education, spiritual life, health services, wellness, and athletics. She reports to the Vice Chancellor of NYU Abu Dhabi and is a member of the Vice Chancellor’s cabinet.

Prior to joining NYU Abu Dhabi, Taylor served as the dean of the college at Smith College in Northampton, MA. In her role at Smith, Taylor reported directly to the president and served as a member of the President’s Cabinet and oversaw a variety of offices that work collaboratively to ensure students are successful during their time at Smith. Specifically, she had responsibility for academic advising, international students, student affairs, residential life, student engagement, health and counseling services, athletics, career services, and disability services. She also oversaw several centers, including the Jandon Center for Community Engagement, the Lazarus Center for Career Development, the Lewis Global Studies Center, and the Wurtele Center for Leadership. 

Before joining Smith College, Taylor served as the chief student affairs officer on the president’s cabinet, at Middlebury College overseeing residential life, judicial affairs, health and wellness education, student activities, orientation, and spiritual and religious life. She was also an assistant professor in gender, sexuality and feminist studies and a faculty mentor for Middlebury’s BOLD Women’s Leadership Program. During her tenure at Middlebury, Taylor co-led the Alliance for Inclusive Middlebury, a presidential committee charged with developing a strategic plan for making inclusion a priority for the institution.

Prior to her work at Middlebury, Taylor served as the associate dean of Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke University and the program director of DukeEngage-Kolkata. She was also a member of the faculty at the Duke Center for South Asian Studies and Program in Education. 

Taylor holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Kentucky, a M.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of Northern Iowa and a M.A. and B.A. in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University, India.

Maria del Pilar Murguia

Associate Dean
John Cabot University

Maria del Pilar Murguia was born in Bolivia and raised across Italy and Colombia! Her multicultural life experience allowed her to learn firsthand the challenges that living in different countries entails!  With a business background, Pilar started working in International Higher education since June 2003 at John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. The focus of her work at JCU was and is to establish and maintain an environment that supports learning, encourages a strong sense of community, and promotes student development through active engagement in university life. She currently directly supervises the areas of Athletics, Outdoor Education Programs, Performing Arts, Student Activities and Trips, and Student Leadership Programs (OL, OSA, Student Clubs). She is part of the board of the Crisis Management Team of her University, as well as the University strategic planning committee.

Pilar is a certified Student Leadership Challenge practitioner, and her continued interest in intercultural leadership makes her curious about all new trends in the field. She is an active member AACUPI, NASPA, EUCA among other associations.