This year’s awards brought fresh energy to the program, with new and updated categories that better reflect where international education and meaningful travel are headed next.
The response was strong: more than 300 nominations came in across this year’s award categories. After the finalists were selected, winners were chosen through voting by the GoAbroad Innovation Awards Academy, along with public voting for the Student Video and People’s Choice Awards.
The Innovation Awards night took place on May 28, 2026, in Orlando, Florida, during NAFSA week. The evening brought together members of the international education and meaningful travel community to recognize the organizations, institutions, programs, campaigns, and individuals leading standout work across the field.
Thank you to everyone who nominated, voted, attended, and helped make this year’s awards possible.
View the 2026 Innovation Awards Winners
Special 2026 Humanitarian Award
This year, the GoAbroad Foundation was proud to present the Humanitarian Award to Chris Arnold, a serial entrepreneur, global changemaker, and longtime advocate for youth leadership and international exchange. Chris has founded more than ten companies, including Camp Leaders and Smaller Earth, helping connect thousands of young people each year to cultural exchange opportunities around the world.
Chris is now the Founder of Made Impact, a bold initiative aiming to gather one million stories of international exchange to champion the industry as a strategy for peace, prosperity, and progress. Through his work, Chris continues to show how international exchange can open doors, build understanding, and create lasting impact across communities. Congratulations to Chris Arnold, and thank you for your continued commitment to moving the field forward.