David C. Elwell

Associate Dean and Director

(he/him/his)

David has worked in the field of international education and exchange since 1992. In August 2015, David was appointed Associate Dean and Director of the International Students Office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His primary responsibilities include advising Institute administration on matters impacting the international student experience; overseeing advising services to international students on visa, employment, academic, health and wellness, and cultural adjustment concerns; and serving as liaison to appropriate government agencies. In partnership with academic and administrative departments, David oversees regulatory compliance and promoting student support services and cross-cultural programming to international students and the entire campus community.

David previously served as Director of the International Students and Scholars Offices at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts for 15 years (2000-2015) and Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts for 3 years (1997-2000). He also served as International Student Advisor and Coordinator of Admissions and Records in the Office of International Services at Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY from 1992-1997.

David has held a number of National and Regional member positions in NAFSA: Association of International Educators, including National Chair of NAFSA’s International Student & Scholar Regulatory Practice Committee (ISS-RP), and presents at conferences and workshops widely on issues impacting international students and scholars. David holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Clark University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish Language, Literature and Culture from Syracuse University.

David enjoys watching and participating in all kinds of sports, and has had amazing travel experiences with his family (so far) to India, United Kingdom, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Canada, Germany and The Netherlands.

Advising Cohort

Graduate Students in Sloan, Course 15:

Operations Research (OR)
Master of Business Analytics (MBAn)