April 2023
Images from Holi Fest
Highlights from Holi Fest hosted by The South Asian Student Intercultural Association (SASIA) on April 1st.
International Center Hours Monday through Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
Drop-In Hours are Monday through Thursday 2 pm to 4 pm. Appointments can be scheduled through Handshake. The URL for Handshake is https://clarkson.joinhandshake.com/edu
Search for Global Opportunities in CU Global at this link: https://clarkson-horizons.symplicity.com/https://clarkson-horizons.symplicity.com/
Fulbright Scholar Liaison Update – April 2023
One of the most common questions received from Fulbright Scholar Liaisons is how they can best promote and support the Fulbright Scholar Program on campus. Creating and supporting Fulbright friendly policies is one of the most crucial parts of the Scholar Liaison role. In February, the Chronicle of Higher Education published an article by Karen Fischer, “How to be ‘Fulbright Friendly.'” This is an excellent resource for any institution seeking to become a top producer of Fulbright Scholars.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program ’24-’25 Competition is Now Open!
Students with a BA, graduate students up to just before PhD conferral, and young professionals in all academic disciplines can apply for grants for independent research, graduate study, or teaching English in more than 140 countries worldwide. Interested applicants can learn more at us.fulbrightonline.org . Students can search for the Fulbright Program Adviser to guide them through the application process, search for an award, and attend webinars and office hours . If you know any students who meet the eligibility requirements, direct them to contact the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus. Applications are due on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 5pm Eastern Time.
May 30, 9:00 am – Fulbright Institutional Training in Washington D.C. (The week of NAFSA)
Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, DC
Fulbright Institutional Trainings are a unique opportunity for Program Advisers (U.S. students) and Scholar Liaisons (faculty, administrators, and professionals) to come together to deepen Fulbright engagement at their institution.
Fulbright Liaison of the Month
Every month a liaison doing exceptional work for the Fulbright Scholar Program on their campus.
April Featured Liaison: Dr. Voytek (Wojciech) Wloch from Sacred Heart University.
How long have you been a Scholar Liaison?
I have been a Fulbright Liaison since 2019.
What do you like best about your role as a Scholar Liaison?
What I like most about my role as a Fulbright Scholar Liaison is the fact that I get to build relationships, interact with, and support those who understand the importance of global educational diplomacy.
What is your Fulbright best practice?
Networking is key, but many see it as an external activity. At Sacred Heart University, we have built a robust database of internal expertise, which we poll for knowledge. It’s a living inventory that helps us understand where we are as an institution and who to reach out to for assistance in gaining momentum for global projects, including Fulbright.
For more information, you can contact Voytek at wlochw@sacredheart.edu .
Contact: outreach@iie.org
The International Center is now offering Zoom Open Hours for new International Students! Please Encourage your students to attend! These sessions will assist them with pre arrival questions.
When? Fridays from 9-10 am
International Visitors: The Process
The International Center assists departments and faculty sponsors with hiring or hosting international faculty, staff and scholars under the J Exchange Visitor Program. This includes:
● assistance with immigration document preparation
● arrival guide for J Scholars
● general scholar advising to those on J visa status
Clarkson can issue documents under the following categories:
● J Professor / Research Scholar: Individual whose primary duties are teaching or research. These categories commingle. Length of stay is 3-weeks to 5-years
● J1 Short-Term Scholar: A professor, research scholar or person with similar education or accomplishments coming to the US on a short-term visit for the purpose of lecturing, observing, training or demonstrating special skills. Length of stay is up to 6-months.
● J Student Intern: Student pursuing a degree outside the US where the internship is fulfilling the education objective for his/her degree at home institution. Special conditions do apply. Length of stay is 3-weeks to 1-year.
Please visit the International Center intranet to view the ‘Steps to host a J-1 Scholar’.
Important Note: Please allow at least 2 – 3 months processing prior to the start of the J program. This allows enough time for International Center staff to review and process the visa paperwork, visa processing – and – travel to Clarkson University.
Please email internationalcenter@clarkson.edu with any questions or requests.
Visa Application Challenges
As the graduate recruiting season continues in full force please be mindful that students from certain countries may encounter delays in visa processing. US Consulates in India are now in sync. The wait time for visa appointments is 38 days. US Consulates in Nigeria are still experiencing a variety of wait times for visa appointments. While things may change over time, please keep this in mind when reviewing applications.
It is important to understand that when students apply for their
student visas, they are required to answer 3 basic questions:
● What is the reason for your travel to the United States?
● How do you plan to pay for your educational expenses?
● Prove strong ties to your home country.
Challenges once these questions have been answered:
● Overcoming the US Consular Officers’ perception of immigrant
intent. The applicant must prove strong ties to their home country.
● Visa appointment shortages.
● Global/political challenges – Some countries are currently going through some political turmoil which impacts the US Consulates availability to provide regular visa services. In some instances, that makes the US Consular Officer sensitive to the applicant’s intent to travel to the US. Natural disasters are also causing delays.
● The applicant’s previous visa application history. If a student has been denied more than two times, this may have an impact on their visa application.
The US Department of State continues to make student visa applications a priority.
Clarkson International Center | ERC 2300 | email: internationalcenter@clarkson.edu
