Employment Trends in International Student Affairs
The 2014 Open Doors Report highlights the significant growth of international students since 2000, leading to increased staff positions and greater government oversight in roles such as International Relations Director and Study Abroad Coordinator. Key issues faced by both students and professionals include language barriers, cultural differences, and limited resources for supporting international students, as discussed in an interview with Masume Assaf, Director of International Student Services at Penn State.
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Presentation Transcript
HI ED 490 Group Project International Student Affairs Shannon Hutchinson Lana Munip Rachel Ballard
Employment Trends Overall: 2014 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange stated since 2000, # of international students grown 72% to 886,052 Increasing staff positions International relations director, study abroad coordinator, international student adviser, student programming coordinator, global operations coordinator/risk analyst, and others Reporting requirements have increased Greater government oversight than in the past Job is much more technical
Key Issues Issues for International Students: Language barrier struggle to understand professors expectations Social/Cultural differences can cause psychological discomforts such as stress or anxiety Issues for Professionals: Lack of respect few understand the complexity and volume of work undertaken by International Student Services Offices Lack of resources/staff approximately 7 staff to the 8,000 international students (Penn State # s)
Interview with Masume Assaf Director of International Student Services at Penn State. Career focus: International Student Adviser Masume s Career Path Worked in international student advising for 37 years Directorate of International Student Services (ISS), which is a unit within Global Programs at Penn State M.S. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) SUNY Albany B.A. Dual Major: Political Science & Near Eastern Languages and Literature Interview conducted March 2, 2015 in International Student Services Office, 4th fl., Boucke Building, University Park, 16802
Day to Day work for 3 Areas of ISS Pre-Arrival: Review documentation and financial guarantees, and issue visas to admitted students before they arrive in the U.S. International Student Advising: Work with all international students at Penn State (more than 8,000) Maintain records and immigration reporting requirements, advise students on immigration issues, and general student advising. oRecord any change in student status oAdvise students with issues that are not immigration-related oMaintain contact with international students who have graduated and doing optional practical training in the U.S. for up to 36 months International Scholar Advising: Work with visiting scholars and international employees
Skills & Qualifications Needed Essential: Technical skills reporting online via the Federal Government s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and other web-based programs The ability to synthesize complex government regulations Flexibility may need to stay late at work to process documents A master s degree (in any field) Desired: Related work experience in immigration International experience, including living or studying abroad, or working with international students
Hiring Practices ISS will not hire someone without a Master s degree for an adviser position, even if the person has experience More Valuable Fields: oEducation-related programs oCounselling oLinguistics oInternational affairs oPsychology ISS tends to hire applicants with experience in either academic advising or admissions On-the-job training takes approximately 2 months
Advice for Young Professionals Related experience like academic advising and admissions is looked on positively. Volunteer with international student-based organizations like Global Connections, or intern with ISS to gain some direct experience with international students. This would also demonstrate your interest in the field. You could apply to work in pre-arrivals, and use the experience gained there to move up to an international student adviser position. Working in pre-arrivals could be considered entry-level, as this position does not require a master s degree. Make connections within the ISS office and make your interest level known.
Self-reflection Questions to ask yourself to help decide if this is what you would want to do as a career: Are you passionate about helping international students transition to college in another country? Are you organized to stay on top of the clerical work of processing government documents? Are you okay with a lower amount of recognition? Can you be the person behind the scenes? Do you enjoy building relationships with students? Can you relate? Can you advise students with the psychological discomforts they may experience during this transition?
