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Orientation Presentations
Orientation Presentations Once the scholar arrives on campus, most but not all of the institutions have some kind of orientation to provide important information. The types of programs vary from Power Point to overheads to handouts, as well as from formal presentations to informal answering of specific questions scholars might have. The orientation might be daily or weekly or twice a month and lasting from one to several hours. There are many ways to orient new scholars.
Three staff members in the dean of student/international advisor’s office are responsible for the planning of the orientation program, but a large number of faculty, administrators, and staff gets involved. The annual budget is $2,500, not counting the salaries of the three members. All new internationals are encouraged to attend the orientation and requested to arrange their arrival times so that they can attend the orientation. Almost all who can, do attend. The program was begun in 2001 and has served well.
Topics covered in the orientation that spans a two and a half week period:
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Offer handouts on other relevant topics
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Orientation to America
Orientation to America Program
Orientation Outline
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Orientation materials include:
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Scholar orientations are held every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Office of International Programs. Scholars are not required to sign up for the orientation. They can attend any Wednesday session. A small conference room is used for the orientation. Scholars are advised that if they are unable to make this time, they should call the Office of International Programs (OIP) to schedule an appointment with their advisor. The orientation has a fairly low budget. The main cost is the printing of the handbooks and the folders for the materials provided. The rest of the materials are photocopied in house, so it is no great expense, about $1,350 for about 300 new J-1 scholars per year.
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On orientation day, the newcomers' files (saved from check-in) are taken to the office conference/orientation room and passed to each scholar when he/she comes in. It's easy to see then who has forgotten to come, which is the most common reason for not attending. Later that day any person who did not attend is called or emailed to let them know the next orientation day. If the next one is blown off, the supervising professor gets a call. This doesn't happen often.
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The orientation includes:
Materials distributed at orientation:
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At the orientation, we gather personal information, check their immigration documents, give a letter to take to the Social Security Administration, and validate arrival in SEVIS. We also give an arrival packet of information, and we cover other information the scholars will need to get started at OSU and in Columbus.
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- Calvin Theological Seminary
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Cyprus Fulbright Commission
- Duke University
- Georgetown University
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- University of Kentucky
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota
- Ohio State University
- University of Southern California
- University of Texas Medical Branch
Calvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Theological Seminary’s orientation is geared to students but contains topics that apply to all internationals, both scholars and students.Three staff members in the dean of student/international advisor’s office are responsible for the planning of the orientation program, but a large number of faculty, administrators, and staff gets involved. The annual budget is $2,500, not counting the salaries of the three members. All new internationals are encouraged to attend the orientation and requested to arrange their arrival times so that they can attend the orientation. Almost all who can, do attend. The program was begun in 2001 and has served well.
Topics covered in the orientation that spans a two and a half week period:
- Information technology – computer labs, passcodes, student ID card
- Health insurance information
- Library tour
- Campus safety
- Finances
- Cultural adjustment/shock
- American cultural values
- Evaluation
- Handout
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Carnegie Mellon University
For the last three years, Carnegie Mellon has conducted weekly orientation sessions for all new scholars (called Scholar Mini Orientations) – groups that range in size from 1 to 10 people and include primarily J scholars, but also Hs on occasion. With the exception of returning researchers or faculty (who may check in during an individual appointment, if desired), orientation is required for all J scholars. The total scholar population is approximately 500 in the course of a year. Leadership of these meetings rotates among the three foreign student/scholar advisors and the director. These sessions are held at the office conference table. Meetings typically last one hour, depending on the number of questions.This model has been successful and useful. In addition to serving the scholars, some of the pressure is relieved from departments that would otherwise most likely have a hit-or-miss approach to assisting scholars with these topics.
Activities and topics included in the weekly sessions:
- Copy and sign documents
- Review Checklist for New Foreign Scholars
- Discuss issues (maintaining status, extension, 2-year home residency, J-2 work authorization, etc.)
- Review office services
- Answer questions
Offer handouts on other relevant topics
- Social security
- Driver’s license
- OIE calendar of events
- Information for spouses and families
- Child-care resources
- Housing information
- Bank handout
- U.S. culture information
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Cyprus Fulbright Commission
The Cyprus Fulbright Commission deals with students from Cyprus studying abroad in America. This perspective of our scholars at home in their country, and looking abroad at America, may cause us to see the materials we send them, and our orientation when they arrive here, a little differently.Orientation to America
- Quiz “What is America Like?”
- American culture – values, assumptions, beliefs
- Culture shock
- Social life in America – recreation, activities, social habits & customs
- American holidays
- Dangers and precautions – drugs, alcohol, STDs, AIDS, etc.
- Shopping
- Banking
- Food
- Travel
- Safety
- Ethnic groups and minorities in the U.S.
- Regionalism in the U.S.
- Reverse culture shock
Orientation to America Program
Orientation Outline
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Duke University
A brief history of scholar acclimation services, International House at Duke UniversityOrientation materials include:
- Guidelines for scholar orientations and assistance
- Scholar orientations
- Request for Visiting Scholar Services
- International Scholar Orientations and Assistance
- International House
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Georgetown University
When a DS-2019 form is issued for a new J-1 scholar, pre-arrival information is sent that includes information about the scholar orientation. This information stresses the importance of attending this orientation session as soon as possible after arrival or at the latest 30 days after the start date of the DS-2019 form. Scholars receive a post-arrival checklist that includes the orientation at the top of the list as well. Since the implementation of SEVIS, a notice is also sent to the department administrator who requested the J-1 that the DS-2019 form has been issued and that the scholar is required to attend this orientation. There is still some follow up to do with scholars to find out when they are arriving and to make sure they attend the orientation, but since the administrators are the ones who generally see the international first, communication with the administrators has helped a lot.Scholar orientations are held every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Office of International Programs. Scholars are not required to sign up for the orientation. They can attend any Wednesday session. A small conference room is used for the orientation. Scholars are advised that if they are unable to make this time, they should call the Office of International Programs (OIP) to schedule an appointment with their advisor. The orientation has a fairly low budget. The main cost is the printing of the handbooks and the folders for the materials provided. The rest of the materials are photocopied in house, so it is no great expense, about $1,350 for about 300 new J-1 scholars per year.
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois does not offer group orientation for their scholars. It would be a challenge to offer regular sessions due to staffing and space problems, but also offering orientation for people who arrive all through the year is certainly more challenging than students who arrive at the beginning of the semester. Most of their scholars check in and hit the labs, and they envision encountering some resistance to getting them back to their office for orientation if it doesn’t happen the week they arrive. Currently, they send the scholars pre-arrival materials with their DS-2019s including a J-1 Program Handbook. After they get to campus, they meet with an international scholar adviser and receive information and materials, including a handbook, but in a one-on-one format.[Back to top]
University of Kentucky
UK now has 214 active research scholars with J-1 visas. There is only one scholar advisor who has other duties as well. Orientations are held twice monthly.On orientation day, the newcomers' files (saved from check-in) are taken to the office conference/orientation room and passed to each scholar when he/she comes in. It's easy to see then who has forgotten to come, which is the most common reason for not attending. Later that day any person who did not attend is called or emailed to let them know the next orientation day. If the next one is blown off, the supervising professor gets a call. This doesn't happen often.
- Orientation agenda
- Handout (Maintaining your J Visa Status)
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Massachusetts Institute of Techonology
Orientation is from 10:00 to 12:00 every Thursday. All international scholars must attend orientation upon arrival at the Institute. When they check in with their departments, laboratories, and centers upon arrival, the departments send them immediately to the ISO to register. They are invited to orientation when they register. There is no "budget" for orientation. The cost of photocopies and other orientation costs are part of the general ISO budget.The orientation includes:
Materials distributed at orientation:
- ISO welcome booklet (35 pages) covering:
- All about campus
- Benefits
- Services
- City and area
- A copy of the ISO's travel advisory
- Handouts about the different health insurance options
- A handout on safety tips
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University of Michigan
The University of Michigan International Center holds an orientation session once a week for newly arriving scholars. These orientation materials are among those given to scholars during this mandatory check-in and orientation program.[Back to top]
University of Minnesota
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) provides a welcome packet, handbook and orientation as resources for incoming scholars at the University of Minnesota.
Newly arrived international scholars and their spouses have the opportunity to attend a voluntary Scholar Orientation. One-hour orientation sessions are offered weekly and are facilitated by the Director of ISSS. Through a welcoming small group environment, orientations are tailored to meet the individual needs of the participants. Topics usually covered can range from ISSS programs and services, housing, transportation, campus orientation and health insurance to sports and recreation, entertainment and protocol. Additional materials are given or referrals are made based on interests or needs.
Scholar Handbook
Here scholars will find information encompassing the following:
- ISSS office information
- Immigration information and services
- Arrival checklist and information
- Programs and services at ISSS
- Orientation to the Twin Cities and University of Minnesota
- Culture in the United States
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Ohio State University
The Ohio State University has instituted a new orientation program. We have daily orientations at 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Through our pre-arrival materials, we notify the arriving scholars that they must come to our office and check in upon arrival on campus.At the orientation, we gather personal information, check their immigration documents, give a letter to take to the Social Security Administration, and validate arrival in SEVIS. We also give an arrival packet of information, and we cover other information the scholars will need to get started at OSU and in Columbus.
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University of Southern California
USC requires a check-in interview for each arriving scholar at which time they are to bring the completed permanent record form and all supporting immigration status related documents. At that time they are advised of our on-going programs and activities and any questions they might have are answered.[Back to top]
University of Texas Medical Branch
The University of Texas Medical Branch provided very complete orientation materials including many examples.- Orientation presentation (Power Point 10.2MB)
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