Little Victories Every Day

It goes without saying that for many (or for most or all) of us in international education, it has been a difficult year. SEVIS terminations had designated school officials (DSOs) checking records daily. Challenging conversations about returning home or connecting with immigration attorneys to review options were common. Rumors of travel bans became reality. Students and scholars who were eager to start or return to their programs were stranded.

A pause in visa issuance led to emergency meetings and reports. How many were affected? How long would the pause last? What would we do for our students who couldn’t make it to campus? Social media vetting created another barrier in an increasingly arduous process. We had to contend with cancellations, deferrals, denials, and visa revocations.

Just when it seemed we had a grasp on new processes and systems, something new was always around the corner: proposed rules, new fees, shutdowns. Immediate concern from campus stakeholders—how would this affect us? Would it apply to this particular case or not? It was always time for another call to our General Counsel. We sure talked a lot this year!

We all navigated how to keep our campus communities informed. Statements were released. FAQs drafted, reviewed, and approved. What were others saying on Network.NAFSA, social media, and listservs? There was some comfort in community commiseration.

Reminders of Impact

And yet, in the middle of all the craziness, the work went on. I-20s and DS-2019s were issued. Visa appointments were scheduled. Instagram accounts were set to public. Nervous students and scholars reported feeling surprised at the border—everything seemed normal, the same as before. Orientations were adjusted. Accommodations and exceptions for late arrivals were made. New DSOs and alternate responsible officiers were trained. Conference sessions were proposed. Clarifying guidance was issued. Comments on proposed rules were submitted. Lawsuits were filed. Congressional intervention was requested. Advocacy efforts increased. Policies and processes were adjusted.

It can feel overwhelming and disheartening at times when we are buried in work and a new article is being forwarded every day about what is coming next. Take some time when you need to and remind yourself that the thousands of students and scholars at our institutions all have their own stories—and they are the reason we continue to do what we do. There are little victories around us every day, and, as a former colleague once told me, even when you can’t do anything else, you can always make the five feet around you a better place.

‘A Profound Sense of Gratitude’

Every now and then, I will receive an unexpected reminder of the real impact we have on the lives of our international communities. Three examples come to mind:

A student’s Optional Pracitcal Training was approved, and I received a thank-you note for helping them through the process. Although I didn’t feel like I had done much, they said I played a vital role in their success throughout their program.

International students were gathered at an event, and I overheard a student say to the dean that they were very worried about coming to the United States, but always received timely and reassuring support from international student and scholar services.

Another student arrived late due to administrative processing, and I witnessed campus partners collaborating on onboarding the student—registering them for classes, coordinating with faculty to catch up on work, moving them into their residence hall, making sure they were aware of resources, and connecting them with peer mentors.

But the strongest example that comes to mind is an exchange student who, despite everything going on, decided that she was not going to give up the opportunity to come from Cairo to the United States for her study abroad experience. As we worked through the immigration process back and forth through email, her visa was issued just in time to travel to the United States before the start of the semester.

I was unaware that she was fully blind until shortly before her arrival. It is rare for me to come across a situation with an international student that I have not worked through before, and I turned to my colleagues for assistance. I am incredibly grateful to our Office for Disability and Access, which immediately stepped in to help, organized orientation and mobility training, and assisted professors in making sure course materials were accessible. Conversations around cultural differences during international orientation expanded to include accommodations, campus design, and accessibility.

Most recently, toward the end of the semester, she served on an International Education Week panel with international faculty, staff, and students. I am left with a profound sense of gratitude that I get to do what I do. It is a reminder of the importance of our field and that we need to work together as international educators to make sure that these life-changing, cross-cultural opportunities remain open and accessible to all students and scholars.  •

Josh Whitson is associate dean for intercultural engagement at Oberlin College and Conservatory’s Center for Intercultural Engagement.