By Maria Perez
Tri-C’s population is known for being incredibly diverse, from the college’s faculty and staff to the students, and especially students. How is Tri-C making sure that the international students’ population needs are covered and how is the institution working on assuring students’ feelings of welcome and inclusion?
Tri-C has an office dedicated to helping international students called Global and International Student Services. This office primarily addresses issues such as student immigration status and other legal aspects, but is currently in the process of creating a club for international students on the Westshore campus, and possibly across all campuses. Previously and currently, extracurricular and recreational events have been held, including theater nights, dining out, games, and potluck gatherings on campus.
The first official event that will be held by the international club is going to be The Int’l Education Day celebration and it will be held on Tuesday, November 18 in the Westshore Campus Atrium from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. There will be International Games, International Flag Trivia, an International Snack table and a Cultural table where multiple country’s items will be displayed. These types of activities help students feel that they belong more and help the international community feel more welcome. At The Westshore Campus, the International advisor Lori Brindisi’s office is located inside the Enrollment Center.
In addition to the international office, most departments are known for being very helpful towards international students, like the Career and Transfer Center, which helps students find job opportunities, update their resumes, transfer to different schools, and even assists them in finding the best career fit for them, having in mind the differences that international students’ processes have.
Al Lopez Academic Alliance is another group that helps international students; they focus more on the Latin community. They offer services like one-on-one help with enrollment, FAFSA completion and registration, referrals to tutoring and academic support, and bilingual (Spanish-speaking) staff. Also, they offer scholarship programs and host Latin culture-related on-campus events. Their office is located at the Western Campus in room WSSG-214.
There is much more to improve regarding international students’ services, but at the same time, there are so many resources at Tri-C that can make international students’ experiences more enjoyable and easier to manage.
