International Admissions Intern

Santa Fe College Employees•Gainesville, FL

About The Position

International Student Services (ISS) provides a wide range of specialized support for international students at Santa Fe College. The ISS Admissions Specialist assists in the design, development, and implementation of programs that increase international student enrollment and encourage student success. The Admissions Specialist is responsible for recruiting international students; providing immigration and academic advising support to F-1 students through the admissions process and throughout their enrollment; organizing International Student Orientation; advising college administrators, faculty, and staff on F-1 student issues; serving as a Designated School Official (DSO); providing direction, information, personal attention, care, and support to students in the development of their academic and career goals; and maintaining and updating international student records. Additionally, the Admissions Specialist is expected to problem solve a variety of complex immigration issues and interact with various internal and external constituents, including government agencies, international high schools, representatives from the business community, and SF departments.

Requirements

Current graduate student studying Higher Education Administration or a related field.

Responsibilities

Provides guidance on all aspects of the admissions process for prospective international students and their families/sponsors (including requirements for admission, timelines, and visa options), supports them in their admission to their chosen programs of study, and enables their lawful entry to the U.S.
Participates in local and international recruitment opportunities as a representative of the college and of International Student Services.
Reviews and manages documents submitted for admission, makes admissions decisions, issues immigration documents, directs applicants to transcript translation services, and maintains necessary records and databases.
Serves as a Designated School Official (DSO) in maintaining the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and all related certification requirements; establishes, updates, and tracks F-1 students' SEVIS files on a semesterly basis.
Organizes SEVIS data processing under the guidelines provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and maintain data and quality control management.
Advises students with immigration petitions and applications to include processing for new F-1 visas, work permits, reinstatements, reduced course load authorizations, change of status, medical leave, and economic hardship employment authorization.
Liaises with transfer institutions and refers students to appropriate college, community, and university contacts to assist with the transfer process.
Supports international students who are experiencing cross-cultural, family, personal or economic crisis, which may impact academic performance; helps them access appropriate college and community services/resources.
Collaborates with staff in the International Center to design, develop, and implement programs that support the unique needs of F-1 international students, including new International Student Orientation.
Prepares and conducts assessments for programs and initiatives of responsibility to include developing and implementing retention strategies.
Responds to student inquiries and requests for information via phone, email, Zoom, social media, and other appropriate communication platforms.
Works in partnership with SF departments and with those in the greater community to benefit SF's international students and to support the college's international education agenda.
Maintains relationships with applicable professional organizations and attends trainings provided by these organizations to keep abreast of changes in federal rules and regulations.
Complies with all published College Rules, procedures, guidelines, and laws/regulations governing public employees, including but not limited to those related to document retention and destruction, FERPA, and confidentiality.
Strictly honors the privacy, security, and confidentiality of student records and other sensitive information according to appropriate state, federal, and college regulations, policies, and procedures.
Provides service excellence through courteous, informed, accessible, and professional engagement.
Performs other duties as assigned.