Digest 3/16

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Traveling outside the U.S. for Spring Break? Make sure you have a valid travel signature Due to high seasonal demand, if you will be leaving the country during the spring, we recommend that you check now to see whether you need your I-20 or DS-2019 signed for travel. If you do, please come to the office and request your travel documents as soon as possible. At minimum, come ONE WEEK before you plan to travel.  NO SAME DAY REQUESTS WILL BE PROCESSED. For more information, read our Travel Signature Notice. International Food & Music Festival: More Volunteers Needed Even though all the performing spots have been filled, we still need volunteers willing to do some cooking and provide the festival with some cultural displays! See below for sign up details.

IN THIS WEEK'S DIGEST...

 

OISS EVENTS - St. Patrick's Day Coffee Hour, International Food & Music Festival, OPT Workshop, and Tax Office Workshop WEEKLY SPOTLIGHT - Coffee Hour TULANE OPPORTUNITIES - CPS Employment, Portugese/English Practice, Academic Recharge Program. EVENTS - China Lights, Visual Activism, Jazz Fest, Crawfest, and more.  NEWS - Quirks of New Orleans Culture, Africana udies, Academic Preparation for International Students.

 

EVENTS

 

Come Join us at the St. Patrick's Day Themed Coffee Hour after Inaugruration! (see below) Happy St. Patrick's Day! Join students, scholars, the Baptist Campus Ministry and the OISS at our fun-filled St. Patrick's Day Coffee Hour! Meet other international students, get to know the OISS staff, and celebrate this fun spring holiday with some fun green activities and snacks! We hope to see you there! When: Thursday, March 7, from 4:00 - 5:00 pm (NEW TIME THIS WEEK ONLY due to the inauguration!) Where: Greenbaum Lounge (Bldg #71, Uptown)

 

Are you interested in advising OISS on international students needs and concerns? Do you want to participate in the development of new initiatives, interact with the wider University community to raise the visibility of international students, and develop your leadership abilities? OISS is currently accepting applications for the 2016/2017 International Student Advisory Board (ISAB). OISS seeks a board that is highly diverse and broadly representative of Tulane's international student body.  Serving on ISAB provides members with many opportunities to represent the voices and experiences of international students, develop as leaders, shape OISS programs and policies, give back to the international student community and the university, work with other international students and OISS staff, and learn more aout OISS and Tulane University. The ISAB Board meets on Mondays from 6-8pm every other week on the Uptown campus. Please only consider applying if you will be available to meet on Monday evenings.  Applications are due by Sunday, April 3rd. For more information and to apply, click HERE International Food and Music Festival (UPDATE!)

 

We are still in need for volunteers! The list for performers is full, however we still need people who are willing to help with the event in the following areas:

Cooking international cuisine (you will be reimbursed from $75-100) Donating International Cuisine Cultural Booth (Share cultural tradition with poster board, display, presentation, and/or activity. 4:30-6:30pm) Set Up Crew (help set up the room and space from 12pm-4pm) Serving (help serve food from 3:30-6:30 pm. You MUST take the health & hazard certification to serve food HERE) Clean-up Crew (help clean up the tables, rooms, and take out trash. 6pm-7:30pm) Kid Zone (helping entertain kids, supervising the kids area, etc.) Vendor (selling crafts, clothing, accessories, etc)

 

Steps After OPT & H1-B Workshops Are you finishing your OPT and wondering what to do next? Or are you on an H1-B Visa and want information on the steps to becoming a Permanent Resident? Please join us for an information session featuring representatives from the law firm of Ware Immigration.  First workshop: April 8, 10am-12pm at WH251 (Weinman Hall) Second Workshop: April 12, 12pm-2pm at Downtown Campus (ROOM TBD)

Optional Practical Training OPT is a benefit available to all students who have been in F-1 status for at least one academic year. OPT allows you to work in your field of study for up to 12 months (27 months for certain STEM fields). Access to OPT instructions and forms are HERE. You may submit your complete OPT application packet at OISS each week at any of the following drop-in times: Monday 12:00pm - 1:00pm                                     Monday 3:30pm - 4:30 pm                                         Wednesday 8:30am-9:30am

 

 

Weekly Spotlight: Graduation is fast approaching! Many of the attendees of the March 3 coffee hour were able to attend GRAD FEST en route to coffee hour. Not only did they get their caps and gowns to wear on graduation day, but they also started to get really excited about becoming Tulane University Graduates!  Pictured Left: Sonja Ebert, Michela Sandri, and James Bayanai with their GRAD FEST swag at coffee hour

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES AT TULANE

 

Tulane International Society is holding elections April 13th for the 2016-2017 Executive Board  Applications should be submitted to tulaneinternationalsociety@gmail.com by April 11th with your full name, email, class (fr, so, jr, sr), the position you're interested in, and a paragraph or two detailing why you're interested and/or why you'd be a good fit. The co-presidents are elected from members who have experience serving on the e-board, but all the following positions are open. Let us know if you have any questions! Vice President Perform the President's tasks in the event of their absence Coordinate with other on-campus orgs Treasurer Responsible for budgeting expenses prior to the beginning of every semester Process reimbursements with the staff advisor Secretary Keep records of all activities and meetings Public Relations Chair Liaison between members and greater campus community by sending email updates, making flyers, updating the Facebook page, etc. Document events Lead recruitment efforts International Student Liaison Serve as a liaison to the international community and encourage participation among international students Assist the public relations chair with recruitment efforts

 

Academic Recharge Program Located in Diboll, the Academic Recharge Program at the Tulane Success Center provides assistance for students who experience difficulties at the semester midpoint and beyond. THe program aims to help students regain satisfactory academic status. Success staff members will assist students to develop a meaningful personal plan for academic success through intensive coaching, guidance on the utilization of Tulane support services, and suggestions to improve in the areas of academic weakness. Full time UNDERGRADUATE students in Newcomb Tulane College can receive assistance with: Study strategies, Test taking/Test anxiety, time management, organization/planning, motivation & stress management, and more. Click HERE to complete the Academic Recharge form and for more information.

Non-Credit English Classes for International Students This Spring, CGE is offering non-credit and flexible American Academic English classes that offer opportunities for developing and practicing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills with other students in a relaxed conversational atmosphere that includes brief presentations. During this time, you will be encouraged to develop a personal English plan. By participating, you will also be given preferential access to one-on-one conversation partners, individualized writing instruction, and other specialized programs, such as intensive night classes and grammar classes. It is all free to Tulane students and scholars. If you are interested, the classes are available at both uptown and downtown Tulane campuses. You can attend one class a week, depending on your schedule, or more classes with the instructor's permission. Please contact dmurray3@tulane.edu to enroll or if you have any further questions. Click HERE for more information.

 

Got work? Got Leadership? CPS is Hiring! Looking to develop your leadership skills or earn some money? The Center for Public Service is now recruiting students to join three leadership programs:  Service Learning Assistants Public Service Fellows Community Engagement Advocates Whether you want to connect more deeply with the New Orleans community, help transform service learning at Tulane, or lead powerful conversations about social justice, CPS has a wide range of ways to get involved. To nominate yourself or someone you know, click HERE. For more information, email Ben Brubaker at bbrubake@tulane.edu

PORceiros: Portuguese /English Language Practice Ola, todos! Hope you are all fully in teh swing of the Spring semester. We are continuing our PORceiros program for students and community members who want to practice English or Portuguese. Think of this as a private tutoring experience in your target language! We will pair native speakers of Portuguese and English that want to practice each other's language in an informal setting. Partners could meet up seperately at a time/in a place that is convenient for both parties, and could speak for ~30min in each language. The difference an hour a week will make in your language proficiency and confidence is amazing! Sign up HERE and we will follow up to make sure you've been able to find a partner. Questions? Email Megwen at mloveles@tulane.edu for more information.

Tulane SPHTM presents Informational Webinars Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine will be hosting the following webinars about the opportunities as a student at Tulane University SPHTM. These webinars include the following topics: Sexuality, Health and Gender Healthcare Management Tulane African Student Association Health Systems of China SALUD for Latin American Communities Life of a SPHTM Student For dates and more information, CLICK HERE.

 

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