From: VISA Office
Date: April 24
Subject: VISA News: Graduation Cap Decorating, Late Night Breakfast, Education Abroad Is Hiring, and MORE


VISA News

VISA Office Information

The VISA Office is open 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.  We are located in Crawford Hall, Suite 215.

On Monday, Thursday, and Friday, we have virtual chat advising available from 11am to 1pm.  Access virtual chat from our website here.

You are also welcome to contact us for an in-person, phone, or virtual appointment.  Please email visa@case.edu to request an appointment or schedule from our website here.

OPT & CPT Workshops

The VISA Office offers Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Workshops to review the application process, student responsibilities, and other important considerations.

It is important to be well informed before you apply.  It is also important to apply early!

OPT is mostly for students who are graduating and wish to work after graduation.  You first have to obtain your OPT I-20 from our office. Then you must apply for an Employment Authorization Document  from US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), which is required to begin work on OPT. It takes USCIS 3-4 months to process EAD applications. You must complete an OPT workshop to obtain an OPT I-20 from the VISA Office, so we strongly recommend that you attend a workshop as early as possible if you plan to apply for OPT this semester. Remember, you do not need a job offer to apply for OPT!

CPT is for currently enrolled students.  For CPT, you have to have a job offer before applying for authorization. You are not eligible to begin your experience until you have CPT authorization in place. It can take several days to become authorized.

There aren't any more CPT workshops this semester, but there is one more OPT workshop on May 2nd!  You can sign up here.

keep calm the semester is about to end meme

End of Semester Reminders

Start preparing for the end of the semester and see if you have to take action on your I-20 or DS-2019.

If you need to extend your I-20 or DS-2019:  Please visit our website and scroll down to "request new I-20 extension" or "request new DS-2019 extension" and provide your advisor information in the request.
Undergraduates: list your Dean in Undergraduate Studies
Graduate students: list your academic advisor.

If you need to transfer your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record: Visit our website for the transfer out request.

If you need to get a new travel signature on your I-20 or DS-2019: To submit a request for travel signature, visit our website and scroll down to "request new I-20 reprint or travel signature request" or "request new DS-2019 reprint or travel signature request."  You can also read about travel and re-entry for F-1 and J-1 students here.

Check the validity of your visa stamp in your passport and make sure your passport is valid.  Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months into the future.

Do you have additional questions? Get in touch with VISA Office Staff by stopping by our office from 8:30am to 5pm, Monday-Friday, or emailing us at visa@case.edu.

summer schedule change with sun clipart

VISA News Summer Schedule

After Commencement, the VISA Office will reduce the frequency of the VISA News to every two weeks.  Please continue to check your CWRU email regularly over the summer! The VISA Office will resume its weekly VISA News email in August.

OISRE Updates


Are you graduating this May? Come to Tomlinson Lobby and decorate your graduation caps/mortarboards! We will have ribbon, decorations, glue and more to make your caps/mortarboards look fantabulous! OISRE will provide graduation sugar cookies, lemonade and water for the event. Bring your music, festive attitude, and caps/mortarboards!! The Alumni Office will be available to answer questions about your Case email once you graduate as well as discuss the benefits of the Alumni Newsletter. Register in CampusGroups. 

Senior Week 2024!

Are you a graduating senior? Make sure to register for Senior Week 2024 events organized by the Senior Week Committee. These include outings to Swings N Things, Cedar Point, Goodtime III boat ride, a theatre performance, and more!

Legacy Week 2024

Did you know that one of the earliest international students to enroll at Case Western Reserve University was from Japan? Rikizo Nakashima was part of the Class of 1884 of Western Reserve College.  He is notable in CWRU history, as he was in a class that made the move from Hudson to Cleveland when the college moved.  He was a student and mentee of President Carroll Cutler.  Rikizo returned to the US many times to visit his class during WRU anniversaries. Here's a short video done by a historian at Western Reserve Academy about Rikizo's time in Hudson.

After Rikizo's post-graduate study at Yale, he returned to Japan and became a professor at Imperial University and author on the subject of ethics and philosophy.  He is buried in Tokyo.  Here are a few letters from the archives. (Thanks to Dr. Janice Gerda, Associate Vice President, Student Engagement & Learning, Division of Student Affairs, for her research!)

Check out all the events for Legacy Week at CWRU!

Free PNC Financial Webinars


Student Webinar: Early Career: Creating Your Financial Foundation

Date:  April 25th, 2024 at 7 pm ET

Description: This workshop will give you a high-level overview you need to make good choices about housing and commuting expenses, company health and retirement plans, personal credit use, and even an emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

See this article: Mindful Money: How Net Worth Affects Your Well-Being | PNC Insights.

The more you know about money, the better you position yourself to reach your financial goals, not just for today but for life. Be sure to take advantage of PNC My Finance Academy’s videos, podcasts, articles, and other tools to help you build your financial knowledge and confidence at My Finance Academy.

Have you heard about the Wellness Vending Machines? 

Do you have a cold, headache, or need other wellness items?  Visit the Wellness Vending Machines across campus. T hey are refilled daily Monday - Friday.

Late Night Breakfast

Case Western Reserve University students are invited to Late Night Breakfast on Thursday, May 2 from 8 to 10 p.m. at both Fribley Commons and Leutner Commons. 

The event will feature music, candy, raffles and breakfast favorites such as biscuits and gravy, pancakes, sausage, eggs, fresh fruit and smoothies.

Late Night Breakfast is open to all students, even those without a meal plan. A CWRU ID is required to attend.

Play Ball!

The Cleveland Guardians baseball season has started so enjoy a game downtown with $10 student tickets! Check out their schedule! 

Tomorrow! Thursday, April 25, 2024

8:00 PM  -  10:00 PM

Fumi Abe is a Japanese-American stand-up comedian/writer based in Los Angeles.  He has been named one of the best up-and-coming comedians in the country.

Features

The Office of Education Abroad Is Hiring Student Workers for 2024-2025!

The Office of Education Abroad is hiring Student Assistants for 2024-2025! Ideal candidates will have a love of all things international while being able to support the Office of Education Abroad.

Student Assistants work approximately 7-15 hours per week. Job duties and assignments are determined based on the student's experience, interests, and strengths with preference given to those who have experience in managing social media accounts, designing marketing materials, and/or database management.

Interested candidates should apply now. Questions should be directed to Valerie Rambin, var26@case.edu.

Shuttle Service Now Available to Fairfax Market

The Office of Access Services recently announced Case Western Reserve University’s UCRC shuttle service will now stop at Meijer Grocery’s new Fairfax Market, located at 2190 E. 105th Street. The shuttle runs Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

On Jan. 16, the market, a joint project between Meijer, Cleveland Clinic, the Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation, the City of Cleveland, and Fairmount Properties, opened near the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic. The market offers fresh and convenient food to the community surrounding Case Western Reserve University. With 150 vendors, Fairfax Market offers over 2,000 products from local vendors.

View the live shuttle tracker to schedule your next trip.

Other Opportunities

Cleveland Botanical Garden

Arbor Day - Free Admission

Enjoy free admission to the Cleveland Botanical Garden in honor of Arbor Day. Admire the spring blooms, stroll our expansive trail system, and introduce yourself to every tree on campus!

  • Friday, April 26
  • 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
  • Free Admission
Click here for more information.
If you would like to promote your event or opportunity through VISA News, please make a complete submission (including flyers, images, details, etc.) for consideration by noon on Monday to visa@case.edu.  The VISA Office cannot guarantee that all submissions will appear in the newsletter, as space is limited, but staff will review all timely submissions for consideration.