From: VISA Office
Date: September 13, 2023
Subject: VISA News: Important Updates for International Students


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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 Zoom appointment.  Please email visa@case.edu to request an appointment.

 

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Reminder:  Email visa@case.edu (not international@case.edu)

Effective Fall 2023, if you have questions about your I-20/DS-2019, employment, SSNs, travel signatures, and/or other issues related to your visa or visa status, please email visa@case.edu

If you have questions about student support, resources, or engagement opportunities on campus, please contact the Dean of Students Office at deanofstudents@case.edu.

For F-1 Students:
Considering an internship, co-op, or other practical training this fall?  Remember to apply for CPT!

F-1 students must obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization for off-campus training or employment such as internships and co-ops.  You must obtain the authorization BEFORE you start working.  If you have any questions about CPT, contact us at visa@case.edu.

Also see our website for our CPT presentation and  application: https://case.edu/visa/forms-and-resources/student-forms-and-resources

Coming soon!  CPT workshops during the fall semester!  We will provide more information in VISA News in the coming weeks.

virtual advising chat box

Chat with VISA Staff Online During Advising Hours

Virtual Advising is available Monday, Thursday, and Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., EST.

If you have a question or concern that you need to address during that time frame, reach out to an advisor through the chat box. The chat box (it looks just like the picture) will be available on our website.

scam spelled out on keyboard

Beware of Scams

The Visa Office wants to make sure that international students are aware of these scams and know how to protect themselves.   Visit this website for more information.

Features

Dress for Success

Are you looking for professional clothing at a discounted price? If so, join the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women and the Career Center for the Dress for Success event Tuesday, September 19, from 11:00am to 4:00pm in Tinkham Veale University Center, Suite 248.

 

Dress for Success of Cleveland, in partnership with Passages, Inc., will provide professional clothing at discounted prices for all students, staff and faculty that are members of the CWRU community.

 

Cash and credit cards will be accepted. All proceeds will go to the Dress for Success 501(c)(3) organization.

Mobile Food Pantry

Members of the Case Western Reserve University community can get free fresh produce during a mobile food pantry event Sept. 19 from 2 to 5 p.m. on the Kelvin Smith Library Oval.

Information regarding on- and off-campus food pantries, SNAP, Swipe Out Hunger, and other basic-needs resources also will be shared.

Those who attend will be entered into a raffle to win a George Foreman grill, cooking utensils and more.

 

The Dean of Students Office will host this opportunity.

Celebrate CWRU's culture of innovation and entrepreneurship Sept. 26–29

Case Western Reserve University is known for developing innovators in all areas of study. That's why the Office of Research and Technology Management is holding the second annual Innovation Week—four days filled with more than 15 educational, networking and experiential events centered on the theme, "Innovation as Problem-Solving at Scale."

This year, they are offering four lunchtime sessions (free lunch provided) plus workshops, panel discussions, tours of campus resources and so much more.

Take a look at the highlights and the full schedule here and register today to secure your spot for these free events.
 

Other Opportunities

Chalk Festival

Saturday and Sunday, September 16 and 17, 12:00–5:00 p.m.
Fine Arts Garden at the Cleveland Museum of Art, rain or shine

Children and adults enjoy this annual event where community members join professional artists in using the walkways around the Fine Arts Garden as a colorful canvas. Begun in 1990, this festival is a modern expression of a Renaissance tradition from 16th-century Italy in which artists copied paintings of the Madonna by Raphael and his contemporaries using chalk on the plazas outside cathedrals. Watching the chalk artists and enjoying the entertainment is free.

Everyone can participate at the Chalk Festival!

  • To chalk your own square, purchase a square of pavement (chalk pastels included) at the registration tent. 
  • $10 small square (includes a 12-count box of chalk pastels)
  • $20 large square (includes a 24-count box of chalk pastels)
  • First come, first served while supplies last. No preregistration.

Featured Chalk Artists

Featured chalk artists throughout the Fine Arts Garden create large-scale chalk masterpieces during the festival.

  • Sequioa Bostick
  • Bruno Casiano
  • Debra Sue Solecki
  • Students from Cleveland Institute of Art

Music and Food

Enjoy music in the garden during the festival and have a picnic on the lawn. Food trucks are available at the bottom of the Fine Arts Garden, and the museum café is open during the festival.

Featured Musical Group

  • Ropa Vieja

Featured Food Trucks

  • Off the Griddle
  • Smooth Rider
For more information:  https://www.clevelandart.org/learn/community-arts/chalk-festival

Asian Lantern Festival at the Cleveland Zoo extended through Sept. 16th.


The festival features live acrobatic performances, culturally-inspired cuisine, and of course thousands of lanterns. On select nights, there is an option to drive through the displays.

Find more information here

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.