From: VISA Office
Date: November 17, 2021
Subject: ISS News, November 17, 2021: End of Semester Reminders, International Education Week, ISS' Holiday Hours, COVID-19 Travel Testing, Campus Resources, GSC Happy Hour, Interviewing and Salary Negotiating Workshop, Nighttime Safety Tips, Good Vibes, and More


IS

November 17, 2021

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in this issue:

  1. End of Semester Reminders
  2. OPT & CPT Workshops
  3. ISS' Thanksgiving Holiday Hours
  4. Features
  5. Campus Happenings
  6. Other Opportunities
  7. Good Vibes Only
  8. Thanksgiving Holiday Shuttle Schedule
  9. Campus Dining- Thanksgiving Hours of Operation
  10. Virtual Mental Health Options
  11. Nighttime Safety Tips
  12. COVID-19 Travel Testing Available Now

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ISS Staff is available to students, without an appointment, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday during advising hours:

11am to 1pm- through virtual advising available online

1pm to 3pm- through in-person advising in the office

There are no advising hours on Wednesday.

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If you need to speak with an advisor outside of our advising hours, please send an email to international@case.edu to schedule an appointment. Please provide your full, legal name and a brief description of the nature of your appointment when you contact us.

keep calm the semester is about to end meme

End of Semester Reminders

If you have thoughts about traveling abroad during the break, be sure to ask yourself these questions:

Do I need to extend my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section. Undergraduates, be sure to list your Dean in Undergraduate Studies on your request and graduate students, you should list your academic advisor.

Do I need to transfer my F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section.

Do I need to get a new travel signature on my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, you can read about that process and other factors related to travel and reentry for F-1 and J-1 students.

Also,

  • check the validity of the visa in your passport. US Embassies and Consulates have limited services available and there could be significant delays in visa issuances. This delay could significantly affect your ability to return to the United States.
  • be aware of all travel-related policies. Travel requirements are changing as the situation with COVID-19 evolves, including a new Presidential Proclamation requiring travelers to be fully vaccinated in order to enter the US.  Be sure that you are monitoring all requirements for entry to the United States and complying with university policies related to vaccination and travel to minimize the risk of disrupting your education at CWRU.
  • make sure your passport is valid at all times. Many government agencies are reducing and suspending services. Passport issuance could be an issue in your home country. Please prepare as early as possible if you need to apply for a new passport.  There are certain benefits for which F-1 students apply when they are in the United States and the agencies that oversee those benefits often require applicants to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months into the future.

Do you have more questions that you need help answering? Get in touch with ISS staff during advising hours or by email before you leave campus.

testing setup

COVID-19 Travel Testing Available Now

Please review the message sent to the campus community about options for COVID-19 testing before leaving campus and the testing requirements for students living on campus when they return.

Happy Thanksgiving text with cartoon turkey

ISS' Thanksgiving Hours

On behalf of the Office of International Students (ISS) in the Center for International Affairs, we want to wish all students a Happy  Thanksgiving (November 25). 

The university will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26.  ISS staff will be unavailable on those days.

The Center for International Affairs will also close at noon on Wednesday, November 24, so that all staff members can engage in strategic planning during the afternoon.

Please plan accordingly for this break (and the upcoming winter break) if you need assistance from ISS.

Normal business hours will resume on Monday, November 29.

If you have an immigration-related emergency situation, please call campus police at 216.368.3300.  There is also protocol described on our website.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving!

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holiday schedules
support spelled in scrabble tiles

Virtual Mental Health Option for CWRU Students

Don't forget that you can access mental health care through CWRU Care! CWRU Care is a 24/7 mental telehealth care service that undergraduate, graduate and professional students can access from wherever they are.

For more information about the program or to make an appointment, please visit cwru.care.

OPT and CPT workshop branding telling students that workshops are available online

OPT & CPT Workshops

ISS is offering Optional Practical Training (OPT) and CPT Workshops to go over in detail the application process, student responsibilities, and other important considerations.

Being well informed before applying for either authorization is extremely important and applying early is critical!

USCIS is publishing that it takes 3-5 months to process submitted OPT applications. Plan to complete a required OPT workshop as early as possible to be best prepared. Remember, you do not need to have a job offer to apply for OPT!

You do need to have a job offer before applying for CPT authorization and you are not eligible to begin your experience until you have proper authorization in place. It can take several days to become authorized.

Virtual workshops led by an advisor have been scheduled and information about required registration, attendance, and the application process can be found on our website under the OPT and CPT sections.

campus at dusk

Nighttime Safety Tips


It is getting darker earlier in Cleveland!  Here are some helpful tips from the Division of Public Safety to help you stay safe while you are out and about on campus and in the community.

Features

IeW 2021 flyer
Cleveland Bucket List Flyer

Campus Happenings

madacol flyer

MaDaCol Performances

The Department of Dance at Case Western Reserve University is pleased to announce this fall’s production of MaDaCol (Mather Dance Collective). Performances are on November 18, 19, and 20 at 8 PM.

All performances take place at Mather Dance Center located at 11040 Bellflower Road. MaDaCol, one of the university’s oldest undergraduate student organizations, offers an important creative outlet for CWRU graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and staff.

The performance will feature new dance works by second-year graduate students El-drick Aboagye, Shadrach Arthur, and Haiyan Chen.

EVENT

It's on CWRU Pro-Social Bystander Workshop

Wednesday, November 17
6:00pm - 7:30pm
Mather Center - TVUC 248, Tinkham Veale University Center, Suite 248 11038 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7175, United States
Link
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The Its on CWRU Pro-Social Bystander training is an evidence-informed bystander intervention program that uses community care as the foundation for intervention. Participants will learn how to define prosocial bystander behavior, recognize potentially harmful situations and articulate their community responsibility to intervene and Implement intervention skills to safely and positively intervene before, during, and after acts of violence.
RSVP
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study group

Become a Peer Tutor

Learn more about information sessions and the application process.

Once you attend an information session, you will be eligible to submit an application. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19.

If you have any questions about becoming a peer tutor, contact David Paulik, assistant director for academic resources.


roxboro school image from Cleveland.com

Volunteer as Mandarin Classroom Assistant

 
Friday, November 19
12:40pm 2:15pm Flexible Serves: Mandarin Chinese Tutoring (Fridays 12:40-2:15pm) Meeting location: CCEL (Tinkham Veale University Center, Suite 165)
Friday, December 3
12:40pm 2:15pm Flexible Serves: Mandarin Chinese Tutoring (Fridays 12:40-2:15pm) Meeting location: CCEL (Tinkham Veale University Center, Suite 165)
Happy Hour Flyer
Lets talk about it flyer
interviewing and salary negotiating workshop flyer
counseling photo

T.H.I.N.K.

Talk. Help. Identify Signs. Navigate Resources. Kindly Refer.
T.H.I.N.K. is a suicide prevention training to help people recognize warning signs and assist others who may be having suicidal thoughts. This training is available to all CWRU, CIA and CIM students, faculty and staff.

Monday, November 22
11:00am-12:00pm
Virtual- Zoom link sent after registration
To register: https://cglink.me/2cS/r1374617

3MT flyer

Other Opportunities

Working in Canada flyer

This event is geared towards students with 2 years, or nearly 2 years, of STEM work experience.

Please note, not every person who registers will receive an invite due to capacity restrictions.

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Engl 147 flyer
Engl 146 flyer
Cleveland Metroparks Trail Challenge logo

Cleveland Metroparks Trail Challenge 2021


Welcome to the 2021 Trail Challenge, a guest led program where you discover new trails throughout Cleveland Metroparks on your own, move to better health, discover the wonders of nature, and earn awards along the way! 

Good Vibes Only

During this very challenging time, ISS staff wants you to know that we are thinking about you- hoping you are safe, healthy, staying positive- and sending out good vibes!

In this section, we are including some things that we hope will make you laugh and smile, help you relax, be entertaining, give you something to do, etc.

This is a good vibes only section!

images of new zealand from bored panda

New Zealand is GORGEOUS!

Check out the timelapse video generated from 50,000 photographs