ISC assists students with long-term employment in US

Any senior at Liberty can attest that thinking of post-graduation can be daunting or stressful.  But for international students, thinking of the next steps after their student visa expires involves much more than domestic students might realize. From Oct. 24-26, the International Student Center (ISC) hosted immigration consultations for Liberty students are primarily seeking long-term employment in the United States. 

Though this may be an exciting decision, the process can be lengthy and take a lot of persistence. 

According to Kenny Warren, the director at the ISC, the general information session for students seeking employment opportunities can last up to two hours, which is just covering the basics. He explained how some students only need a little help to assist them in the process while others might need multiple sessions. Everything involved in the process is circumstantial, as some students will have more restrictions or obstacles than others.

“There are so many different factors that could be related to the country they are from, and that’s where it can all get tricky,” Warren said. 

The goal of the consultations is to assist students as they are navigating these factors.

Students who attended the event met with immigration attorney Arthur Serratelli. 

 “He has expertise in (many) countries, which is helpful for us and the students,” Warren said regarding Serratelli. 

Due to the aftermath of the pandemic, many of the recent consultations have been held online via Microsoft Teams. According to Warren, there were already 12 online appointments booked for this past Tuesday. Following those meetings, a two-hour seminar was held by Serratelli to provide general information on the process of seeking employment in the United States. The consultation calls included both commuter  and residential students. 

Aside from consultations, the ISC also offers a variety of resources to international students, such as advocacy, advising and cultural awareness events. Additionally, international students are given opportunities to connect with local Lynchburg communities.  

According to Warren, the top four countries are South Korea, Canada, Nigeria and India. There are about 100 Korean students on campus and about 80 from Canada. 

For more information on the ISC, visit their website to get involved.

Nichols is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion