September ISSO Newsletter

Welcome or welcome “back” to a new semester!  We in the ISSO wish you both a productive and an enjoyable semester.  As always, our staff is available to provide information, services and programs that help international students to be successful and to have positive experiences here in the U.S.  In addition, we are your first source for accurate and up-to-date immigration & employment information, so we hope that you will come to us with any questions you may have.  Also, please remember to check out our website for all the latest information.  www.isso.uncc.edu

The ISSO Staff

Marian Beane, Director
mebeane@email.uncc.edu

Denise Medeiros, Assistant Director
dvmedei@email.uncc.edu

Debbie Wilson, Administrative Assistant
dawilson@email.uncc.edu

Chau Tran, SEVIS Coordinator
cbtran@email.uncc.edu

1.  Introducing Amy Maybery

2.  New UNC Charlotte Shuttle Service!

3.  Health Insurance Waivers due Sept. 1

4.  International Student Cookout Sept. 4

5.  Reminder:  Monday, Sept. 4 is a holiday and UNC Charlotte is closed on this day.

6.  International Coffee Hour Sept. 7

7.  Safety Meeting Sept. 10

8.  Conversation Partner Program

9.  Reminder to update your LOCAL address in 49er Express

10. Letters of Invitation or Enrollment

11. OPT Information Sessions for December Graduates or Students in “Thesis Only” Wishing to Apply for OPT (F-1 students)

12. Ifest 2006 – Represent Your Country!

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1.  Introducing Amy Maybery

Amy Maybery is the newest member of the Office of International Programs staff and is the International Programming Intern.  Amy works closely with the International Student/Scholar Office and other offices around campus, helping to bring U.S. and international students together for programs and events. 

Amy completed her Master’s in Organizational Communication at North Carolina State University in 2004.  She worked in Raleigh organizing cross-cultural adjustment events for the international community, has taught communications classes at Central Piedmont Community College, and has lived in Honduras where she taught high school science.  She is excited to be at UNC Charlotte and is looking forward to meeting you all!

2.  New UNC Charlotte Shuttle Service!

Tired of walking clear across campus to the Charlotte Research Institute?  Frustrated when you can’t find a parking space close to your building?  Finally, UNC Charlotte has introduced a campus shuttle to take you around campus for FREE!  The shuttle currently runs from 7:30am-6:30pm but if you want it to run later (so you can be safe at night), go to www.parking.uncc.edu click on “contact information” and “feedback form”.  The more feedback they receive, the more likely they will extend the service!  Maps and schedules are also available on the website.

3.  Health Insurance Waivers due Sept. 1

Don’t forget – submit your health insurance waiver by the end of the day on Sept. 1^st if you DO NOT wish to purchase the UNC Charlotte health insurance plan.  If you do not submit a waiver by this date, you will automatically be billed for the full amount of the health insurance.  Go to http://www.healthsvcs.uncc.edu/ for more information.

4.  International Student Cookout Sept. 4

Monday, Sept. 4^th is Labor Day and according to U.S. tradition, you have to have a cookout!  Friends Worldwide and the Baptist Campus Ministry invite you to the front field of UNC Charlotte between 6 & 8pm to enjoy free hotdogs, watermelon, cake, and games. 

5.  Reminder:  Monday, Sept. 4 is a holiday and UNC Charlotte is closed on this day.

6.  International Coffee Hour Sept. 7

Fall semester has begun and that means International Coffee Hour is back!  It is a great place to come, meet other students and relax with coffee, snacks and good conversation!  It is always held the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays of each month, and the first one of the semester is next Thursday, September 7^th!  Take a friend with you or meet one there.

Where?   The Prospector Faculty/Staff Dining Room
When?    Anytime between 4 and 6pm

7.  Safety Meeting Sept. 10

Officers from the Charlotte Police Department and the Campus Police will talk to international students about crime in the UNC Charlotte community and answer your questions!  It will take place on Sunday, Sept. 10 at University Hills Baptist Church, 1500 Suther Rd. (across from the university).  This event is sponsored and organized by the Baptist Campus Ministry. 

8.  Conversation Partner Program
Attention new students!  Get your applications in now to participate in the Conversation Partner Program, a program that matches internationals with Americans for informal, one-on-one conversation about one hour a week.  The application is located at www.isso.uncc.edu/ProgramEvents.htm.  Deadline to apply is September 11^th!

9.  Reminder to update your LOCAL address in 49er Express

New students, if you haven’t done so already, please update your LOCAL address in 49er Express.  Without this information, we can’t report to USCIS that you are here and enrolled fulltime!  This address needs to be where you are currently residing in the Charlotte area. 

10. Letters of Invitation or Enrollment

Are you thinking about inviting your family or friends for a visit to Charlotte?  If so, the ISSO can issue a letter of invitation if you make a request at http://www.isso.uncc.edu/forms.htm . Requests for letters of enrollment are also available at the same site.

11. OPT Information Sessions for December Graduates or Students in “Thesis Only” Wishing to Apply for OPT (F-1 students)

Information Sessions will be held for any December graduate or student in the thesis only portion of their program who is interested in applying for Optional Practical Training (work authorization in your field of study).  Please plan to attend one of the following sessions, so that we can answer all of your questions in a group!  Remember, you must apply for OPT prior to completion of your degree program.

·         Friday, September 22^nd, 3pm (location to be determined – see www.isso.uncc.edu after 9/15/06)

·         Friday, October 6^th, 4pm (location to be determined – see www.isso.uncc.edu  after 9/15/06)

12. Ifest 2006 – Represent Your Country!

UNC Charlotte’s 31^st annual International Festival (Ifest) will be held on Saturday, September 30th.  This event is attended by nearly 10,000 people in Charlotte and beyond, and over 50 countries are represented each year!  For more information on how to participate, send an email to Marian Beane, Chair of the Ifest Committee at mebeane@email.uncc.edu .
 
Other Questions?

If you have other questions that we did not address in this newsletter, please let us know!  Send an email to Denise Medeiros dvmedei@email.uncc.edu or Marian Beane mebeane@email.uncc.edu or schedule an appointment.