HMoob (Hmong) around the World Part 2: Testing Boundaries

By: Larsa Yang (Class of 2016 & 2019) and James Yang (Class of 2020)

Larsa’s Story:

Hey, my name is Larsa and I studied abroad in Japan for a full year and participated on the short-term program to Laos, Thailand and Malaysia. I wanted to study abroad because I was really tired of the everyday life in Minnesota. Minnesota is cool, but I think there are so many other things you can learn by learning from others outside of Minnesota and even the US. Study abroad encouraged me to think culturally about a lot of things that would’ve never occurred to me if I never traveled abroad. I purposefully took a leave of absence from my graduate program to study in Japan as an undergrad. Do I regret it? Not at all, I loved my experience. If anything I wanted to push myself to become a better person, and that’s exactly what happened. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

Check out some of Larsa’s education abroad photos:

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Students: Add Your Local Address in E-services!

Log-in to e-services to add your local address, if you have not done so already. To add your address, please follow these instructions:
  1. Click here to log-in to e-services
  2. Log-in with your StarID & password
  3. On the left-hand menu, select “Account Management”
  4. Next, select “Name and Address Info”
  5. On this page, under “Address Maintenance”, click the link to edit your local address:
  6.  Next, enter your complete U.S. address. If living in an apartment building, include the apartment number on line 2. Click Submit.

 

 

CIS/MSS Events Today 9/17!

We are sharing two great opportunities for TODAY!
1st-Interested in being a student leader and getting involved with the cultural organizations? Attend the MSS SCSU Leadership Retreat Friday, September 17 from 10am-2pm in Atwood Voyageurs Room.
2nd- MSS SCSU and the Center for International Studies (CIS) are bringing students to the St. Cloud State University Women’s Soccer
game Friday, September 17
• 3:00pm Pre-Game Pizza Party in the parking lot outside Husky Stadium. There will be face painting and sign making
o If you want help finding Husky Stadium meet at 2:30pm at MSS in Atwood Memorial Center and there will be a group walking down together
• 4:00pm Game Starts

Workshop Wednesdays

Every Wednesday from 2 – 3 PM, CIS will be holding virtual workshops for international students. These workshops will cover CPT, OPT, and STEM extension options. They will be recorded for those who cannot attend and will take place via Zoom:

Zoom link: https://minnstate.zoom.us/j/95132291796
Meeting ID: 951 3229 1796
Passcode: Huskies

Sept. 15 – Optional Practical Training (OPT)– Recording
Sept. 22 – STEM Extension OPT – Recording
Sept. 29 – Curricular Practical Training (CPT)– Recording
Oct. 6 – OPT
Oct. 13 – STEM Extension OPT
Oct. 20 – CPT
Oct. 27 – OPT
Oct. 28 – Resume Writing (with the Career Center)– Recording 
Nov. 3 – STEM Extension OPT
Nov. 4 – Finding an Internship (with the Career Center)– Recording 
Nov. 3 – STEM Extension OPT
Nov. 10 – CPT
Nov. 17 – OPT
Dec. 1 – STEM Extension OPT

Come See The Bias Inside Us Exhibit

Join us in viewing The Bias Inside Us Exhibition on display now through Sept. 19 in the Atwood Memorial Center Gallery. This is a community engagement project featuring a Smithsonian traveling exhibition intended to raise awareness about the science and history of bias and what people can do about it. Engage in visiting the Exhibition and attend our The Bias Inside Us speaker series.

Exhibition hours:

Monday – Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m.*
Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday Noon-8 p.m.
Closed: Today, Aug. 26 and Sept. 6

*Recommended public visitation from 1-8 p.m. due to school visits and private events.

Dr. Tessa Charlesworth

The Science of Bias

6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2
Virtual Webinar

Register for Dr. Charlesworth’s presentation

Dr. Tessa Charlesworth is the primary science advisor for The Bias Inside Us and a psychologist who studies how people’s social attitudes and beliefs emerge and change across their lifespan and social history. Listen and engage in conversation about the science of bias.

Dr. Corey Yeager

Understanding Unconscious Bias and What to Do About It

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9
Atwood Memorial Center Theatre

Register for Dr. Yeager’s presentation in Huskies Connect

Dr. Corey Yeager is the psychotherapist for the Detroit Pistons. He is also a licensed marriage and family therapist who focuses his practice primarily serving the African American community. Engage in conversation regarding the assumption made that education is for the future despite the present reality unconscious bias represents.

Please register for the speaker events in advance. If you would like to tour the exhibit as a student organization, class, or community group, contact Event Manager Aryn Wright at aryn.wright@stcloudstate.edu. If you have questions about the event or exhibit, please contact Dan Wildeson at dlwildeson@stcloudstate.edu or 320-308-4201.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Testing

SCSU has 500 doses of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for all students, staff, and faculty.

Vaccines will be available at the following locations and times:

  • Friday, August 20: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.  Atwood Memorial Center, lower level, room B20 (use the Quarry entrance door to Atwood on the Southeast side of the building off of Atwood Mall).

The SCSU Medical Clinic will be giving Moderna vaccinations on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, beginning Aug. 24. Call the medical clinic at 320-308-3193 to make an appointment for this vaccine.

The state of Minnesota has extended the $100 gift card incentive for people who are vaccinated starting July 30, and now running through August 22. To claim your $100 gift card, go to:

Minnesota COVID-19 Response: Get vaccinated. Get $100.

If you plan on getting vaccinated Aug 19 or 20, we ask that you consider pre-registering, to save yourself from waiting in line. You can pre-register using the link or QR code below:

https://www.solvhealth.com/book-online/AMJvBp

Campus Safety Updates 8/6/2021

The Bring Huskies Home Team continues to monitor COVID-19 conditions and the escalating rate of infections of the Delta variant. Our goal is to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff while our students as they continue to progress towards their educational goals. Data provided by the CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is showing that our county has a substantial transmission rate of COVID-19. MDH is recommending that indoor masking should be required for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status.

Beginning Thursday, August 5, all individuals on campus will be required to wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status. This includes St. Cloud State at Plymouth. Masking will continue until further notice. 

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International Student Health Insurance 2021-2022

A charge for the 2021-2022 International Student Health Insurance (the insurance required for all F-1 international students) has been added to your St. Cloud State e-Services account for the amount of $1,927.00 for the upcoming policy year (August 10, 2021 – August 9, 2022).

The payment options for the 2021-2022 International Student Health Insurance are as follows:

  • Option 1.      Submit a full payment ($1,927.00)
    • When you make the payment of $1,927.00 in full by August 4, 2021, you will be enrolled in the insurance plan for the entire policy year of August 10, 2021 – August 9, 2022.
  • Option 2.      Submit a partial payment ($760.00)
    • You must submit at least a partial payment of $760.00 by August 4, 2020 to enroll in the insurance plan for the fall semester only: from August 10, 2021 – December 31, 2021.
    • With this option, you will not have health insurance coverage beyond December 31, 2021 until you make your payment in full.
    • By December 10, 2021, you should submit the remaining $1,167.00 to continue your insurance coverage from January 1, 2022 – August 9, 2022. You may begin making payments toward the $1,167.00 balance during fall semester. Failure to pay the remaining $1,167.00 may result in a hold placed on your account restricting your spring semester enrollment.

Payment Methods

  • Online through e-Services: stcloudstate.edu (Mastercard, Visa, Discover, or E-Check accepted). Please select “Health Insurance”
  • By Phone: Call Cashiers Office at 1-320-308-4012 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday: Mastercard, Visa, Discover or American Express accepted.
  • In Person: Administrative Services Building, Room 123 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Coronavirus Emergency Grant

Students with financial need are encouraged to apply for the CRRSAA/ARP Emergency Grant for emergency funds that may assist with things such as tuition, food, housing, health care, etc.

Graduating Students

Students completing their degree program at the end of the fall semester may choose to make the fall-only payment of $760.00. However, should you need to purchase university international student health insurance after December 31, 2021, you will need to enroll in at least 1 credit during each semester of insurance coverage.

Internship Opportunities — Environmental Science, Biology, etc.

Minnesota Native Landscapes, Inc. is providing internship opportunities (CPT, OPT) for SCSU students majoring in Environmental Science, Biology, and other academic fields directly related to the positions below:

Products Dept. (Foley, MN)

  • Greenhouse Technician, seasonal until ~the end of October – 2 FT positions (may be open to PT positions)
  • Equipment Operator, year-round – 1 FT position
  • Production Agronomist, year-round – 1 FT position

Construction Dept. (Otsego, MN)

  • Ecological Field Technician, year-round – 2-3 FT positions
  • Equipment Operator, year-round – 2-3 FT positions
  • Equipment Operator (Travel), year-round – 1 FT position

Vegetation Management (Otsego, MN)

  • Equipment Operator, year-round – 1 FT position

For more information, please see the job postings on Handshake.

Immunization Hold

SCSU and Minnesota State require that all new students provide the school with their most recent tetanus and MMR dates: https://www.stcloudstate.edu/medicalclinic/medical-clinic/immunization.aspx.

Although the requirement is not new, the message on the e-services homepage is. Any student who has not provided SCSU with the required immunization information will have a message on their e-services homepage that looks like this:

Students can provide their immunization dates to www.scsu.mn/immunizationrecord. Note that the current Minnesota State system requirement does not include COVID vaccination dates. This may change in the future, but for now, Minn State only requires MMR and Tetanus dates.