Student Spotlight Thursday! Let’s welcome Sachith to the CIS Front Desk team! Sachith is a
Manufacturing Engineering major from Sri Lanka.
His favorite class was MME 224 and he has recently return from Tennessee for his Internship. One advice Sachith would like to give international students is to be active and talk to people to establish good networking skills!
If you are a student who is experiencing financial challenges as a result of the pandemic, please refer to the application process included below. Recent policy changes have made this funding available to all students who are currently enrolled or have been enrolled at some point in time since the beginning of the pandemic (March 13, 2020).
This information is also available in the “Ask St. Cloud State” knowledgebase and on the Scholarships and Grants page of the Student Registration and Financial Services website https://www.stcloudstate.edu/srfs/finances/scholarships-grants.aspx
Are Emergency Grants available to help with expenses related to COVID-19?
Yes, a portion of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding is available for distribution through an emergency grant program. These emergency funds can be applied directly to institutional charges on a student’s account or disbursed directly to the student based on the student’s preference. Awards will be made based on the order applications are received until the last available funds are awarded.
Eligible students who had emergency expenses including items like tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care are asked to complete a brief application.
Step 1: Make sure that you are logged into Office365 with your starid@go.minnstate.edu and StarID password.
Step 2: Complete the brief application.
Student Spotlight Thursday! This week we have Akshyata, one of our Front Desk Student Worker here at CIS!
Akshyata’s favorite memory when she first arrived here at SCSU was attending Huskies First Four Days as she got to meet the most incredible people and the environment was welcoming and exciting to her!
Her favorite study spot on-campus is the Computer labs on the second floor of the library. A quick tip she would like to share with all international students is to “Never hesitate to ask questions and get involved on campus as much as you can. That is how you grow!”
Get involved with St. Cloud’s Granite City Days! CIS is looking for individuals to represent their country at the World Heritage Day celebration Sunday, June 27, at 1pm. Please let us know if you are interested AND available to showcase your culture by walking on stage with your flag. If interested, please e-mail sjunaid@go.stcloudstate.edu with your name, student ID#, flag/country, and number of volunteers in your group. Questions? Please e-mail sjunaid@go.stcloudstate.edu
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has notified us of a spoofing scam involving individuals using an SEVP Response Center (SRC) phone number (703-603-3400) or a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office phone number (757-441-6533) to target nonimmigrant students. Fraudulent callers are claiming to be SEVP representatives and asking students to provide their immigration information, such as their Alien Registration Number or Form I-94, “Arrival/Departure Record,” information, or face deportation.
If you encounter or are a victim of this spoof call, you are encouraged to report the incident to the HSI tip line.
Tips and items to remember:
If you have any additional questions regarding this matter, please contact the SRC at 703-603-3400 or 800-892-4829, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, except federal holidays.
St. Cloud is a beautiful college town situated in the Midwestern state Minnesota, along the Mississippi River. Although you may have come to St. Cloud for the university, there are plenty of other hidden gems in the city to explore. Minnesota is known for it’s outdoor attractions and adventures. College can be stressful, so take a break and check out some of our favorite spots. Here are our top 5 places to visit in St. Cloud this summer:
Munsinger/Clemens Gardens
Munsinger and Clemens gardens are situated on the banks of the Mississippi River, opposite from campus. This is a beautiful area to take a walk. Enjoy a unique botanical experience along the gardens’ wonderful walkways. It’s a great spot for photos!
Lake George
Lake George is one of the main attractions in St. Cloud. Lake George is busy with outdoor activities year-round, whether it’s jogging on the paths, fishing, ice skating, or paddle boats on the lake. Lake George is also a great spot to have a picnic. Continue reading
Wearing Masks
Masking will not be required for those who are fully vaccinated while on campus, with the exception of posted facilities such as the Medical Clinic, effective May 28. The definition of fully vaccinated is two weeks following the second Pfizer or Moderna dose or two weeks after the single Johnson & Johnson dose.
We know that wearing masks is an effective way to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 and therefore it is strongly encouraged that those who are not fully vaccinated wear a mask indoors. The Governor’s Order, the CDC, and other public health experts continue to highlight the associated risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19, and we ask our campus community to continue to do their part to protect the pack.
While the mandate has ended, anyone who chooses to wear a mask should be supported for their decision to mask up. There are many reasons for an individual to choose to wear a mask. Masks are likely to be a part of our routine for some time as we manage the stages of the pandemic and make choices to protect ourselves and others against the virus and contagions like the flu or common cold.
Space Capacity Limits and Physical Distancing
Space capacity limits and physical distancing requirements will remain in effect until May 28 based on the Governor’s recent announcements and MDH guidelines. This will include residence halls, recreation facilities, classrooms, meeting rooms, research laboratories and all other spaces. SCSU will provide an update to the campus community on changing capacity and physical distancing requirements and asks that we all continue to be mindful of how to keep ourselves and others safe while on campus.
Self-Assessment Tool
As of May 23, the Self-Assessment tool is no longer required for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to access campus facilities. Signs will be in place with reminders to stay home when symptomatic or feeling ill.
Meet Rachid Ouedraogo! Rachid recently joined the CIS Front Desk team this summer. We are excited to have him.
Here’s a little about Rachid: