Student/Staff Spotlight – Akshyata

Student Spotlight Thursday! This week we have Akshyata, one of our Front Desk Student Worker here at CIS!
Photo of Akshyata
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!”

Culture Shock

Culture shock is a phenomenon many people experience when they travel abroad, whether for vacation, school, business, or a permanent move. It is the result of being in an unfamiliar culture. International students in the US might experience culture shock while adapting to American culture. Even students studying outside the US in one of our education abroad programs can experience it too. Culture shock can bring feelings of confusion, anxiety, homesickness, and sometimes fear. It can be very intense, particularly at the beginning of your stay. However, each individual experiences culture shock differently.

In general, cultural shock has 4 different stages. Individuals may go through the stages in order, skip stages, or even repeat some. The length of each stage is also unique to each person. Therefore, it’s important to identify what stage you might be experiencing. During the first stage, the honeymoon stage, you are thrilled and feel positive about being in this new environment.  As time goes on, this feeling of happiness and excitement wears off, leading to the frustration stage. In this stage, you become increasingly frustrated about the different ways things are done in the host country compared to your home country. At this point, you may question if coming to this new place was actually a good idea. This stage is usually the most difficult to overcome in the culture shock cycle.

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Student/Staff Spotlight

This week we are highlighting Yslam Atayev, our intern here at CIS. Yslam is a graduate student in Educational Administration and Leadership.

Yslam chose SCSU because SCSU provides an amazing opportunity to challenge and stretch for knowledge and professionalism and be more growth-minded and meet with passionate and curious people from all walks of life.
FUN FACT: If he was given a superpower, Yslam would like to be omnilingual as he loves languages and enjoy writing, reading, listening, and speaking in all languages!
Welcome Yslam to the CIS team!

Seeking Volunteers – World Heritage Day (Granite City Days Celebration)

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

St. Cloud Granite City Days 2021 June 24-27, 2021 Event poster

Scammers Using Government Phone Numbers to Target International Students

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:

  • NEVER divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers.
  • SEVP officials will NEVER ask stakeholders to provide credit/debit card/gift card numbers, wire transfers, or bank routing numbers, or to make bitcoin deposits for any purpose.
  • Report all suspicious calls to the HSI tip line, and if you are unsure about the validity of a call from SEVP officials reach out to CIS.

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.

Top 5 Places to Visit in St. Cloud this Summer

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

Campus Safety Updates

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.

Student Spotlight: Max Yong

Say hello to Max Yong!
Max’s home country is Malaysia. He is studying Psychology at St. Cloud State University. In addition to his studies, Max is an International Peer Advisor Coordinator at the Center for International Studies.
Max’s favorite on-campus event was the snow-tubing trip organized by CIS for international students. Max enjoys watching the movie, The Kingsman, as he finds the scenes interesting. One piece of advice that Max would offer to international students is to get a portable heater for the cold Minnesota winters. Fun fact: Max also survived winter without winter shoes! (Not recommended.)

Student Spotlight – Rachid Ouedraogo

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:

  • His favorite spot to study on-campus is the basement of the library as it is quiet there.
  • He has worked at SCSU’s Intensive English Center for more than 2 years now and has volunteered for many cultural nights.
  • One piece of advice Rachid would offer to international students is to ask for help when you feel stressed or homesick. You are not alone!

CIS Points of Contact

We are looking forward to advising you! The following professional staff members will be able to support you according to your needs:

Jacob Mercer

jmercer@stcloudstate.edu

(320)308-4274

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