Letter from Director
Dear International Student/Scholar,
On behalf of the International Student & Scholar Services team (ISSS), I would like to welcome you to Southern Methodist University. You have chosen to attend one of America’s premier comprehensive universities, and we are pleased that you are part of the SMU family. The SMU campus and community provide a variety of resources to ensure that your time here as a student or scholar is productive on both a personal and academic level. SMU is located in one of the most exciting cities in America, Dallas, with a vibrant and growing international community. Our 950 international students and scholars enhance the diversity of our community and our campus, and we welcome your important contributions.
The International Student & Scholar Services team is committed to facilitating and enriching your experience before you arrive on campus and while you are here in the U.S. All members of the ISSS team work diligently to provide the best and most useful resources prior to your arrival through a comprehensive pre-arrival information packet. Once you arrive on campus, we welcome you with various immigration orientations in order to inform you of the various visa compliance regulations that you must follow as an international student or scholar in order to maintain your visa status. Our team is responsible for reporting to the federal Government all compliance events relating to our international population through SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). For this reason it is important that you check your SMU e-mail regularly, since regulations sometimes change.
It is our goal that you may enjoy every benefit that is afforded to you by your visa status. Our staff consists of a group of professionals who are prepared to respond to your unique needs through or excellent immigration advising system. We also partner with various organizations and communities that are dedicated to serving you in other areas, such as providing American host families or helping you improve your English Language skills. Whereas the ISSS team is dedicated to complying with government regulations, it is also our goal to enhance your personal, academic, and professional experiences while you are here as an F-1 or J-1 visa holder.
Once again, welcome to SMU. We are happy that you are with us, and we will try to make your stay at SMU as productive as possible. Please contact any member of the ISSS team if you have any questions or concerns. If we do not know the answers to your questions, we will try to find someone who does.
Best Regards,
Claudia Evelyn Graves
Director
International Student & Scholar Services
