Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs

I-Fest 2013

femmenic — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:37:41 +0000

Join us on Friday, April 12 from 5-8pm in the UC Grant Gymnasium.

The annual Webster University International Festival, or I Fest, is held each year in April. The annual exposition features food, music, dance, and displays, representing many different countries and cultures. The Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs presents I Fest each year to celebrate and showcase the international diversity of Webster University.

This year, travel through an extravagant cultural bazaar with booths representing different regions from around the world. From 5-7pm I-Fest will showcase cultural activities, food, henna, crafts, jewelry making, fashion, and for the first time, visitors can purchase items at our Fair Trade Marketplace.

At 7pm, complete your I-Fest experience with a spellbinding performance by gypsy jazz group, Caravan of Thieves! Driving gypsy jazz rhythms, acoustic guitars, upright bass and violin lay the foundation for mesmerizing vocal harmonies and fantastic stories. To find out more about the I-Fest headliner click here!

We can’t host I-Fest without you! We need you to help make this event a truly fun, educational, and interactive event for all. We are looking for students who want to share their culture and/or help with the event.

There are many ways you can contribute.

Brainstorm activities and decorations for the cultural booths
Volunteer to work for an hour or more at cultural booths
Create amazing decorations for the gym and booths
Volunteer to write our guests’ names in your native language
Suggest or bring in music from your home country
Recommend foods you love from home
Help set up and/or clean up
And more….

To sign up to help, please click HERE and give us your thoughts and ideas!

Learn more about I-Fest and view video from past years here.

Through the Eyes of a Survivor

femmenic — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:45:24 +0000

Holocaust Survivor Esther Bauer visits Webster University on Tuesday, March 26.

In this unforgettable and moving lecture, Esther Bauer recounts her harrowing experiences as a Holocaust Survivor. Esther recounts the story of her amazing, educated, and liberated mother Dr. Marie Anna Jonas who was a medical doctor who was stripped of her ability to practice by the Reich Citizen Law.

Esther speaks to students as often as she can so that they will “learn what happened, and see to it that it never happens again.” Esther’s bounding energy and joy for life is infectious, and will leave you filled with respect, awe appreciation for the indestructibility of the human spirit.

Through the Eyes of a Survivor

Tuesday, March 26

Sunnen Lounge

6:30pm

This event is free and open to the public.

Summer International Student Orientation

Bethany Keller — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:59:53 +0000

All new international students starting class for the Summer term are asked to save the date for required international student orientation.

Calling all international students! Don’t miss International Student Orientation to welcome you to the United States, help orient you to Webster resources available to support your success, and meet new friends. We are looking forward to welcoming you to your new home away from home!

New students please RSVP for orientation online at http://tinyurl.com/WUinternationalorientation

See our Schedule of Events (check back soon for the download) including required events such as Orientation and Immigration Check In as well as optional events such as Shopping Trips, Graduate Student Receptions and much more!

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION

DATE: Wednesday, May 22, 2013

TIME: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

LOCATION: Sunnen Lounge, University Center

175 Edgar Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63119

Our orientation programs will begin with welcome and breakfast. Check back soon for a full schedule of the day’s events.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN

DATES: Monday, June 3rd

TIME: 12-2 pm

LOCATION: Webster Groves Room, Webster Hall 135

470 E. Lockwood Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63119

Immigration check-in is required for all international students on F-1 and J-1 visas and their dependents (if any). Download the International Student Check In Form and fill it out in advance to save time!

Please bring the following original documents:

Original I-20 or DS-2019
Passport
I-94 card (arrival record)
Emergency contact information
Your new local address and telephone number

International Services coordinators will officially confirm your arrival at Webster, take copies of your visa and immigration documents, and update your local address information.

Preparing for Arrival

As you are making your arrival plans, please take some time to review our comprehensive Pre-Arrival Guide to help you apply for your visa, prepare for your studies, travel safely to the US and get settled in after your arrival.

We are excited for your arrival, so make sure you mark your calendar for International Student Orientation!

FREE AIRPORT PICKUP – Advanced Request Required!

Lambert St. Louis International Airport is approximately 15 miles from campus. Taxi service is available to campus for approximately USD$40.

Webster University provides free airport pickup by advanced request to new international students. Please submit your request for pickup at least two weeks in advance of your arrival through our Online Request Form at http://tinyurl.com/WUinternationalorientation. We will confirm your arrival pickup by email or phone after your request is processed.

New International Students should plan to arrive no earlier than May 21st — early move-in permission should be requested to Kelly Malone (maloneke@webster.edu), Coordinator in Housing and Residential Life, so that your room is ready when you arrive.

Questions?

Please contact Bethany Keller in the Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs at bethanys@webster.edu, (314) 246-7649 at the office, or (314) 301-9665 mobile with any questions. There is no fee for airport pickup or orientation.

African American Read-In

femmenic — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:21:25 +0000

Join us Wednesday, February 6 for the African American Read-In.

On Wednesday, February 6 the Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs will be participating in the Twenty-Fourth National African American Read-In. The African American Read-In is an event where organizations are urged to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month by hosting and coordinating Read-Ins in their communities. The Read-In has been endorsed by the International Reading Association with over a million readers of all backgrounds from the United States, the District of Columbia, the West Indies, African countries, and more have participated. The goal is to make the celebration of African American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month activities.

Webster University will be participating in the Read-In by holding its second annual event from 12-4pm on Wednesday, February 6 in the Alumni House. A small group of Webster “celebrities” will select a book by an African American author and read a small selection to students on this day. Our day will begin with Dr. Stroble at 12pm and we will host a Webster celebrity each additional half hour. In between readings, students will have time to read other books, mingle, play games, and eat until the next reading begins.

Join us this year for more readings, more games, more prizes, and more food!

2013 Read-In Schedule:

12:00pm Dr. Beth Stroble, Webster University President

12:30pm Trezette Dixon, Career Services

1:00pm Michael Grosch, SGA President

1:30pm Sheila Hwang, English Professor

2:00pm Kayla Thompson, AAAC President

2:30pm John Ginsburg, University Center

3:00pm Gladys Smith, Counseling and Life Development

3:30pm Dr. Joseph Sencibaugh, Education Professor

For more information on the National Read-In, click here.

International Student Tax Filing Workshops

Bethany Keller — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:15:58 +0000

Its tax season again in the United States! Sign up for international student tax filing workshops in March and April hosted by the MCISA. Don’t be late! The tax filing deadline is April 15, 2013!

Its tax season in the United States! You should begin receiving tax forms by mail in late January/early February of each year. MCISA is hosting several tax workshops in the spring to assist international students at Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri campus to file their income taxes in order to be in compliance with U.S. tax laws. However, filing federal income tax forms is the personal responsibility of each international student.

How is Webster University going to help me file taxes?

Webster University purchased Foreign National Tax Resource (FNTR) for you to use in preparing your U.S. federal income tax return and your Missouri State tax return. You will need an access code to use the Foreign National Tax Resource. We will be giving these codes out at the tax workshop to assist you in filing your tax returns.

If you have filed taxes before and think you can do it on your own, please email Bethany Keller at bethanys@webster.edu and we will email you your access code. Using FNTR is much easier than manually filling a return.

Workshop Schedule

All workshops are located in the Emerson Library, eClassroom, Room 110.

Friday, March 8, 10am

Monday, March 11, 2pm

Thursday, March 21, 2 pm

Monday, March 25, 10am

Thursday, March 28, 10am

Monday, April 1, 10am

Thursday, April 4, 10am

Friday, April5, 10am

Monday, April 8, 2pm

Thursday, April 11, 10am

Monday, April 15, 10am

Monday, April 15, 2pm

To Sign up for a Tax Workshop, please use our online form to sign up for a workshop date and time at http://tinyurl.com/ajpspm2

You will receive a confirmation email with reminder list of what documents to bring.

What do I Need to Bring to File Taxes?

Passport
Visa/Immigration Status information, including Form DS-2019 (if J status) or Form I-20 (if F status) and I-94 card (and all prior I-20s or DS2019s for past years)
Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (if you have been assigned one)
Address Information (BOTH your current U.S. Address and Foreign Address)
U.S. Entry and Exit Dates for current and all past visits to the U.S.
Academic Institution or Host Sponsor Information
Forms W-2, 1042-S and/or 1099 (if you received any)
A copy of last year’s federal income tax return (Form 1040NRor 1040NR-EZ), if you filed one
Your personal checks (if you are able to get a refund, it is best that you get it sent to you by direct deposit to your bank account instead of waiting for a check)

You cannot complete tax filing without ALL of the documents and information listed above. In particular, you must know all of the dates you have entered and exited the United States for all current and past visits to the US.We strongly recommend that you spend time BEFORE the workshop compiling a list of your travel dates in the following format. For example, for a student who started studies on an F-1 visa in 2010, their travel record might look something like this:
Visa Status Date of Arrival Date of Exit
F-1 August 10, 2010 December 17, 2010
F-1 January 16, 2011 March 10, 2011
F-1 March 22, 2011 May 16, 2011
F-1 August 12, 2011 May 20, 2012
F-1 August 6, 2012 (still in the US)

You will need to send your tax forms by mail to the Internal Revenue Service by no later than April 15, 2013. You can purchase postage stamps at Mail and Copy, lower level of Loretto Hall (cash or check payment only), at US Post Offices in the local area, or at most grocery stores. We recommend sending your tax forms through Mail and Copy or the US Post Office through a method called “Return Receipt.” This costs more to send, but will provide you with a receipt back when the IRS receives your tax forms.

Current rates for standard, first class postal mail:
46 cents – First Class Postage
Certified Mail – $3.10
Return Receipt – $2.55
Total cost to send via Return Receipt: $6.11
Total cost to send without receipt: $0.46

All tax forms must be post marked no later than Monday, April 15th.

Student Employees and the Foreign National Information System (FNIS)

All on campus student employees who are non-US citizens are required to submit immigration information and documentation through the Foreign National Information System (FNIS). You should receive notice from Student Employment and the Payroll Office to submit your immigration records online in FNIS (a secure online system). Please complete these requirements in a timely manner to ensure your tax withholding is on file properly. Students eligible for tax treaty benefits should have an 8233 Form on file with Payroll each year.

This information is meant to help Webster University international students grasp some basics of U.S. tax laws. For further information on U.S. tax system, please check out the Internal Revenue Service.

If you have any further questions, please see Bethany Keller at your scheduled tax workshop or stop by the MCISA House.

Bethany Keller, Assistant Director

Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs(MCISA)

314-246-7649 (phone)

bethanys@webster.edu (email)

536 Garden Avenue

Spring 2 International Student Orientation

Bethany Keller — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:31:03 +0000

All new international students starting class for the Spring 2 term are asked to save the date for required international student orientation.

New students please RSVP for orientation online at http://tinyurl.com/WUinternationalorientation

Download the Schedule of Events including required events such as Orientation and Immigration Check In as well as optional events such as Shopping Trips, Graduate Student Receptions and much more!

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION

DATE: Friday, March 15, 2013

TIME: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

LOCATION: Emerson Library Conference Room

150 Edgar Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63119

Our orientation programs will begin with welcome and breakfast. Download the full schedule of Welcome Week Events- Spring 2, 2013 for a preview of the day’s activities.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN

DATES: Monday, March 18th

TIME: 12-2 pm

LOCATION: Webster Groves Room, Webster Hall 135

470 E. Lockwood Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63119

Please bring the following original documents:

Original I-20 or DS-2019
Passport
I-94 card (arrival record)
Emergency contact information
Your new local address and telephone number

International Services coordinators will officially confirm your arrival at Webster, take copies of your visa and immigration documents, and update your local address information.

Preparing for Arrival

We are excited for your arrival, so make sure you mark your calendar for International Student Orientation!

FREE AIRPORT PICKUP – Advanced Request Required!

Lambert St. Louis International Airport is approximately 15 miles from campus. Taxi service is available to campus for approximately USD$40.

New International Students should plan to arrive no earlier than March 14th — early move-in permission should be requested to Kelly Malone (maloneke@webster.edu), Coordinator in Housing and Residential Life, so that your room is ready when you arrive.

Questions?

Spring 2013 Newsletter

femmenic — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:54:58 +0000

Find out what is happening in the MCISA!

Big announcements, upcoming events, and program descriptions! Check out the newsletter for MCISA news for Spring 2013. Click here!

Building A Diverse Leader

femmenic — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:22:44 +0000

Diversity and leadership workshop lead by Steve Birdine. Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 3pm in Sunnen Lounge.

The MCISA welcomes diversity and leadership expert Steve Birdine to campus for this interactive workshop. In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, this workshop offers “hands on” leadership development skills on a number of topics: diversity, multiculturalism, focus, problem solving, defining leadership, courage, unity, expectations, motivation, creativity, goal setting, and honesty.

This workshop is open to all Webster University students. Please sign up in advance to attend this workshop by filing out the form in the below link: http://tinyurl.com/DiverseLeader

If you are a member of WebsterLEADS this event does count as a WebsterLEADS workshop.

Building A Diverse Leader

Wednesday, January 23

3pm, University Center Sunnen Lounge

Martin Luther King Jr. Food Drive

femmenic — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:39:16 +0000

Drop off donations the week of January 14th-18th.

As we prepare for the winter break, let us remember the people in need. Start collecting,or bring something from home to donate on the first week of undergraduate classes in January.

Collection Bin Locations:

The University Center
The MCISA
Marlettos, by the ATM
Business Office
The WVA Clubhouse
West Hall

Did you know?

Missouri is ranked seventh in the nation where people live with hunger and fear of starvation.

More than 55,000 children in central and northeast Missouri are financially qualified for free or reduced-priced breakfast and lunch at school.

All donations will be given to St. Louis Area Foodbank.

Did you know they accept more than just cans? Checkout this list of suggested items:
Canned: tuna, chicken, fruit, beans, Soups, Ravioli, Chili, Veggies
Peanut butter
Bottled jelly
Boxed/bagged: rice products, pasta products, crackers
Condiments/sauces (plastic containers)
Boxed complete meals
Hot cereal
Cold cereal
Powdered milk
Granola bars
Breakfast/snack bars
Fruit snacks
Bottled juice
Boxed juice
Macaroni and cheese
Instant mashed potatoes
Baby: body products, Baby food (plastic containers), Diapers, Baby formula
Toiletries: Shampoo/conditioner, Tooth brushes, Toothpaste, Feminine products, Toilet tissue, Soap/lotion

Career and International Services Workshops

femmenic — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:26:42 +0000

Join Career Services, International Services, and the MCISA for these informative workshops in the spring semester.

Come learn more about how to pursue career development opportunities, plan for job hunting as a new college graduate, and find out more about Optional Practical Training benefits available to students on F-1 visas after graduation.

Upcoming dates:

Job Search Strategies for International Students

Join Tamara Gegg-LaPlume, Director of Career Services, for an interactive workshop designed to help you jump start your job search. Don’t wait until you graduate to begin your search. Using resources available through Career Services, design your resume, practice your interview skills, and learn how to research career opportunities in your field!

This workshop is ideal for:

new students who do not yet have a resume created
students who are seeking an internship
students preparing for a job search after graduation

When and Where:

Friday, April 5th 10:00 am- Library Conference Room

Monday, April 29th 2:00 pm- UC Presentation Room

Optional Practical Training Workshop

Join the MCISA and Wence P’Oryem, Associate Director of International Services to learn your options for employment in your field of studies after graduation. This information session includes instructions on how to file for Optional Practical Training.

This workshop is ideal for international students graduating in May.

When and Where :

Thursday, March 28th 2:00 pm- Webster Groves Room , Webster Hall 135

SEATING FOR THESE WORKSHOPS IS LIMITED !

PLEASE SIGN UP ONLINE AT:

http://tinyurl.com/WUcareerworkshops