#UMKCIEW2020

International Education week is being celebrated across the country.  At UMKC we want to take this opportunity to connect with you and celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide! We know that without these opportunities, UMKC and our global community would not be the same. We strongly believe in the opportunities international education provides as we grow and learn together!

We hope you’ll join us for some of our events (check back for updates for Zoom links!):

Thank you for joining us and thank you for all that you contribute to our UMKC community!

Due to the ever-changing environment on and off campus due to social distancing restrictions, ISAO continues to work diligently in our timely service to our students. However, we expect some delays in our ability to process physical documents, including the receipt of mail and shipping of admission packets or other requested materials, such as updated I-20s.

If you are able to submit digital documents for any required admission materials, please do so, as it will ensure more timely processing. If you are able to submit copies of your academic documents for the purposes of an admission decision, you will be able to submit your officials at a later date.

For current students: Our advising team is making every effort to adjust processes and methods of advising, whether it be through email, zoom or over the phone. Please check your UMKC email regularly. All updates from Advising will be communicated through email and we encourage you to reach out to us by email or phone to limit your movement throughout the Kansas City area. Additionally, we encourage you to send documents digitally whenever possible and we will accept digital signatures on ISAO request forms. Please remember your I-20, I-765, or other government documents require a physical written signature.

We appreciate your patience and wish you well as we make every attempt to keep our students, faculty, staff and overall community healthy.

Sincerely,

The International Student Affairs team

ISAO is excited to announce the details of our upcoming events in our February Series: Employment in the United States!

Our next events are OPT Information Sessions and OPT Application Workshops. Each event will be held twice so you may attend whichever works best for your schedule. Please join us on the following dates to learn about OPT and the application process:

• OPT Information Session – Thursday, February 13 @ 3:00 – 4:00 pm in Miller-Nichols Learning Center 351
• OPT Application Workshop – Friday, February 14 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm in Atterbury Student Success Center 237
• OPT Information Session – Wednesday, February 19 @ 1:00 – 2:00 pm in Miller-Nichols Learning Center 351
• OPT Application Workshop – Thursday, February 27 @ 3:00 – 4:00 pm in Atterbury Student Success Center 237

We hope to see you at these events, and we encourage you to keep watching your email and social media for more events coming soon (including CPT information in March)!

On Friday, July 6th, UMKC tragically lost graduate student Sharath Koppu. We invite you to learn more about Sharath, his life and his impact on our community, as well as a message from UMKC Chancellor, C. Mauli Agrawal below.

Remembering Sharath Koppu (1993-2018)

Computer science graduate student

The university community is mourning the loss of one its own, Sharath Koppu, who fell victim to violence on July 6.

A native of Hyderabad, India, Koppu joined UMKC in the spring of 2018 as a computer science graduate student. According to friends and faculty, Koppu was an excellent student with vast knowledge in his field and was always willing to lend his expertise to help his peers understand core academic concepts. Read more >

Letter from Chancellor Agrawal

Dear Students:

I want to give you my personal assurance that the University of Missouri-Kansas City is a very safe place to pursue an outstanding education, for domestic and international students alike

I understand your concern. The tragic death of Sharath Koppu has affected us all. But it is important to remember that Sharath was in no way targeted for his ethnicity. Unfortunately, violent street crime is a fact of life in most large cities around the world – a risk that is real, but one that can be minimized by taking prudent steps.

As you know, I too have lived the experience of leaving a familiar country behind to pursue an education here in this great land of opportunity. I have felt both the excitement, and the anxiety, that this transition evokes.

But like the vast majority of international students who come to America, my journey has been a successful and rewarding one. It can be for you as well. We must hold our memories of Sharath close to our hearts, but we cannot let this incident become a barrier to realizing our dreams.

Sincerely,

C. Mauli Agrawal, Ph.D.
Chancellor