The UD Office of Undergraduate Admissions completed the last of three events bringing dozens of international high school counselors and other international groups to campus as part of the International Counselor Fly-In — a joint effort between UD and Delaware State University.

International counselors visit

Article by Adam Shutz Photos by Office of Admissions August 31, 2023

UD Admissions hosts high school counselors to help attract students from around the globe

For their last event on campus as part of the International Counselor Fly-In, 31 counselors representing various high schools and recruitment organizations from all over the world sat in the University of Delaware’s Visitors Center on July 18 listening to a speech from Ravi Ammigan, associate provost for international programs. The international counselors had spent the last two days with staff from the admissions office, shuttled around UD, touring the farm, visiting STAR Campus, eating at Vita Nova, shopping on Main Street. They traveled to Delaware from Brazil, Greece and Uzbekistan, among other nations. After visiting campus, they spent their final day in Delaware at Rehoboth Beach.

Walking around in the summer heat, they had by then seen a dozen labs, spoken to many faculty members, but now the questions turned toward the technical and legal, the international counselors peppering the staff of UD’s Center for Global Programs and Services (CGPS) about the complicated details of visa categories and employment eligibility — complicated but critically important for any 17 year-old student traveling half-way around the world to study in a new country.

“There are important differences between the OPT and CPT employment status,” Rachel Selway, a staff member for the CGPS, referring to the optional practical training status (and form) and the curricular practical training status (and form). Many counselors in the room scribbled notes or pointed their phones to the projected presentation to snap a picture. Before going back to their hotel room for the evening, one counselor noted at the end of the presentation: “I just wanted to say, I’m impressed. Such robust services. Everyone really knows what they’re doing. It’s encouraging.”

Staff from UD’s Center for Global Programs and Services told the international group of counselors about the complicated details of visa categories and employment eligibility.

The International Counselor Fly-In, hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, was supported by a grant from the Delaware Department of State and shared with Delaware State University. It brought a total of 78 counselors from 20 countries for three multi-day visits to UD’s campus. The last event, which ended July 19, was the third and final installment. The first was April 16-19 and the second was May 3-7.

“We want to put the state of Delaware on the map for our international visitors,” said Song Hoffman, director of international admissions. “Often, Delaware is a drive-by state for many international visitors. Yet we have so much to offer in terms of history, tourism and excellent higher education.”

The international team in the admissions office travels around the globe, meeting with high school students and counselors in their home countries. By extension, UD also hopes to attract more international graduate students. The Fly-In represented a rare opportunity to bring their international counterparts to campus and continue the growth of the international student body at UD, which has nearly doubled over the last 10 years.

“Initiatives like the International Counselor Fly-In help raise the University’s profile globally,” Ammigan said, “and attract the best and brightest students to our campus.”

The international counselors capped their three-day visit to Delaware by spending the day in the sand and sun in Rehoboth Beach.

By the end of the second day, the international guests had spoken to representatives from dozens of units around UD and seen campus from every angle: sitting in class demonstrations at the English Language Institute, touring the Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory, learning about the Healthcare Theater. On the third day, they ended their visit as the two previous groups had: at the beach. All 31 counselors took a chartered bus to relax in the Rehoboth sun and do a little shopping at the outlets.

“When we bring prospective students and school counselors to campus for the first time,” said Rodney Morrison, vice president for enrollment services, “they are often blown away by how beautiful our state and our campus are, as well as the myriad programs and resources we offer.”

The comments from the visitors reflect that: “I came back thinking that the University of Delaware is a hidden gem,” said Aanchal Negi, head of college counseling for the Woodstock School in Uttarakhand, India. Similarly, Sheetal Multani, a counselor and career coach from India, said, “Campus felt like home.”