‘There is always light. Only if we are brave enough to see it. Only if we are brave enough to be it.’ ~ Amanda Gorman
On behalf of all of us in International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS), Happy New Year! We hope the year ahead is filled with light, hope, excitement, renewed energy and much celebration. All of us in ISSS are proud of you, our Global Spartans. We value your perseverance, despite the challenges and obstacles of the past year, and commend your brave ability to see the light.
As you begin the spring 2021 semester, either as a new student or a continuing student, we remind you that ISSS is here to support you and to help you succeed while at SJSU and beyond. Although our services are virtual for now, we continue to be available for you. You can schedule an appointment with an advisor to discuss the more complex questions or stop by for a quick question during our daily zoom Q&A sessions. Please also take advantage of the many virtual events we have planned for you to keep you engaged and connected with the Global Spartan community. And don’t forget to tap into our wonderful Global Leaders who continue to be an amazing resource for you and offer a unique peer to peer perspective.
Please also remember that effective January 26th, all air passengers entering the United States will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flight. Here is a short video with more information from our Student Health Center. In short, you will need: 1) to get your COVID testing completed within 3 days of your departure; 2) provide written confirmation of your negative test results to the airline before boarding (previously infected passengers can provide documentation of their recovery in lieu of a negative test result); 3) get tested again within 3-5 days of arrival and self-isolate for one week or more.
Please also continue to monitor the immigration policy updates page on the website, for the most up to date information. With the most recent inauguration of our 46th U.S, President, Mr. Joseph R. Biden, and our 49th Vice-President, Madame Kamala Harris, some of the previous administration’s executive orders will continue to be revoked and altered. We encourage you to continue to read carefully any email messages from ISSS, as it will most likely contain important information and updates regarding your immigration status.
Finally, I am confident that 2021 will bring light and hope for all of us, but we must remain patient. I find comfort in knowing that this new administration will strengthen our commitment to embracing and celebrating our differences. The young poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, articulated the feelings and emotions so eloquently in her poem shared at the recent inauguration on January 20th:
‘We are striving to forge our union with purpose. To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.
And so we lift our gaze, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us. We close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside.’
From all of us in ISSS, best wishes for a most successful and rewarding spring 2021 semester!