1. Fall 2007 International Student Orientation - Leadership Volunteers Needed
2. SUNY International Student Health Insurance Rates for 2007-2008
3. Financial Aid for Students from Latin American and Caribbean Countries

1. Fall 2007 International Student Orientation - Leadership Volunteers Needed

Are you interested in helping new international students during Orientation and adding Leadership and U.S. Culture Training experience to your resume? Then, become a Leadership Volunteer!

Leadership Volunteers are a select group of Binghamton University students, who join ISSS staff to welcome new international students during Fall International Student Orientation. Leadership Volunteer recruitment is now underway.

Leadership Volunteers engage in a 5-day training program to help prepare them for their role during Orientation. Leadership Volunteer Training will take place Monday, August 13 to Friday, August 17, 2007. International Student Orientation starts Monday, August 20 and ends on Wednesday, August 22, 2007.

The Training Program includes activities that give all Leadership Volunteers the opportunity to:
•  Become a Team
•  Prepare Presentations for Small Group Activities
•  Understand the Needs of New International Students

Many new students tell the ISSS how important the Leadership Volunteers were to their initial experience at Binghamton University. Many Leadership Volunteers tell the ISSS how valuable the training was to their own professional and personal development.

Here is part of what Judy Zhu said about being an LV:

"From Leadership Volunteer (LV) training, I learned a lot about how to be a leader and lead a group of new international students, how to help others, and how to corporate with other Leadership Volunteers. I enjoyed my experience very much.

Later during the semester, I had a number of job interviews. I put my LV experience on my resume. Many of the interviewers asked me about my LV experience. They were very interested in my LV experience and asked what I learned and experienced extensively. My LV experience was a big help in getting a job offer."

(Judy is a graduate from the MS Accounting program)

If you are interested in being a Leadership Volunteer, please e-mail Karen Keefe-Guzikowski at isss@binghamton.edu Use “Leadership Volunteer” in the subject line. We would like to hear from you by June 21, 2007.

2. SUNY International Student Health Insurance Rates for 2007-2008

The SUNY International Student Health Insurance Policy is a group policy used by students and scholars at more than thirty SUNY campuses state-wide. A multi-year contract is awarded in a competitive bidding process to the health insurance company that best meets the requirements for the health insurance program. SUNY is now beginning the sixth year of its current contract with the insurance company, HTH Worldwide, Inc. There will be an increase to the health insurance premium for the coming year. The Fall 2007 insurance fee will be $396.25 a $42.50 increase from last Fall.

F-1 graduate students on TA, GA or RA funding for Fall 2007 who require two weeks of "bridge coverage" to provide health insurance prior to the starting date of their Fall appointment (which for this Fall is August 23, 2007) will be charged a reduced rate of $79.00 which includes two weeks of full insurance coverage as well as six months of medical evacuation and repatriation.

If you have any questions regarding the insurance fee, you may contact Diane Sliwinski, ISSS Special Programs Coordinator by e-mail at dsliwin@binghamton.edu

3. Financial Aid for Students from Latin American and Caribbean Countries

The Rowe Fund is a student loan program administered by the Organization of American States (OAS). The Rowe Fund provides interest-free loans to citizens from Latin America and the Caribbean for either Undergraduate or Graduate studies in accredited institutions of the United States. The maximum amount granted is $15,000 per individual. The beneficiary commits to repay the total loan granted as per the loan agreement and to return to the home country to apply his or her knowledge and training. For more information visit the OAS Website: http://www.oas.org/rowe/

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