I am being pulled in every direction to comment on the ongoing debacle with the 45th President and the plight of our international students. I have taken the utmost pleasure in posting a letter received from University of Pennsylvania so that students/parents can see the extent to which American schools are going to ensure "full welcome."
Dear Colleague, Penn President Dr. Amy Gutmann, in her recent statement on the Executive Order suspending immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, reiterates Penn’s commitment to “open-hearted compassion and open-minded opportunity.” Our admissions officers, faculty, and administration will remain as dedicated as ever to creating an inclusive campus atmosphere that welcomes the best scholars from around the world, regardless of their nation of origin. At this time, we hope the following information may be useful to you in your work with students who are considering Penn and who may be impacted by these policy changes:
We urge passport holders, citizens, nationals, dual nationals, etc. from the impacted countries to monitor the information provided by Penn’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) for guidance. In addition to contacting our Admissions Office for updates and specific concerns, ISSS is a trusted resource for information on the immigration suspension.
The University is working with outside counsel to clarify the implications for nationals from these countries who are currently at Penn and for those who might be planning to travel to, or attend, Penn. We will continue to reach out as we have more information.
As an active member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), Penn strongly supports the AAU’s recent statement expressing concerns about the policy changes.
Please follow our social media channels @PreviewingPenn for real-time updates.
We understand that rapid changes in immigration policy create uncertainty and apprehension for our international students and for the entire Penn community, and if we can be helpful as you navigate these issues, please do not hesitate to contact our office. As Dr. Gutmann asserted, we will stand together in support of one another during this challenging time. Sincerely,
Dean Eric J. Furda C’87
ACCEPTANCES
Andrew Folkes: Howard University
Arielle McDonald: UWI Medical
Gabrielle Madu: Wayland Academy (Boarding School)
Tarik Dixon: SUNY Plattsburgh
Ashley Kellyman: Hofstra University
Jhanelle Davey: Howard University
In addition, I want to say that acceptances are brisk this year.
PAST STUDENTS' CORNER
Hooray to Iyanda whose picture I have mounted this week. She is attending Purnell in New Jersey. We took this bright, little girl out of Manchester High and shipped her off in 9th grade. She is now President at her school, planning for college in 2018 and still in touch with her old teacher for college planning. How she has grown! Excellent GPA and torn between law and engineering. You go Versaners!
NEW CLASSES
SAT rolls out this weekend. School visits are on the way....
See you next week.