THE ROLE OF THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

We (OIS Director Carolyn Sorkin and Assistant Director Gail Winter) mediate on behalf of students with their study abroad programs, as well as with Wesleyan faculty and the Wesleyan administration while they are abroad. We also are available to answer your questions and address your concerns as parents. We bring to this work a strong desire that our students have the best possible experience abroad, and that their parents have confidence in the academic value and the overall quality of the study abroad program.

These are the areas in which we can be of help to your daughter or son:

• We counsel and advise students on selecting programs that meet their intellectual and academic needs, as well as their personal preferences

• We coordinate billing and provide information about all financial aspects of study abroad 

• We work with the Offices of Financial Aid, Residential Life, and the Dean of the College, as well as with faculty, to ensure smooth transitions and prevent miscommunication

• We act as an information-gathering and -transmitting agency should international events pose a potential hazard for our students 

• We keep records on student experiences abroad and coordinate site visits by faculty and administrators to programs abroad, so as to provide good information on the international programs in which students may participate

• We make available evaluations written by students returning from approved programs abroad, and contact information so that they can learn from the experiences of their peers 

• We do our best to ensure that students make all necessary arrangements to receive academic credit when they have completed their study abroad, so that their progress toward graduation is not impeded 

• We post credit to the transcripts of students who have returned from study abroad, and mediate any questions or problems related to credit transfer