International Student Advising

s t r a t e g y

The New Strategy  For ISA at UMES
The Faculty Dimension

Departmental Faculty Advisors/Mentors: The New Dimension

UMES considers high retention and graduation rates as priority areas in its student service activities. Consequently, it has decided to reinforce its international student advising by appointing International Students Advisors/Mentors in each department of the University. This is aimed at providing additional human resources to support the office of International Students to assist students from abroad to achieve their goals while studying at UMES.

The goal of the departmental level Advising and mentoring for international students is to: enhance retention and graduation rates through the provision of academic and personal supports to international students, particularly, freshmen and first-time transfer students.

The Roles of Departmental Faculty Advisors/Mentors

Mentoring is guidance on professional and/or personal levels. A mentor is a wise and trusted counselor/instructor; a person that one can turn to, and one who provides support in hard times.

The roles of the departmental faculty Advisors/Mentors will be to:

  1. Assist international students through the maze of rules, regulations, expectations, activities, and the general confusion of student life on a college/university campus such as UMES and surroundings which are completely new to students.

  2. Guide international students in adjusting to the campus culture and academic environment of UMES.

  3. Strengthen and sustain international students in their educational and career goals.

  4. Help make university (UMES) an exciting, fulfilling, and successful experience for culturally diversed students.

  5. Advance international students' knowledge about campus services.

  6. Promote self-confidence and reinforce personal values and ensure professionalism.

  7. Provide supervision and training for students that may assist in the mentoring activities.

  8. Develop students' leadership skills which will help them to become future mentors.