Bridging the Gap: Supporting International Students in Co-op and Career Development
ABOUT THIS SESSION:
In Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business undergraduate population, international students make up ~34% of searching students but less than half these students identify a co-op placement each semester. Compared to their American peers, international students, which encompasses a wide range of nationalities and identities, face unique challenges in the co-op search. This session introduces an intervention model that’s been piloted in our department, which includes a series of interactive workshops for international students, the hiring of a Peer Mentor (upperclassman) who themselves is an international student, and a more intentional resource database to help international students navigate the complexities of the co-op search.
In this hour, I will introduce the search challenges we’ve observed in our international student population, the data our team collected on international student outcomes in the co-op search, and the new curriculum materials we’ve implemented to “bridge the gap.” Our resources span CPT and OPT guidance, how to identify employers who are friendlier to sponsorship, how to elevate one’s strengths in the application and interview process, and how to create enduring relationships on and off campus that can help international students succeed in co-op and the larger workforce after college. The model also includes peer-led components where the Peer Mentor conducts 1:1 coaching meetings with fellow students. Our goal is to elevate international students’ talents and abilities and instill confidence in them that they have what they need to succeed, with the support of their institution.
PRESENTED BY:
GENEVIEVE WINN
Senior Co-op Counselor at Northeastern University, D’Amore-McKim School of Business
ABOUT GENEVIEVE:
Genevieve has worked as a Co-op Counselor at Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business for over three years, where she advises students pursuing co-ops abroad and assists international students on both J-1 and F-1 visas who are pursuing co-ops in the U.S., a population she really enjoys working with. Through this, she has become very familiar with the unique nature of international student job applicants in the U.S. and has learned a lot from other practitioners in this area. She strives for a coaching approach that is student-centered, research-based, and involves peer support wherever possible. Before Northeastern, Genevieve worked as a remedial reading teacher, has been a writing tutor for international students studying in the U.S., and has lived and taught abroad in France. She has a Bachelor’s in anthropology from the University of Vermont and is currently pursuing graduate studies in interdisciplinary social sciences at Northeastern University.