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Welcome, Fall 2019 Cohort of International Students!
International Student and Scholar Services
Orientation Expectations
Duo Mobile
English Placement Test and Speaking Test
ISSS Staff Profiles

Welcome, Fall 2019 Cohort of International Students!

Congratulations on your admission to Miami University and your decision to pursue your studies with us in beautiful Oxford, Ohio! We are looking forward to welcoming you to our community and hope that you are excited to begin your studies at Miami University. This is the first in a series of newsletters that we will send out every two weeks in coming months to help you prepare for your arrival.

Miami University Aerial Campus Tour video thumbnail

MacMillan Hall

Miami University Campus Map

International Student and Scholar Services

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is in the division of Global Initiatives, which also includes Study Abroad, Center for American and World Cultures, Confucius Institute, and Continuing Education. ISSS is located in 214 MacMillan Hall, 531 E. Spring Street at Miami University.

ISSS leads efforts to orient, support and retain international students and scholars by providing thorough and effective immigration advising and offering comprehensive and ongoing cultural, social, and academic support.

Please note that all new international undergraduate students will be charged a one-time administrative services fee of $200, which will appear on your Miami bill.

Orientation Expectations

Orientation will begin on Friday, August 16, 2019 for first year and transfer students in the Shriver Center Dolibois Room A & B. Orientation will begin on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 for ACE and exchange students in the Shriver Center Heritage Room. You will receive your individual orientation schedule when you check in with us that morning. Breakfast will be provided. If you do not arrive on time, you will need to go to MacMillan Hall 214 to get your personal orientation schedule.

You will be scheduled to attend many mandatory sessions through August 21, such as the immigration session, document check, medical form check, TB test, small group discussions, academic advising, informational sessions, campus tour, etc. You will be assigned to a small group with your peers led by an International Peer Orientation Leader (iPOL). We have a passionate team of iPOLs who are very eager to welcome you and help you transition to Miami University.

Welcome Session

International Peer Orientation Leaders (iPOLs)

Small Group Led by an iPOL

Duo Mobile

Duo is required in order to access University services. Duo is a two-factor authentication solution that allows more comprehensive security on our systems. If you are a student in China and have difficulty enrolling in Duo, you can request a temporary bypass of the Duo system until you arrive on campus.

Other international students will be able to enroll with your international phone number. Follow the instructions for setting up a new phone with Duo. When you get to the U.S., you will need to add your U.S. phone to your Duo account. Please see the Knowledge Base for more information about adding a second device. More information and further instructions can be found on our Duo Security page.

English Placement Test and Speaking Test

Some First Year and Transfer students will be required to take an English Placement Test and/or Speaking Test to assess your writing and speaking abilities. You should have already started to receive emails about scheduling these tests. Please check your email throughout the summer to see important messages about placement testing, academic advising, and course registration. The timeline for these activities is below.

Academic Advising and Course Registration Timeline

(First Year students):

ISSS Staff Profiles

Molly Heidemann, Director

Molly Heidemann has supported the growing population of international students and scholars at Miami University since 2008. She provides leadership and strategic planning for the ISSS unit and collaborates with units around campus to provide support and advocacy for Miami’s international student population. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Xavier University in Cincinnati and went on to obtain her M.A. in Social Science from the University of Chicago. She enjoys assisting students with their transition to life in the U.S. and seeing them succeed in their goals.

Amy Cockrell, Senior International Student Advisor

Amy Cockrell began working with international students in 2008 and joined Miami in 2012. She is responsible for advising international students, providing counsel regarding immigration, academic, cultural, and personal issues. Her favorite thing about orientation is the opportunity to meet with new students one-on-one during document check!

Tabetha Maly, International Student Advisor

Tabetha Maly began working at Miami University in June 2016, and has been working with international students for over five years. Tabetha holds a master's degree in Higher Education Administration. She enjoys helping students succeed in their academic programs and transition to the United States.

Alex Kailer, International Student Advisor

Alex Kailer graduated from Miami in 2013 with a degree in International Studies and has been working at Miami since June 2016. Alex joined the ISSS team in August 2017 as an international student advisor to work closely with exchange and sponsored students. She enjoys meeting students from diverse backgrounds and assisting them as they navigate immigration concerns and make the most of their Miami experience.

Aaron Humiston, International Student Advisor

Aaron joined the ISSS team in November 2018 as an international student advisor who concentrates on health insurance and taxes. He received a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University in Political Science in 2016 and a master’s degree from Penn State University in International Affairs in 2018. Aaron enjoys getting to meet with students from all over the world and making sure their studies here are a good experience.

Dan Sinetar, International Student Coordinator

Dan Sinetar joined the Global Initiatives team at Miami University in 2018. Dan directs the Global Partner Summer School and assists with various ISSS programs and events. Previously, he worked in Hunan, China for ten years. Prior to this experience, he knew nothing of China, nor a word of Chinese. Dan graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy from American University, where he was an NCAA swimmer. He was born and raised in Cortland, New York.

Yuenan Jin Rodriguez, International Student Coordinator

Yuenan joined the ISSS team in August 2018. She is responsible for coordinating orientation and other co-curricular academic and social programs for students. She is originally from Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China. She came to the U.S. in 2011 for school and obtained an MBA degree from Indiana Institute of Technology. She understands what it’s like to be an international student and is passionate about helping international students transition to U.S. college life and support their journey here.

Next issue, we will be covering the following topics: CVG DoubleTree hotel & bus to Miami, housing upon arrival, local transportation, shopping in Oxford, climate and seasons in Oxford, Stay tuned!

Want to find more information? Follow us on social media.

ISSS Facebook

Global Initiatives YouTube

Global Initiatives Instagram

Global Initiatives Twitter

Follow ISSS on WeChat

Contact International Student and Scholar Services

Phone: +1-513-529-8600

Email: international@MiamiOH.edu

Website: MiamiOH.edu/international

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531 E Spring St. 214 MacMillan Hall
Oxford, OH | 45056 US

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