International Student Advisor / Designated School Official

 

Position Start Date:

July 1

 

Position Summary:

The administrative team at Peridance Center is looking to hire a creative, detail-oriented self-starter to serve as our new International Student Advisor / Designated School Official (ISA/DSO). As the ISA/DSO you will act as the primary point-of-contact for international students throughout their Peridance experience, advising them on the responsibilities and requirements of being an F-1 student at Peridance, while also playing a critical role in helping them with a variety of important processes such as applying for an F-1 visa, transferring to/from Peridance from/to another SEVP-certified F-1 school, applying for work authorization benefits, enrolling in a new program of study at Peridance, and requesting a leave of absence. The ISA/DSO is also responsible for all record-keeping related to the operations of the Peridance International Office. This includes maintaining detailed records of all student application materials, tuition payments, payment plans, attendance, and completion packets, updating relevant information on the Peridance website as necessary through communication with the Media Coordinator, and ensuring smooth operation of the student Application Portals, Forms, and Hubs.

 

Ideal candidates for the position should have a flexible mindset, strong organizational skills,, and a willingness to work with students of all cultural backgrounds. Due to the sensitive and consequential nature of the information handled during the application process, maintenance of student records in SEVIS, and tuition collection, this position also requires a seriousness with regards to detail, accuracy, and privacy. 

 

A two-month training period will be required with hourly expectations of 10-15 hours per week, before ultimately taking over the position full-time (40 hours per week). The position reports directly to Artistic Director, Mr. Igal Perry, and works closely with the Certificate Program Director and Independent Study Program Coordinator to facilitate the student experience. Once training is complete, most work will be done autonomously, so it is important that candidates are comfortable working to complete time-sensitive tasks without supervision. 

 

Responsibilities:

 

Applications, Onboarding, and Advising

Review Application Request Form submissions from prospective students.

Assign students to Application Portals based on student type, and guide them through the Application Portal process to register for, and enroll in, their program of study.

Assist international students with all questions related to the F-1 visa application process, change of status process, and/or transfer process, and refer them to the appropriate resources as necessary.

Onboard all new students each month by conducting mandatory International Student Orientations and ensuring that they are registered for their program in SEVIS.

Maintain all international student records in Department of Homeland Security’s SEVIS database, ensuring accuracy and completeness of all information in accordance with SEVP guidelines.

Research, interpret, and advise students on all F-1 student rules and regulations set forth by ICE and SEVP.

Review all student travel requests and issue travel endorsements as appropriate.

Advise students on all options to maintain status in the event of acute or chronic injury and/or illness, and process Reduced Course Load and Authorized Early Withdrawal requests as needed.

Advise students on end of program options including, but not limited to, enrolling in a new program of study at Peridance and transferring to another F-1 program.

Review and approve all study extension applications from current students.

Assist students filing for post-completion OPT in putting together and submitting their I-765 applications.

Collaborate with Program Coordinators on devising and maintaining program-specific international student policies to ensure compliance and uniformity.

 

Financial Recordkeeping

Record and collect tuition payments for all IND and CP program students via cash, check, wire transfer, ACH transfer, and card (Stripe).

Send invoices to all IND and CP program students with outstanding balances via Stripe.

Approve, create and manage payment plans for all IND and CP program students who request one during the application or extension process. 

 

Jotform and Website Maintenance

 

Maintain and update all Jotform Application Portals and forms for IND and CP programs to ensure accuracy of information and proper functionality.

Update all website pages related to international students and payment with Media Coordinator to ensure that information is up-to-date and easy to follow.

 

Soft Skills

Good communicator via email and phone

Able to process large amounts of information quickly and make decisions based on facts and context.

 

Technological Skills

Google Workspace  with heavy emphasis on Google Sheets, Google Drive, and Gmail (required)

Jotform form creation and app building (preferred but not required)

Light CSS and HTML (preferred but not necessary)

Basic photography (preferred but not required)

SEVIS (preferred but not required)

 

To Apply:

Please send CV and Cover Letter to nikki@peridance.com by May 31, 2024