Second candidate for assistant dean of International Students and Scholars sets goals

Nassef+Girgis%2C+the+second+of+two+candidates+interviewed+for+the+Assistant+Dean+of+International+Students+and+Scholars%2C+visits+Eastern+Thursday+during+an+open+forum+with+students+at+the+Martin+Luther+King+Jr.+University+Union.+%E2%80%9CHaving+international+experience+and+being+an+international+student+myself%2C+I+consider+myself+very+familiar+with+cultural+acculturation.%E2%80%9D+Gigis+said.

Cheala Krueger

Nassef Girgis, the second of two candidates interviewed for the Assistant Dean of International Students and Scholars, visits Eastern Thursday during an open forum with students at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. “Having international experience and being an international student myself, I consider myself very familiar with cultural acculturation.” Gigis said.

Chaela Krueger, Entertainment Editor

Nassef Girgis, the second of two candidates interviewed to be the next assistant dean of International Students and Scholars, spoke Thursday about providing support to students and his qualifications during an open student session.

Girgis said Eastern is a great place for international students to get a start on their education and future.

“The smaller size of the campus allows students to focus more on studies, along with the staff being more readily available,” Girgis said

One concern for those at the forum, who were predominantly international students, was how Girgis was qualified for this role.

Girgis said he possesses the basic knowledge and the expertise to be a successful candidate for this position.

He has led short-term study abroad programs and has experience teaching at a college level and in international marketing.

Most recently, he was the director of Study Abroad programs at the University of California, Riverside.

Before that he was the director at the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a manager at the  American Language and Cultural Institute of Long City Beach, CA.

When Girgis read the description of the assistant dean position, he said he knew he was ready to take his skills and expertise to the next level.

Originally from Egypt, Girgis has lived in Sudan and England and has studied abroad in Italy and Chicago.

“Having international experience and being an international student myself, I consider myself very familiar with cultural acculturation,” Girgis said.

Girgis said he is on board with Eastern’s method of communicating one-on-one with its students.

“As a staff, we need to understand support, we need to provide the right training and resources to reach the students’ goals,” Girgis said.

He said he understands that the assistant dean of International Students and Scholars is responsible for guiding international students through the academic and immigration system to reach their goals.

The university can do that best by knowing students on a personal level, he said.

“We are not only here to serve international students, but to take them and be engaged in the campus community and even the city,” Girgis said.

Another goals Girgis has is developing a connection with the University of Illinois, which has a very large international student program.

Evalutions of the two candidates, Nassef Girgis and Matthew Walters, are due on Friday, July 7.

Chaela Krueger can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].