A unit of BMCC’s Admissions Office helps ease the way for international and transfer students
Of BMCC’s 19,000 students, approximately 3500 come from somewhere else – another college or another country. Lily Yi-Elkin’s job is to smooth the passage for them, both before and after they arrive.
An assistant director in BMCC’s Admissions Office, Yi-Elkin wears two hats, coordinating both international and transfer student services. “Each group deals with a separate set of issues and processes,” she says. “For that reason, we’re organized into two teams, each with specialized knowledge and resources.”
Putting all the pieces in place
Some 2,000 non-immigrants from more than 100 countries are enrolled in BMCC. Most have student visas; other are here on diplomatic or work visas. Yi-Elkin’s involvement with them typically begins before they arrive. “We help them with all the details of the admission process,” she says. “Once they’re here, we provide them with immigration counseling, making sure they understand – and comply with – all relevant regulations, so that they can legally remain in the U.S.”
The most compelling issue international students face is finance. “In order to enroll and to stay in the U.S. they must show proof of financial sponsorship” Yi-Elkin says. “That means producing affidavits, signed by their sponsors, along with supporting documents such as bank statements.” The details can be daunting, but Yi-Elkin’s team will walk the student through the entire process.
Housing is another challenge. “If you’re arriving from overseas, you need to find a suitable place to live,” Yi-Elkin says. “Some stay with friends or relatives. But for others, the arrangements can’t be made until after enrollment. Again, we’re here to help.”
Part of Yi-Elkin’s job is making international students aware of the services available to them. This is done via the Web, on-campus distribution of handouts, workshops on relevant issues, and a two-day orientation program for incoming international students. For details, visit /admissions/international/
Helping hand for transfer students
For students transferring from other colleges, the principal area of concern is transfer credit evaluation. “If they’ve completed a certain number of course credits at their existing school, they naturally want to know how many BMCC will count toward their degree,” Yi-Elkin says. The maximum allowable number is 30, “and everyone hopes to get the maximum,” she adds. “We’re responsible for analyzing their transcripts and credits carefully and accurately.”
With two separate constituencies to serve, Yi-Elkin says the most challenging part of her job is juggling. “Fortunately, we’ve got two great teams, headed by two great supervisors – Kenya Marshall who oversees transfer student services, and Regine LeGrand on the international side,” she says. What she loves best about her job “is when students whom we’ve helped come back years later, having earned graduate degree or embarked on fulfilling careers. It’s enormously gratifying.”
