By Frances Best
Jennifer Irish has been appointed the Director of International Programs this August, and is continuing to fulfill the program’s mission to help students discover their place in the world.
(Irish at work. Photo by Michael Hancock-Parmer.)
The International Programs manages international affairs that Ferrum College has for its international students including the supervision of F-1 visa and other related paperwork, as well as for domestic students such as the Study Abroad program. Irish and the International Programs also stay up to date on international news, keeping students updated about new international policies such as the travel bans issued due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Irish proposed effective solutions to problems caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. As for international students who were unable to return to campus due to travel restrictions, the International Programs created opportunities for virtual meetings. The program also provides sessions that allow students to travel virtually as an alternative approach to help students travel abroad under current travel restrictions. Irish is also currently helping the International Program increase their marketing efforts so that more Ferrum Students will have the opportunity to travel abroad.
“Sharing in the excitement that students feel upon arrival at Ferrum College, or the excitement that they feel as they plan a trip abroad, is my favorite part of this job,” Irish said.
The International Programs now has an office space - which is a new addition to the Stanley Library’s first floor - where students are able to meet with someone in person and help them with international related issues in a more prompt way. The program’s team has also expanded. Irish now has an Assistant Director and an Intern, which provides Irish with extra help when serving Ferrum College students.
(Video produced by Frances Best.)
Irish has been interested in international affairs since she was an undergraduate at Georgia College, where she was able to study abroad as a student. Irish became an Assistant Professor in Spanish at Ferrum in 2018 and co-led an E-term to the Dominican Republic in 2019. As a Spanish professor, Irish also made connections with Spanish-speaking students from other countries. These connections and her personal international experiences made her a strong fit for the International Programs.