The club was visited by Mary Foreman from Rock Valley College. Mary works with the almost 30 students from 20 different foreign countries enrolled at RVC. She assists them with necessary paperwork such as the I-20's the students need for travel. The Form I-20 (also known as the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status-For Academic and Language Students) is a United States Department of Homeland Security, specifically ICE and the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), document issued by SEVP-certified schools (colleges, universities, and vocational schools) that provides supporting information on a student's F or M status. F-1 and M-1 refers to the nonimmigrant classification a student receives on their Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.” F- students enroll in more traditional academic programs, while M-1 students enroll in vocational programs. Without Mary's assistance, some of these students would not be able to visit. She also helps them assimilate into our culture. She is also the faculty advisor for the Multi-cultural Club, which plans an event a month for the students. An example would be the International Showcase where students may dress in full traditional clothing or costumes and present videos of their home country. She admitted, not unexpectedly, that numbers in the program have dropped since 911. Thank you, Mary, for visiting.
