I applaud the Engineers’ Week committee for putting together the first ever career/employment seminar for international students last Thursday. With the job market for college graduates today at an all-time low, we need any help we can get. So thanks to the E-Week committee for addressing the needs of international students for career assistance.

Unfortunately, the seminar was little more than a sad reality check. This Tuesday the 2002 E-Week career fair will host more than 200 companies, but only 30% of them will consider international students. Given that citizenship/permanent residency is a preference for equally qualified candidates, I’m afraid the chances for international students getting job offers is much lower than that. In fact, I wonder if we have a chance at all.

International students come to this country to get a quality college education, something that the U.S. has plenty to offer. But many international students are guilty of turning this lofty goal into wanting to work and stay in the U.S. permanently. Why? Because if they return to their home countries, it will be like losing their livelihood. Entry level engineering jobs in Indonesia pay only $100 per month.

After putting in four years of hard work and money, international students hope to turn their hard-earned college degree into a successful career in the U.S. Unfortunately, this American Dream, this desire to make a better life for themselves, is viewed as an ulterior motive. America, the land of opportunity.

It looks like this saying was only true before the 1920s, when immigration law was almost nonexistent. Today, especially with the increasingly strict regulations post-9/11, international students can only hope for the best.

I received helpful reminders from the seminar, too. International students cannot work off campus without INS authorization, which means the student has to have an internship offer first. Also, international students cannot take a loan to finance their education without a U.S. citizen/permanent resident as a co-signer to guarantee the loan. I wonder how this will happen. Upon graduation, international students have but one shot-60 days to either get a job or say goodbye – without affecting the 1 year permitted time for employment/practical training. But perhaps the most frustrating thing for international students is that after overcoming all these obstacles, those lucky enough to actually get a job in the U.S. will be mistaken for minorities who benefit from `affirmative action’ in landing the job. Seriously, I’m not making this up. I’ve seen this happen.

International students make up 10% of the enrollment at ISU. We are a `minority’, but in a sense, we are not even a minority. My only hope is that people will recognize the different situation international students are in.

So again, thank you for organizing this seminar, as helpful as it is.

Acknowledging the needs of international students is a step in the right direction.

Yandi Dharmadi

Graduate Student

Chemical Engineering