Planning Your Arrival

Your Future, Front and Centre

Centre College welcomes students from around the country and the world. The International Student Services (ISS) office strives to provide support and programming to accommodate and improve the experiences of international students on Centre's campus in Danville, Kentucky (KY), USA.

Jessica Leonard, Assistant Director of the Center for Global Citizenship / International Student Services, serves as your international student advisor to offer personal and timely advice regarding immigration regulations, academic support resources, cultural adjustment, and social engagement. 

If you or your loved ones have any questions or concerns, please contact Jessica Leonard preferably via email: jessica.leonard@centre.edu 

Below is a general guide for all new international students coming to Centre for their first semester. Please note that there are some tasks specifically for first-year students and some tasks specifically for exchange students.  

1) Obtain your F-1 Student Visa

Visit the Obtaining a Student Visa page on CentreNet to learn more about the process of getting your F-1 student visa. Note that ISS will host a Zoom information session on the F-1 visa process in early June, but you do NOT need to wait until that session to begin your F-1 student visa application if you have already received your Form I-20. 

2) Follow the Summer Pre-Orientation Guide

For incoming first-year students

Please refer to the New Student Orientation page on Centre.edu for everything that you need to do before you join us in August. Some items are time-sensitive and have specific deadlines**, so make sure to check the website regularly over the summer to ensure all of your tasks are completed prior to your arrival.

Deviations from New Student Orientation:

**Note that the suggested completion date for "Submit Health Records/Insurance" is often extended for incoming international students as it can be difficult in some countries to acquire vaccine or immunization documentation by the end of May. It is very helpful to have documents translated into English, but if a translation service is very expensive, then you may be able to translate information yourself with the Student Health staff during International Student Orientation. Furthermore, you do not need to upload insurance information since you will be enrolled in the LewerMark International Student Health insurance group policy by ISS who will provide the appropriate documentation to Student Health.

While New Student Orientation for incoming first-year students begins on Wednesday, August 23, 2023 new international students must arrive to campus on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. Please contact ISS rather than Anita Bertram to schedule your airport shuttle to campus (Students ONLY, no family/friend guests are allowed on the College airport shuttles) or to confirm your personal transportation to campus arrangements. Lincoln Scholars, Brown Fellows, athletes, and those in other cohort programs should consult their mentor or coach for exact move-in details.  

For incoming exchange students

Please refer to the following chart for a checklist of summer tasks that you must complete prior to your arrival.

Task Recommended completion date
Setup CentreNet Account ASAP following email from Jessica
Setup Centre Email Account ASAP following email from Jessica
Setup Navigate Account after CentreNet/Centre email setup and prior to arrival

Submit Health Records:

  • Medical History Form,
  • Tuberculosis Screening Questionnaire,
  • Immunization History Form
 May 31, or ASAP following email from Jessica

Roommate Questionnaire & Meal Plan Selection 

 June 2, or ASAP following email from Jessica

Class Registration

 mid-July, via email with Jessica

Online Pre-Arrival Courses:

  • AlcoholEDU
  • Sexual Assault Prevention
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI)
 between August 1 and arrival

3) Schedule Arrival to Campus with ISS

Do NOT book your flight until you have a successful F-1 visa interview. You will need to make travel arrangements to arrive at Lexington's Blue Grass Airport (airport code: LEX) on Wednesday, August 16, 2003. Please promptly contact ISS with your flight information to arrange an airport shuttle to campus or to confirm your personal transportation directly to campus plans.

Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is serviced by four major airlines: Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is serviced by four major airlines:
Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines

4) Pack Your Essentials

  • Keep the following important documents in your carry-on bag. Do NOT pack them in your checked bag.
    • Passport with valid F-1 visa stamp (only citizens from Canada and Bermuda can enter the US on F-1 visa status with their valid passport, I-20, admission to Centre College letter, and proof of I-901 SEVIS fee payment)
    • I-20
    • Immunization / Vaccine records and any existing prescriptions / medications
    • Proof of I-901 SEVIS fee payment (recommended)
    • Centre College admission letter (recommended)
    • financial documents (recommended)
  • Clothes
    • In Kentucky, we like to say: if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes (because it may change)
    • Kentucky typically experiences all seasons, so keep the weather and your lifestyle in mind.
    • Many students who do not have winter or cooler seasons in their home countries will not pack, but will plan to later purchase appropriate clothing later in the school year.
  • Electronics
    • Most international students will bring their unlocked cell phone (and charger) plus a laptop or tablet (and charger)
    • Cell phone SIM cards can be acquired during International Student Orientation
    • Power convertor or adapter, if appropriate (In the US, the electric plug sockets are type A or type B. The standard voltage is 120 V and the frequency is 60 Hz.)
    • headphones/earphones, watches, etc
  • Other items
    • It can be really nice to bring some sentimental items like pictures of family and friends to make your residence hall feel more like home
    • Some students will pack a favorite snack or small gift to share/give to their roommate and new friends on campus
    • Most students will NOT pack larger items like blankets, bed sheets, towels to save space in their luggage. While we may have some bedding and linens available for short-term lending/borrowing, it is recommended to purchase those items online and have them shipped to campus over the summer with the following mailing address:

YOUR NAME

c/o Jessica Leonard

600 W Walnut St

Danville, KY 40422 USA

5) Setup campus wifi BEFORE arrival

Please see https://centrenet.centre.edu/ICS/Campus_Resources/Information_Technology_Services/Knowledge_Base/Eduroam.jnz

https://centrenet.centre.edu/ICS/Campus_Resources/Information_Technology_Services/Knowledge_Base/Registering_my_Laptop_or_Desktop.jnz

For more information, please contact ISS and/or refer to the following source(s):

New Student Orientation page on Centre.edu

International Student Services Office>Home

Contact ISS

Jessica Leonard

Photo of Jessica Leonard
Assistant Director, Centre Global
International Student Services (ISS)

Office Location: Old Carnegie
Office Phone: +1 859.238.6106
Office Email: jessica.leonard@centre.edu
Schedule an Appointment on Navigate (for Current Students only): Click Here
Biography

BS: Physics, University of Maryland

M.Ed (pursuing): Higher Education – Student Affairs, Liberty University

Jessica Leonard joined Centre Global in August 2018 as the English as a Second Language (ESL)-International Student Services (ISS) Support Specialist before taking on the ISS Assistant Director role in June 2019. She previously taught ESL in South Korea for almost 8 years.

Jessica is a member of the College's CARE team and Enrollment Management & Retention Advisory Committee in addition to serving on the College's Staff Congress as Secretary. She currently advises the International Student Association (ISA), the Asian American and Pacific Islander Coalition (AAPIC), and the Centre South Asian Cultural Association (SACA) and previously advised the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA).

In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter at home in Versailles, KY.

Adam Chen-Dedman

Photo of Adam Chen-Dedman
Executive Director, Centre Global

Office Location: Old Carnegie
Office Phone: +1 859.238.5268
Office Email: adam.chen-dedman@centre.edu
Schedule an Appointment on Navigate (for Current Students only): Click Here
Biography

BA: Comparative Culture (Humanities), Sophia University (Japan)

MTS: Asian Religion & Gender, Harvard University

Adam Chen-Dedman is a native of Kentucky and joined Centre College in 2023 as Executive Director of Centre Global. He spent 25 years studying and working abroad in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and Australia. From 2005 to 2012 Adam served as head of International Student Services, Director of the Study Abroad program, and then Assistant to the President of International Affairs at Payap University in Thailand. From 2013 to 2019 he served as Executive Director of the Institute of South East Asian Affairs, a regional study abroad program, that was based at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. In these roles, Adam forged relationships with US colleges and universities and oversaw students from the US and other countries who were studying abroad in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Adam is completing his PhD in Cultural Studies of Asia at The University of Melbourne (Australia) where he researches responses to Chinese nationalism, geopolitics in Taiwan's LGBTQ+ social movement, and Japanese and Thai queer cultural interactions with Taiwan. He has taught courses on LGBTQ+ activism and human rights in Asia, Sex and Politics, and Global Media Cultures. His publications can be found in Nations and Nationalism, International Journal of Taiwan Studies, Feminist Media Studies, Contention: The Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Protest, and Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics. Adam speaks Japanese, Thai, Mandarin, and conversational Spanish.;

Vivienne Main


Assistant Director, Centre Global
Study Abroad and Away

Office Location: Old Carnegie
Office Phone: +1 859.238.5285
Office Email: vivienne.main@centre.edu
Schedule an Appointment on Navigate (for Current Students only): Click Here
Biography

MSci: Marine and Freshwater Biology, University of Glasgow

Vivienne Main is a Scotland native who graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2015 with an MSci in Marine and Freshwater Biology. She studied abroad in Egypt and focused on tropical ecology with a strong emphasis on citizen science engagement and science communication.

Vivienne spent 4 years working abroad in Egypt and The Bahamas coordinating STEM and sustainability-focused programs for visiting international students. Upon moving to the USA in 2019 she served as Program Coordinator for International Field Studies, an educational and scientific non-profit organization established to promote and assist educators with field study programs. In these roles, Vivienne coordinated international travel, and on-site logistics, and advised students from the US and other countries who were studying abroad.

Margaret Meadows

Photo of Margaret Meadows
Office Coordinator, Centre Global

Office Location: Old Carnegie
Office Phone: +1 859.238.5295
Office Email: margaret.meadows@centre.edu
Schedule an Appointment on Navigate (for Current Students only): Click Here
Biography

BA: Spanish and International Relations, University of Kentucky

Margaret Meadows joined Centre Global in 2022. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2015 where she studied abroad in Costa Rica and earned a BA in Spanish and International Relations.


 
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