The first day at UMass Boston, Rhema was thousands of miles away from her family in India. Like many students, she was nervous — until she met Caitlin.
Caitlin Phillips Rivera is the director of partner operations at Shorelight, helping on-campus teams support students from before they arrive on campus until after they leave. But before she was in that role, Caitlin was a member of the campus team, working with students like Rhema to ensure a seamless transition to US university life.
Caitlin and Rhema both understand how important it is for international students to get the support they need to make the most of their time in the US, whether it’s securing your student visa to finding work after graduation and everything in between. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how they ensure an easy transition to campus and beyond.
Providing a Fun International Student Experience
Caitlin started her career in international education working in a study-abroad program that placed American students in overseas programs. While she was not expecting to switch and work in the opposite direction — supporting international students coming to America — Caitlin says it became a very special trajectory for her career.
“I found out this was way more fun! Getting to know students, their parents, and seeing them go from being nervous on the first day to the transformation they go through over the first year of college is a really profound thing to be a part of,” she said.
Those first-day nerves are not unfamiliar to Rhema. “When I walked into orientation, I had no idea what to expect as an international student,” she said.
That uncertainty is a big part of why it’s so crucial to have people like Caitlin connect with students upon their arrival to the US.
“That memory is going to be with me until the day I die,” continued Rhema. “I remember Caitlin standing there and she had this wide smile on her face welcoming each and every student, asking where we were from. I felt so at ease. All my nerves vanished.”
Caitlin says she recognized the importance of her role and how it could help change students’ lives over the course of their time on campus. “It is something that motivated me to go to work every day,” she said. “I am still in touch with a lot of students I worked with during that time.”
Rhema is just one of those students.
In her current role at Shorelight, Caitlin works with the on-campus staff who support students — the same role she once had. So, while she may not work as closely with students anymore, she works closely with the people who do.
This insight into the importance of the on-campus staff allows Caitlin to come up with policies, processes, professional development, best practices, systems, and more to help staff do their job more efficiently so that they can focus on the students.
“The student experience is top of mind,” explained Caitlin. “Are they walking away feeling fulfilled, prepared, strong, and ready to take on the next step?”
“When I went away to college, it was three hours from home. These students are picking up and leaving for a place that is so different and far away. It is a huge undertaking and sacrifice for them and their family,” Caitlin acknowledged. “The way I approach my role, and the way we approach it across Shorelight, is to make sure it is worth their while.”
Your Support System Away from Home
Giving students as much care and attention as possible is important to ensuring students feel supported throughout their four years at college. “Their real support system — family and friends — is so far away. There is no way to replace that,” said Caitlin. “But we are going to get as close as possible.”
This support starts as soon as you commit to coming to the US for school. Shorelight helps you with everything you could possibly need to prepare for the visa process, including practicing for your visa interview. As Caitlin said, a visa is the student’s most essential document. “Without that, there is no experience.”
Once you have a visa secured, Shorelight student success coordinators help you with completing all pre-arrival steps from filling out paperwork to ensuring you pack the right belongings. Essentially, they make sure you feel ready to get on the plane with confidence and you are never left asking, “what do I do?”
“We have built-in expertise for our students to give them the best experience so that the preparation phase is not so stressful,” emphasized Caitlin.
After you are picked up from the airport, the Shorelight team ensures you have all the essentials when you get to your room.
Upon arrival to campus, Caitlin stressed that orientation is the most important experience a student can have. “It is the program that connects them with all the resources they need and helps students make friends, too. We do not want anyone to feel they are going in this alone.”
Rhema remembers her cohort from orientation — and the individualized attention they received. “Everyone was so focused on giving us exactly what we needed,” she said, recalling additional activities like kayaking and a barbecue that the team planned. “We also talked about goals at the university.”
At Rhema’s orientation, her discussions with Caitlin made an impression – so much that Caitlin recommended Rhema for the student leadership program, and ultimately, Rhema’s current role at Shorelight as a student success coordinator, her first job after graduation.
“I remember what it was like to be in a setting that was so foreign to me,” said Rhema. Now, she is able to give back to international students just like her.
This process of connecting students with people and opportunities on campus is not unique to Rhema and Caitlin. Shorelight team members ensure students have what they need and can navigate any roadblocks whether academically or culturally. “Students have a shoulder to lean on in times of need,” Caitlin summarized.
On the more practical side, the team also ensures students have clean, safe, affordable housing and meals, whether on campus or through additional services.
Health care is another logistical point that Shorelight helps students navigate. “Insurance is so unique in the United States,” explained Caitlin. “We ensure students get the best coverage for the best price, so if and when something goes wrong and they need care, they are not surprised with a huge bill.”
Mental health services are another key resource. “In some places, mental health is taboo. We help students identify what those struggles look and feel like, and what resources are available to them,” Caitlin said.
Ultimately, every Shorelight service is designed to make students feel connected to the university and local community. (Think campus groups, clubs, and volunteer opportunities to fun events like seeing a baseball game.)
It’s all about using a holistic approach to the experience of being an international student in order to provide services that meet the needs of the whole person. As such, services extend beyond graduation.
“Our Career Services division gives students not only guidance on how to best prepare for the workforce — resume writing, interview prep, elevator pitches — but also provides them with real hands-on experiences through our virtual internships,” Caitlin shared. “Students can also earn professional certifications and credentials to help boost their resume and set them apart from other job candidates.”
Everything You Need to Hit the Ground Running
The Shorelight team, in essence, considers everything you could possibly need to make the most of your college experience in the United States.
From having a SIM card for your phone so you do not have to go through the hassle of finding a phone provider to setting up various accounts for students, the Shorelight team considers every detail.
“Every location is unique, so that is why it is essential that the people on the ground know and love where they live and can help students get to know their new community in a really special and localized way,” said Caitlin.
The local approach is why Shorelight has an additional orientation for international students (beyond the standard university’s new student orientation). At Shorelight’s orientation events, there are additional conversations, resources, and experiences that are specifically tailored to international students.
Think of it like having your own personalized local guide on your campus who knows where to point you for the best food options, as well as who to talk to if you need academic support.
The Shorelight team is your safety net. “In absence of your family, you have a global team of people who understand the systems here and have your best interest in mind,” Caitlin said. “Your success is our success. Our goal is for students to be happy, healthy, and cared for.”
In addition to all the resources students have access to on campus, there are also online services students can access, no matter where they are located. “Our Center for Academic Success has online tutors that understand the unique learning needs of international students,” said Caitlin. The Center’s self-paced courses cover topics that prepare students for living and studying in the US, including:
Financial Wellness for Students
Caitlin’s best advice to international students coming to the US to study? Start early.
“Connect as often as possible with the advisors who reach out during the pre-arrival process,” she recommended. Once you are on campus, connect with the campus team. “The more you connect with them, the more comfortable you will feel going to them when you need them.”
The students who engage with these resources, said Caitlin, typically end up being the happiest and most successful students. She cites Rhema as an example. “She got as involved as she possibly could from her first day [at UMass] Boston. She eventually was able to take all that she experienced as an international student and turn it into a career.”
Caitlin also stressed the importance of coming to orientation ready to learn and engage. “Get ready to step outside your comfort zone,” she says. “Leave your previous expectations behind because going into orientation with an open mind is the best way to take it all in.”
The key is to use all the resources available to you. Because, as Caitlin said, “we know we have built a recipe for success.”
Discover Shorelight’s campus transition services >
