Thomas Jefferson University - Office of International Affairs

International students, scholars, and staff voted on the best-baked good at OIA last week. It was a close competition, but Mia Song won with her banana bread recipe! Thank you for all of those that participated in this event. Everything was delicious!

We are so Philly proud!
https://www.phillyvoice.com/national-geographic-philadelphia-best-trips-2020-world-rankings/

National Geographic names Philadelphia best city to visit in 2020 It's one of two American sites included on the magazine's annual Best Trips list

International Education Week started yesterday and we kicked it off with Foerderer Study Abroad Presentations about India, Guatemala and Rwanda. Stop by tomorrow for more presentations about Italy, Israel, Rwanda and Zambia from 12 pm - 1 pm in Curtis Building 213. Food and beverages will be provided.

Want to meet other college students? Check out College Night by Campus Philly at the Barnes Foundation this Friday! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/college-night-at-the-barnes-foundation-tickets-72289173865

College Night at the Barnes Foundation Our annual College Night at the Barnes Foundation is BACK! Join 500+ college students from all over the region on Friday, November 8, 7-9pm.

Minsoo Yoo in Korean traditional costume and Mia Song at JCLS' Culture Fest on October 11th. The answer to the trivia question, "What is the most popular language in the world?" is Mandarin Chinese. Thanks to JCLS for having this event to spread cultural awareness and appreciation!

JCLS has invited all current international students for their Culture Fest this Friday! There will be international food and beer. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jcls-culture-fest-tickets-74816304581?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-source=strongmail&utm-term=listing

Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary opened recently! Book tickets online and get a student discount if you're going on a Sunday. https://www.easternstate.org/halloween/node/3

New to Philly and looking for things to do in the city on the weekends? Check out www.uwishunu.com for ideas!

Welcome new students and welcome back continuing students! We're looking forward to a great academic year. Here is a picture of our staff from left to right: Eden Hailu (Administrative Coordinator), Mia Song (Assistant Director), Jessica Roberts (Associate Director), Janice Bogen (Assistant Vice President), Minsoo Yoo (International Student and Scholar Advisor)

The Office of Global Affairs presents the 9th Award Ceremony and Lecture for the Lennox K. Black International Prize for Excellence in Medicine: "The Aging Patient: A Research Perspective".

Keynote Speaker:
Guiseppe Remuzzi, M.D., F.R.C.P.
Mario Negri Institute
Bergamo Italy

Keynote Presentation:
"Retarding Renal Disease Progression: What We Have Done So Far and What the Future Holds"

Monday, April 23, 2018
Time: 2:30PM
Connelly Auditorium, Hamilton Building

Reception Immediately Following

For more information, please contact [email protected]

The Office of Global Affairs presents its second annual Global Jefferson Day April 24th, 2018.

Keynote Speaker:

Vincenzo Berghella, MD.
Professor, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Director, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Director, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program

To register for the event, contact [email protected]

IRS Scams
As the 2018 tax filing season begins, please remember to beware of phone calls from individuals claiming to represent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Callers claiming to be from the IRS tell intended victims they owe taxes and must pay using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer. The IRS usually first contacts people by mail – not by phone – about unpaid taxes. And the IRS won’t ask for payment using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer. The IRS also won’t ask for a credit card number over the phone.

Immigration Scams
Callers may also pretend to be USCIS or DHS officers. The caller usually claims there are problems with the intended victim’s visa and will threaten deportation if some type of payment is not made. Please be informed that U.S. government agencies will NEVER call you to request money or personal information.

If you receive this type of phone call, please take the following steps:

- Hang up immediately and DO NOT provide any information
- You may also choose to report it to our office or to the appropriate government authority

For more information on IRS and immigration scams, please go to:

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/phone-scams-remain-serious-threat-no-2-on-the-irs-dirty-dozen-list-of-tax-scams-for-2017

https://www.uscis.gov/avoid-scams

International House Philadelphia presents Lunar New Year 2018: Year of the Dog.

The Lunar, or Chinese, New Year is also known as the Spring Festival and is a time to wish one another luck and prosperity for the upcoming year. The evening includes an exhilarating Lion Dance and show of traditional music and dance performances and martial arts demonstrations, followed by a reception featuring tastings of traditional Chinese cuisine.

Thursday, February 15th @ 7pm

To buy tickets and for more information:

International House Philadelphia | Cultural Celebrations The Lunar, or Chinese, New Year is also known as the Spring Festival and is a time to wish one another luck and prosperity for the upcoming year. International House Philadelphia will welcome the Year of the Dog with our annual celebration that has typically seen sell-out crowds and is among our mos...

Planning on travelling outside the U.S. for the holidays?

Don't forget to get a travel signature from OIA on your DS-2019 or I-20 form before you leave!!

Thomas Jefferson University - Office of International Affairs updated their information in their About section.

Thomas Jefferson University - Office of International Affairs updated their address.

Interested in finding out about upcoming events at International House Philadelphia?

Don't forget: Thomas Jefferson University employees and students can become members of International House Philadelphia at NO charge! Membership gives you unparalleled access to hundreds of events each year at IHP's facility in the heart of University City.

To learn more about upcoming events, go to:

International House Philadelphia | Events Calendar

Happy Friday! Check out all of the cool things to do this weekend below:

Visitphilly.com - Official Visitor And Tourism Website For Visit Philadelphia Visitphilly.com is the official visitor website for Philadelphia travel and tourism info...

Attention Researchers!

You are invited to an Immigration Information Session with William A. Stock, Esq. from the Law Offices of Klasko Immigration Law Partners, LLP.

For more information, go to Events page.

FRAUD ALERT: From The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG)

A fraud alert has been issued to warn citizens of reports that the DHS OIG Hotline telephone number has been used recently as part of a telephone spoofing scam targeting individuals throughout the country.

The perpetrators of the scam represent themselves as employees with “U.S. Immigration” and can alter caller ID systems to make it appear that the call is coming from the DHS OIG Hotline telephone number (1-800-323-8603). The scammers demand to obtain or verify personally identifiable information from their victims through various tactics, including by telling individuals that they are the victims of identity theft.

To read the complete fraud alert: https://www.oig.dhs.gov/assets/pr/2017/oigpr-041917.pdf

For more information on USCIS/DHS scams:

Avoid Scams We don’t want you to become a victim of an immigration scam. If you need legal advice on immigration matters, make sure the person helping you is authorized to give legal advice. Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Board of Immigration Appeals-recognized organization can g...

International House Philadelphia presents The Second Annual International Entrepreneurs Summit of Philadelphia!

Hosted by Greenberg Traurig, LLP and International House Philadelphia, the summit is an opportunity for foreign entrepreneurs to learn more about launching a business in the region and connecting with business leaders.

* A panel and workshops with regional leaders on topics relevant to international entrepreneurs, including the latest developments in immigration law, forming a business and raising capital, and growing your business and accessing customers and partners.

* An opportunity to hear from international entrepreneurs who have already launched businesses in the region; and

* Networking with local entrepreneurs, investors, government representatives and other professionals.

Free Admission - Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

When: Tuesday February 28th @ 5:00pm

For more information:

International House Philadelphia | Calendar The Second Annual International Entrepreneurs Summit of Philadelphia, hosted by Greenberg Traurig, LLP and International House Philadelphia, is an opportunity for foreign entrepreneurs to learn more about launching a business in the region and connect with business leaders.

International House Philadelphia (IHP) presents Carnival Celebration!

If you can’t fly to Rio de Janeiro or the Caribbean islands for Carnival, you can celebrate right in University City. The public is invited to this vibrant festival, which will include a tasting of traditional Brazilian and Caribbean cuisine and beverages, music by DJ King, who will spin a set of Brazilian and Caribbean dance music, samba dance performances by the Greater Philadelphia Caribbean Cultural Organization Masqueraders, and an evening of drumming in the Caribbean tradition by One Nation Ensemble.

Carnival costumes encouraged!

Tickets are $10 for the general public; $5 for IHP members; free for IHP residents. Admission includes the tasting of Brazilian and Caribbean food and beverages.

When: Friday, February 24th, 2017 @ 7:00PM
Where: 3701 Chestnut Street, Ibrahim Theater

For more information:

International House Philadelphia | Calendar If you can’t fly to Rio de Janeiro or the Caribbean islands for Carnival, you can celebrate right in University City. International House Philadelphia presents a colorful Carnival Celebration on Friday, Feb. 24 at 7pm. The public is invited to this vibrant festival, which will include a tasting of t...

You're invited to the first annual Global Jefferson Day!

Learn about Jefferson faculty global education, research and clinical efforts.

Keynote Speaker:
Shivaprasad S. Goudar, MD, MHPE
KLE University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, India.

Presentation topics include "The Evolution of Global Health at Jefferson"; "The New Jefferson: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally" and "The Emergence of Global Centers." Panel discussions will address Jefferson's Global Health Initiatives Committee (GHIC) and "Service Learning: Addressing Health Disparities Here and Abroad".

When: Monday January 30th
8:30AM - 2:00PM
Where: BLSB Room 101

Space is limited, so please register now for Global Jefferson Day by contacting Lisa Witiw at [email protected].

International House Philadelphia presents Lunar New Year Celebration 2017: Year of the Rooster.

Includes a tasting of delicious Chinese cuisine followed by a live show in the Ibrahim Theater featuring traditional Chinese music, dance and martial arts performances. Don't miss one of Philadelphia's best Lunar New Year celebrations. Last year's event at International House sold out, so we recommend purchasing tickets in advance.

Date: January 27, 2017
Time: 7:00PM

For more information:

International House Philadelphia | Calendar Welcome the Year of the Rooster with our annual celebration, including a tasting of delicious Chinese cuisine followed by a live show in the Ibrahim Theater featuring traditional Chinese music, dance and martial arts performances. Don't miss one of Philadelphia's best Lunar New Year celebrations. La...

International House Philadelphia is offering language courses at all levels for adult learners, teens, college students, and professionals. ESL courses offered include:

English Novice, Intermediate and Advanced
TOEFL Test Preparation

Spring Semester begins January 18th and ends April 19th.

For more information:

International House Philadelphia | English The Spoken English Program at International House will help to improve one's English proficiency. Our classes are offered to anyone who wishes to improve their English conversational skills. Graduate and undergraduate students, researchers, medical and business professionals, student spouses, au-pai...

The Office of International Affairs will be closed on Monday, December 26th, as well as Monday, January 2nd. We hope everyone enjoys the holidays!!

International House Philadelphia (IHP) is hosting New Italian Cinema 2016!

Presented by the University of Pennsylvania's Cinema Studies Program and the Center for Italian Studies, New Italian Cinema 2016 is a free admission festival of 10 great new feature films from Italy.

The festival starts December 1st at 5:30PM with Don't Be Bad (Non essere cattivo) and goes to December 4th.

For more information:

International House Philadelphia | Calendar

Free Event for Students!

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society invites students to hear Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano and Anthony Spiri, piano on Friday, November 11 at 8 pm at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater. Admission for students is free!

Argentinian mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink returns to the Perelman Theater with a program featuring Schumann’s well-known song cycle, Frauenliebe und –leben, and art songs from her homelands.

Inspired by his marriage to Clara, Schumann’s cycle is a celebration of a woman’s devotion to her husband. Schumann’s piano mastery is evident throughout, as the instrument is given a more prominent role than ever before in the song literature.

The second half of the program focuses on Slovenian and Argentinian songs, specifically the canción de cámara, or chamber song. Originating around 1900, it combines European classical style with South American influences and lighter salon fare. The result is some uniquely appealing music that is often tinged with a melancholy beauty.

For more information, go to:

Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano and Anthony Spiri, piano - Philadelphia Chamber Music Society Argentinian mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink returns to the Perelman Theater with a program featuring Schumann’s well-known song cycle, Frauenliebe und –leben, and art songs from her homelands. Inspired by his marriage to Clara, Schumann’s cycle is a celebration of a woman’s devotion to her husband. Schu...