Events and Programs
OISA hosts events and programs throughout the year to help students make the most of their time at Wesleyan and prepare for life after university. Mark your calendars with important dates of sessions focused on choosing the right majors, employment (CPT, OPT, STEM OPT Extension, career planning), and other topics that will help you take advantage of the opportunities available to you and plan for the future.
Consider opportunities to get involved in campus-wide internationalization programming, such as International Education Week (IEW) in the fall and Power of Language Week in the spring, and participate in OISA programs such as International Student Orientation (ISO), International Buddy Program (IBP), Wesleyan Africans Thriving Together (WATT) peer mentorship program, and the Wesleyan International Speakers Program (WISP) that offer unique student leadership opportunities!
Events and Programs - Fall 2025
- Optional Practical Training (OPT) Workshop: Overview of Eligibility, Applying & Maintaining F-1 Status during Your Post-Completion Employment
Thursday, September 25, 4:00pm-5:00pm EST in Boger 114
Register here on Handshake: https://wesleyan.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1806967
Intended Audience: F-1 international students graduating in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 who wish to work in the United States after graduation
Session Description: In this workshop, OISA staff will provide an overview of OPT eligibility, the application process and timeline, and requirements for maintaining your F-1 visa status during your post-completion employment. Please carefully read through OISA’s Post-Completion OPT guidance prior to attending this workshop. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the session.
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Workshop: Overview of Eligibility, Applying & Maintaining F-1 Status during Your Off-Campus Employment
Thursday, October 9: 4:00pm-5:00pm EST in Usdan 110
Register here on Handshake: https://wesleyan.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1806972
Intended Audience: F-1 status international students who have already completed two semesters of full-time study and declared a major, or will have fulfilled these requirements by the end of the Spring 2026 Semester, and who are considering an off-campus practical training opportunity
Session Description: In this workshop, OISA staff will provide an overview of CPT eligibility, the application process, and requirements for maintaining your F-1 visa status while engaging in this type of off-campus employment during your degree program. Please carefully read through OISA’s Curricular Practical Training (CPT) guidance prior to attending this workshop.
- Choosing Majors & Careers for F-1 International Students Workshop
Wednesday, October 15, 4:00pm-5:00pm EST in Fisk 122
Register here on Handshake: https://wesleyan.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1818542/share_preview
Intended Audience: Classes of 2029 and 2028 F-1 visa status international students
Session Description: In this in-person session, you will learn about important factors (personal interests, career prospects, immigration-related benefits/regulations) to consider when choosing a major as an F-1 visa status international student. Class Deans from the Office of Academic Advancement and staff members from OISA and Gordon Career Center will lead this informational workshop, which will include an overview of the major selection process, post-completion employment as an F-1 international student, and STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension-eligible programs of study at Wesleyan. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the session.
- Travel Signature Clinics in Usdan
OISA is offering in-person Travel Signature Clinics on the first floor of Usdan University Center at the base of the stairs leading up to Marketplace on the following dates and times during the Fall 2025 Semester:
- Tuesday, October 14: 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- Thursday, October 16: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 12: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Monday, November 24: 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Monday, December 8: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 16: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Friday, December 19: 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Please bring a printed paper copy of all three pages of your current I-20 and a photo ID to receive a travel signature from an OISA staff member.
If you are not able to come to one of these clinics, please see the guidance on our Visa & Travel page for instructions on how to submit a Travel Signature Request in the ISS Portal.
- Monthly Birthday Celebrations for Wesleyan International Students
OISA hosts monthly birthday celebrations for Wesleyan international students on the third Thursday of each month. International students whose birthdays fall in each month are invited to that month's celebration.
These informal gatherings celebrate the birthdays of international students in a welcoming and supportive environment with their peers and members of the OISA staff. At the celebrations, attendees will enjoy cake and other refreshments, sing "Happy Birthday" and participate in fun, community-building activities.
Through these monthly celebrations, OISA aims to foster trust and rapport with and among Wesleyan's international student community and help them feel more integrated and supported on campus, especially as they adjust to life far from home.
The dates for the Fall 2025 Semester birthday celebrations are:
- September 18: 2:00pm-3:00pm
- October 16: 4:00pm-5:30pm
- November 20: 4:00pm-5:30pm
- December 18: 4:00pm-5:30pm
The celebrations are hosted by OISA in Fisk 201 (Fries Center Global Commons) unless noted otherwise. For questions about these events, please email oisa@wesleyan.edu.