Earlier this winter, Sonia Paul and Karen Pulfer Focht from Public Radio International traveled to Mississippi to conduct an in-depth interview with Chinmoyee Datta and her husband Mihir Datta, parents of Mayukh Datta, a 2017 MSMS graduate. The Dattas are permanent residents in the United States and teach in the Durant Public School District. Public Radio International was interested in writing a story about the unique position H-1B visa holders are in as their children, who spent the majority of their youth in the United States, explore their college options. In her eye-opening story, Ms. Paul details the precarious position many H-1B visa holders and their families find themselves in as they think through their children’s post-secondary options. To access the full story, visit https://interactive.pri.org/2018/02/h1b-children/index.html.
While the article sheds light on many realities facing students applying to college as permanent residents, the article does not thoroughly reflect the wealth of information and resources available to international students through the MSMS Counseling Center. In recent years, MSMS counselors have developed a variety of resources and professional contacts to help navigate international students through the challenge of college admissions. In many cases, different schools have different policies in place to determine how they handle classify students under H-1B status who are currently awaiting a green card. Regardless of the situation, the MSMS Counseling Office is here to arm students with the information and resources they need to be successful.