International Office – An Overview
Who We Are
The Hampton University International Office (HUIO) is responsible for the overall planning, organization and management of all activities and policies related to international travel, global education (including study abroad), and immigration.
The Mission
The mission of the Hampton University International Office is to promote American diplomacy through global citizenry and further social and cultural collaboration among domestic and international students and scholars.
The Vision
By way of its mission, the International Office positions Hampton University on the global stage, providing “the #1 student experience in America”, being recognized world-wide as a top university for innovation, collaboration, and internationalization.
The Team
Director of International Students, Scholars and Programs – Ebony Majeed
As the Senior International Officer (SIO) of Hampton University, Mrs. Majeed maintains leadership, management, programming and direct supervisory responsibility for the International Office by ensuring adherence to the policies set forth for international education by its national and federal governing bodies. She supports the campus community’s process of internationalization, as outlined by the HU Strategic Plan 2023-2033, with the support and guidance of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. To enhance HU’s global visibility with respected stakeholders, she collaborates with partners and universities around the world to strategically create agreements for domestic and international students. Similarly, she focuses on fundraising, faculty development, and building relations externally for the institution.
To strengthen the risk management and safety protocol for international programming, she serves as a primary point of contact for the development of global risk management and safety plan, in coordination with Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). Mrs. Majeed serves as the federal compliance officer for all regulations governing the operation of international students (Primary Designated School Official-PDSO for F visas) and scholars services (Responsible Officer-RO for J visas) related to the Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS), the Department of State, USCIS, ICE, Department of Homeland Security.
In collaboration with the Director of the HU Honors College, she serves as the primary point of contact for study abroad student scholarship for funding programs from the U.S. Department of State, such as the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, the David L. Boren Scholarship/Fellowship, the Critical Language Scholarship, and the Freeman Asia Scholarship.
Assistant Director – Samaria Haysbert
Ms. Haysbert’s aim is to process and engage both students & faculty, developing globally competitive young adults. She assists the Director in the implementation of the institutional and unit-wide strategic plans. She assists the International Office in organizing & prioritizing objectives and translating them into reportable deliverables.
She onboards and supports study abroad applicants & faculty leaders throughout the study abroad experience. She performs administrative record keeping & processing for study abroad. Ms. Haysbert assists in critical immigration needs for faculty visas as a LCA certifier. She assists as a secondary compliance officer for students on F-1 visas, as a Designated School Official-DSO International and for students, faculty & researchers on J-1 visas as an Alternate Responsible Officer-ARO. She also assists the International Office in recruitment when the Immigration Specialist is not available, or the role is in temporary status.
Functionally, she develops or identifies measures to market and streamline International Office activities. In so doing she enhances processes and collaborates with faculty, administrators and organizations. These organizations and collaborators work in conjunction with the office to finance international office activities. Lastly, Miss Haysbert conducts site visits in developing regions of study, where programs’ culture cohesion, safety and scholastic experience needs verification or adjudication.
The Immigration and Recruitment Specialist
This important role provides support and services to international students and scholars, while designing social and cross-cultural events. They advise students on complex immigration requirements, permissions, benefits, applications, and procedures, while garnering and implementing specialized knowledge of the immigration system and solve complex issues with the guidance of immigration rules and regulations of the Department of Homeland Security.
The Immigration and Recruitment Specialist serves as a point of contact to disseminate guidance to academic departments regarding immigration fees and visa processes for new international faculty and scholars, and collaborate with the Office of Admissions, The Graduate College and faculty to strengthen campus-wide student retention efforts. This position also collaborates with the Director of International Students, Scholars and Programs to develop an international student recruitment campaign with the goal of increasing enrollment and retention for students from abroad and develops and disseminate reports for international student recruitment.
They serve as F-1 DSO and J-1 ARO all regulations governing the operation of international students (Designated School Official-DSO)) and scholars services (Alternate Responsible Officer-ARO) related to the Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS), the Department of State, USCIS, ICE, Department of Homeland Security, to determine eligibility for off-campus employment and authorize or recommend qualified work permissions. This team member advocates and provides direction for various travel needs, including US visas, entry processing and status issues. They also prepare and update forms, handouts, and materials, and delivers orientation and supports mandatory Immigration Check-In processes and initial SEVIS registration for new arrivals, as needed.
The Administrative Assistant – Leah Turner
Ms. Turner supports the International Office and campus community by providing outstanding customer service while illustrating the principles of diversity, equity and inclusivity. She also assists the office, students and visitors with inquiries and timely feedback. When students and the campus community visit or contact the office, she explains the required documentation and procedures for study and intern abroad programming options. This encourages the development of a campus culture of internationalization. Ms. Turner shares points of contact and procedures for international students seeking admission to the university. She also processes documentation regarding the unit’s budgets in the campus financial system (Banner) for travel, office supplies, daily tasks and routines. Finally, she serves as the International Office’s primary point of contact for external inquiries relating to the creation of international agreements and outreach to/from foreign institutions and partners