Director's Letter

The Office of Multicultural & International Student Programs exists to support the academic mission of Hofstra University and to assist you in your pursuit of your educational goals as our Office strives to enrich international and multicultural student life on campus.

From a multicultural student life perspective, I encourage all students, faculty, and staff members to get actively involved in the programs and events we implement for the campus community. For example, Our Office is responsible for planning and implementing a variety of cultural and diversity education programming for the campus community at Hofstra. The Office also works closely with a variety of campus constituencies to ensure that Hofstra remains a diverse campus that embraces its multicultural identity. We also coordinate various cultural-themed heritage months for the University, including Hispanic Heritage Month (October), Diversity of Lifestyles Month (November), Black History Month (February), Women's History Month (March), and Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage Month (April) and other major events like National Coming Out Day (October 11th). Furthermore, the Office staff coordinates programs related to other facets of diversity and issues of global justice. I encourage you to take full advantage of our multicultural programs and services.

From an international student life perspective, the Office plays a major role in the student experience by offering academic, social, cultural programs for the international student community. There are more than 330 international students from more than 60 countries at Hofstra University, and the Office provides leadership with all immigration and international student related issues. The Office also assists with immigration counseling and applications for optional practical and curricular training, economic work necessity, program extensions, international student insurance, visa renewals, as well as travel assistance. In addition, we plan a wide variety of social and cultural events and trips around the tri-state area for the international student community. International students directly contribute to the global nature of Hofstra University by bringing our world to the classrooms and student life experiences of the campus. As vital members of the Hofstra community, everyone at Hofstra is committed to ensuring that the international student experience is both positive and rewarding.

Finally, the Office works closely with several other campus units to ensure that diversity remains a top priority at Hofstra. If you are looking to explore international and multicultural issues during your time at Hofstra we hope that you consider making our Office one of your "homes away from home" as all student affairs offices are here to serve your needs. Please be sure to stop by our Office to see us, and I encourage you to make the most out of all of the cross-cultural opportunities Hofstra has to offer. Over 500 cultural programs and events take place on campus per year, so please take advantage of what is offered and be sure to get involved during your time here on campus. Attending Hofstra is as much about exploring your own culture as it is about exploring other cultures around you. We look forward to helping you find your way.

Sincerely,

Ryan M. Greene, M.A., Ed.M.
Director, Office of Multicultural & International Student Programs
Room 242, Mack Student Center
Phone: (516) 463-6796
Fax: (516) 463-5328
E-mail