by Francis Ankomah
Life in a new environment can be challenging, particularly as an international student in the United States. The struggles from the admission process to the visa acquisition, and even the journey to the United States. Life sometimes becomes stressful, especially getting to know which facilities are available for you and settling down. In this piece, I express my opinion and experience about how an individual has taken it upon herself to bring smiles to the faces of many international students like me and make life in Athens easy.
Brianne Dowler is one of the individuals behind the successful navigation of many international students in Athens. She is a student, mother of three children and a wife. Brianne is the Assistant Director for Student Success and Communications at the Centre for International Studies at Ohio University, Athens. The success component of her job is basically to help with any issues students face, and if she is not able to help them, she redirects them to another person at the university that can help them with their situation. She does not do advising per se for coursework, however, she does the final check to make sure that everything in the department regarding student graduation is well coordinated. Thus, she does all the checks and balances match. For instance, she corresponds with the students and their program directors to see if everything is on track or there is something missing. Brianne works for about 40 to 45 graduate students and close to 250 undergraduate students when the semester is in session. This tells the magnitude of workload on her desk regarding students’ challenges, imagining going through records for everyone to ensure that everything works for them prior to their graduation. As part of her role, Brianne does a lot of communication activities. Especially with graduating students, she must make sure she consistently reminds them of all the university correspondence required for graduation, like applying to graduation, making sure that they have their regalia and several other things. She does all of these because she knows students receive numerous mails from the university, and with the idea of not duplicating such information.
As a way of not making life on campus boring for students, she organizes a lot of extracurricular programs for students. She either organizes workshops that she thinks are going to help students with professional development or work with experts at the university to bring in speakers. As part of these activities, she worked with the speakers, introduced herself via email and then helped with logistics and room reservations as well. Most of these programs and activities are internationally focused and promote diversity and inclusion, that's kind of her focus as well. Brianne has been working with the Centre since 2015 as Administrative Associate, got promoted to Administrative Specialist until May 2022 when she assumed the role as the Assistant Director for Student Success and Communications after successfully going through the interview process and ultimately because of her experience, she was selected for that role.
Because of her experience in her roles, she enrolled as a graduate student and just finished her MA in Communications from the Scripts College, School of Communication. For her lovefor international students. Her capstone work was heavily influenced by her work. She created an app called ‘F2J2’ and the focus is international students and all those who are traveling to the US with dependents. She built an app prototype and a program called Figma, and the app focuses on user experience. It's an app that helps them with resources that are local to the university they're attending so that they can utilize the app resources for their travel to the US. This was in part due not only to her work and some struggles of international students who had defendants face but out of concerns as a mother of three and a wife. Though she had never traveled to or lived in another country, she has the same concerns that these students have because of her experience as a mother and a wife. This app was developed as a way of creating something that's practical and applicable in solving the numerous problems facing international students and their dependents and improving their lives in every situation. Brianne presented her research at the Student Expo and ended up in the 2nd place out of 35 students.
The foresight for the ‘F2J2’ was: how can an app better inform and prepare international students and scholars traveling with dependents both before and after their arrival in the US? International students and scholars on F1 or J1 visa traveling with dependents on an F2 or J2 visa face the added burden of caring for loved ones while transitioning from their home country to the US for research or teaching. Some of the barriers they may face include the challenge of transitioning dependent children to the US education system, finding transportation for not only self, but dependents, finding affordable, trustworthy and dependable childcare. Furthermore, navigating the US healthcare system and adapting to a new community with the help of IRB research.
What I wonder about is how can someone who is not into computer programming come up with such an initiative to build an app. Brianne started building the app after an initial survey with some international students who have dependents. This helped her gather information regarding the experiences and challenges of international students and their dependents. After this, she had to meet with her committee chair bi-monthly to present him with components that she would need for the app later, not the actual build, but like the typography that she was going to use in the app. A lot of decisions went into choice of the color for the app, and she eventually ended up using Navy blue and gold. Those were two main colors that she decided on because a lot of banks use those color themes, and people think of a bank as a trustworthy institution.
As I got along with Brianne, I asked how she was able to balance her work, schooling, and family. I did so because, as an international student, I know the struggles we sometimes face and the countless times we walk to her office for help. Brianne relies heavily on her outlook calendar to kind of keep her on track with things that she is working on. Admittedly, she does have an open-door policy with students, so she generally keeps her door open unless she is in a very private meeting, keeps her door open so that if students come in without an appointment, she sees and can make accommodations for them. Brianne usually spends time with her family during school vacations and other holidays. While on family’s day out she sparingly attends to urgent calls from international students.
Brianne Dowler's dedication to supporting international students in Athens is commendable. Her multifaceted role at Ohio University demonstrates her commitment to student success and her proactive approach to addressing challenges faced by international students. From assisting with administrative tasks to organizing extracurricular programs, Brianne goes above and beyond to ensure that students feel supported and included. Her initiative in creating the 'F2J2' app, despite not having a background in computer programming, showcases her determination to make a tangible difference in the lives of international students and their dependents. Moreover, her ability to balance her professional responsibilities, academic pursuits, and family life is impressive. By relying on organizational tools like her Outlook calendar and maintaining an open-door policy, Brianne ensures that she remains accessible to students while also prioritizing time with her family. Overall, Brianne's contributions to the international student community exemplify the positive impact that individuals can have through empathy, innovation, and dedication. Her efforts undoubtedly make life in Athens easier for countless international students, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all.
In my humble opinion, Brianne Dowler's contributions to the well-being and success of international students in Athens are undeniably impactful. Through her multifaceted role at Ohio University and her innovative initiatives, Brianne has significantly eased the transition and integration process for international students. Brianne Dowler's efforts exemplify the positive impact that individuals can have in fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for international students. Her initiatives not only alleviate the challenges of adaptation but also contribute to enhancing the overall quality of life for students in Athens.
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