International students at DePaul are turning to the Student Government Association (SGA) for resources and support through their distinct obstacles. SGA is taking on initiatives this quarter to improve the DePaul experience for international students.
SGA chair of diversity and equity Parveen Mundi says issues surrounding the experience of international students at DePaul are a recurring topic in SGA from year to year.
“That’s like a sign that all in all the experience of international students at DePaul is falling short. In more ways than one,” Mundi said.
Graduate student Sai Krishna was born in Hyderabad, India and grew up in the Middle East. Before attending DePaul, Krishna received his Bachelor of Business Administration at the Birla Institute of Technology Mesra, Muscat. Additionally, he earned his Masters of Business Administration in Global Business at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dubai.
“Coming to America, I would say it was a big win for me personally, as well as for my family,” Krishna said.
SGA Driehaus College of Business representative Raja Rajeswari Chilakamarthy said that moving to the U.S. as a first-generation international student was not easy but incredibly rewarding.
“I love immersing myself in new cultures and lifestyles, and being here has given me countless opportunities to grow and explore,” Chilakamarthy said. “DePaul’s diverse international community has also made me feel at home, especially on tough days.”
This is Sreekar Reddy Mundla’s second quarter at DePaul, and his first quarter as an SGA Driehaus College of Business representative. He grew up in India and has been working for the past seven years in a finance tech department. He chose DePaul because they offered a program that bridged management and marketing.
Mundla says his experience getting to DePaul was difficult, and inspired one of his SGA initiatives this quarter. Upon arriving in the United States, Mundla’s encountered a problem with his I-20 document’s ID number. This is a document that a college provides stating that this student is part of the university.
Mundla said that this happened on a Friday evening when DePaul offices were closed. Mundla
said that he was asked to wait with U.S. Customs while they contacted DePaul to resolve the issue with his I-20. Mundla says DePaul did not respond in time because offices were closed.
Mundla says that U.S. Customs told him DePaul wasn’t answering their calls, and he was at risk of being sent back to India. However, Mundla says he had paid his tuition fees prior to reaching the United States, and after providing customs with his receipt number, he was able to prove that he was a DePaul student. He says U.S. Customs then gave him an I-515A form, which provides temporary admission into the United States for 30 days.
“I went to the university the very next day. But it was Saturday so the university was closed,” Mundla says. “Nobody even reached out to me for a period of one week.”
Mundla says the issue was eventually resolved and he was given a new ID number.
“I was on the verge of getting deported,” Mundla said. “For that one month as an international student, I was traumatized.”
Mundla says an initiative of his at SGA this quarter is a 24/7 hotline provided by the university that deals with the concerns of international students. Mundla says that his I-20 document issue could have been avoided if a resource like this was available for him.
Mundi said that efforts toward inclusion must be a collective effort to ensure that international students feel belonging in all aspects of their DePaul experience.
“It can’t just be one office, or one branch of the university … You need to be sure that recommendations are making their way to every aspect of the university based on what students are saying,” Mundi said.
GianMario Besana, associate provost for global engagement, and Gretchen Frickx, senior director of international student success and global partnership management, said international students are a fundamental aspect of the DePaul community.
“We are always open to feedback on how to better meet the needs of international students and consistently adapt our resources and services to respond,” Besana and Frickx said in a statement to The DePaulia.
This quarter, SGA is working to provide support and distribute resources to international students. Chilakamarthy said she is hoping to hold an informative session with an immigration lawyer this quarter to address Optional Practical Training (OPT), H-1B processes, Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applications, and other immigration-related questions for students with F-1 visas.
Additionally, Chilakamarthy wants to organize a career fair exclusively for international students that focuses on employers willing to sponsor work visas.
“Many career fairs at DePaul lean toward undergraduates, with employers who aren’t open to sponsorships, so this is a step to bridge that gap,” Chilakamarthy said.
DePaul also offers Goin’ Global, a career resource that can help international students learn business culture and regulations in the United States, which provides employer profiles and job openings that hire OPT students and have sponsored graduates for H-1B visas.
“If a native student is living here, if he has an issue, he’ll call his parents, or his friends or his cousins, someone to come and help him,” Mundla said. “But for an international student, who is that? It is the college.”
Mundla said he feels DePaul is not adequately supporting international students’ housing needs. Mundla said because many students are not able to find the right housing near campus, they’re living near the suburbs, extending their commute to campus.
“If DePaul is not able to provide campus housing, at least they should help us find houses that are close to the DePaul University,” Mundla said.
The UPass+, which would include free Metra use, is being piloted at University of Illinois Chicago. Mundla says he is in support of the SGA wide initiative to get UPass+ for DePaul students.
“It would help them commute back to the university easier. We are paying extra just for that,” Mundla said
Graduate international student Krishna said that prior to coming to the United States he had connected with DePaul international students to inquire about housing options through online community group chats instead of going through DePaul resources.
“There are a lot of Whatsapp groups and Telegram groups, and from there texting, ‘I’m an international student and I’ll be flying so and so, I need housing,’” Krishna said.
In the fall of 2025, DePaul Office of Housing and ISS will hold a Virtual Housing Fair where international students are taught the logistics of leasing and are given breakdowns of different neighborhoods where DePaul students live.
Chilakamarthy says that her biggest challenge in her college journey has been funding her education. She says it is important for DePaul to develop more international student-centric facilities, scholarships and career programs.
“These efforts would go a long way in making us feel more supported and welcome,” Chilakamarthy said.
Besana and Frickx say they are committed to international student success.
“International students are an integral part of our diverse DePaul community. We are always open to feedback on how to better meet the needs of international students and consistently adapt our resources and services to respond,” Besana and Frickx said.
Mundi says that international students describe their experiences best, and DePaul administration should have regular avenues for students to voice their concerns. In conjunction, SGA is working to be a place for support for international students amidst their struggles.
“We as an SGA, no matter how the university stands with you, we as SGA stand by you. We as a community stand by you,” Mundla said. “We are there for you. We are hearing your voice. I am there for you.”
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- New additions in the SGA house of representatives for winter quarter
- Home away from home: Life as an International student athlete at DePaul
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