Students and staff participate in State Department panel on visa challenges for international deaf and hard of hearing students

Gallaudet international students and Office of International Affairs (OIA) staff discussed difficulties faced by international deaf and hard of hearing people applying for visas to study in the U.S. in panel organized by the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs on September 9, 2024.

As a follow-up to a July 29, 2024 visit to Gallaudet University by members of the global U.S. Department of State network EducationUSA, OIA Immigration Compliance Coordinator B. Mutisya Nzyuko (second from right) and international students (from left) Lu Ming, Maria Serra-Pereda, Fatuma Kuti, and Driss Oukake were invited to participate in the panel.

The panel critically examined the experiences of international students navigating consular processes during their student visa applications to Gallaudet. The primary objective of the discussion was to identify and address challenges faced by deaf and hard of hearing international people when applying for visas at U.S. embassies globally in order to study in the U.S. For international students interested in a Gallaudet education, this means ensuring a seamless experience in enrolling at the University.

This panel represents a significant milestone, being the first instance of deaf international students engaging a worldwide audience of Consular Affairs staff. The session was attended remotely by Consular Affairs personnel around the globe via Zoom. It was so well received that the following day, Nzyuko received an invitation, along with other OIA staff, to meet at the Department of State with Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, to learn more about the issue. (Also pictured is moderator Chris Hammond, from Consular Affairs.)