Contact ISSS

Advising

International Student and Scholar Services is happy to announce that we can now conduct our virtual advising using the University of Iowa’s Swipe system! Appointments will still be conducted virtually via Zoom, but this change will make it even easier for students and scholars to sign in and connect with an ISSS advisor to get quick answers to immigration and other questions.

Virtual and In-Person Advising Hours

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. (U.S. Central Time) Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
1:30 - 3:30 p.m. (U.S. Central Time) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

Please note: ISSS advising will be closed on the morning of November 24th for the Fall Break Meal. Normal Advising hours will resume in the afternoon.

Fall and Winter Break Advising: ISSS will maintain normal virtual advising hours for most of fall and winter break; in-person advising will be by appointment only.

We will be closed on holidays that the rest of the University will be closed: November 27, November 28, December 25, December 26, and January 1. We will also have a modified advising schedule during the week of January 12 – January 16 while we conduct the orientation for new students. Other than holidays and orientation week we will have normal advising hours. The days with modified hours are as follows:

January 12th: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
January 13th: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
January 14th: No Advising
January 15th: No Advising
January 16th: 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m. (normal hours resume)

Students and scholars can virtually sign in no more than 30 minutes before the start of advising. Swipe will not let you sign in more than 30 minutes before advising begins or after it ends.

In-person advising is in 1111 University Capitol Centre (UCC). To sign in for Zoom advising, visit https://apps.its.uiowa.edu/swipe2/site/isss/signin/virtual/walkin (you should bookmark that link!) and click on the button with the arrow. After entering your HawkID and password, select the reason for the appointment. If you do not have a HawkID, please call us at 319-335-0335.

After you sign in, just wait! Once an advisor has been assigned to you, Swipe will show a green button so that you can launch Zoom and ask your questions. Please remember not to close your browser tab until Zoom launches.

2025 Federal Updates

Review any changes that may affect international students in F or J status.

Federal Updates

General Hours and Contact Information

The ISSS reception desk is open Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

1111 University Capitol Centre
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-5500
USA

Phone: 319-335-0335
Fax: 319-335-0280
E-mail: isss@uiowa.edu

ISSS Staff

Pauline Beazer James

Senior Advisor

International Student & Scholar Services

pauline-beazerjames@uiowa.edu

319-335-0335

Pauline is a native of the Caribbean who grew up in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands. She completed the B.A. in Sociology at the University of South Florida in Tampa and also holds two master’s degrees. The first is the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. During her most recent studies at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio Texas, she completed the M.A. in Education with dual emphases: International Education and International Entrepreneurship. Pauline is a veteran of the United States Military and has proudly served in the U.S. Army Active Duty, U.S. Air Force Reserve, and U.S. Army Reserve. In addition to personal and military travel in Europe, North America, and the Caribbean, Pauline completed a six-month graduate internship in South America at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile where her Spanish language skills played a significant role. The first internship segment was with the U.S. Department of State, Economic and Political Affairs and the second segment with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Foreign Commercial Service. In addition to standard ISSS advising duties, Pauline shares responsibility for the office email account, processes Social Security employment verification letters, and produces new I-20s when changes of majors occur.

Michael Bortscheller

Director

International Student & Scholar Services

michael-bortscheller@uiowa.edu

319-335-0335

Michael oversees the iHawk database program, developing the online Pre-Arrival Checklist for incoming students and E-Form applications, and monitoring daily immigration record alerts. He serves as Responsible Officer for J-1 programs, specializing in scholar regulations and processes. He works closely with ITS, the Registrar, Admissions, and other offices to ensure student and scholar data flows smoothly and accurately, and is responsible for training and overseeing staff use of iHawk. He is responsible for international student enrollment data and statistical reports including Open Doors, and assessment of the international student fee and undergraduate orientation fee. Michael has Bachelor’s degrees in Linguistics and Spanish and a Master’s in Linguistics with an emphasis on Teaching English as a Second Language, has studied Spanish in Spain, and has spent time in Canada, England, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, and Nebraska.

Shuhui Lin

International Education Program & Student Affairs Advisor

International Student & Scholar Services

shuhui-lin@uiowa.edu

319-335-0335

Lin focuses on the support and retention of international students through outreach and engagement. She also provides assistance with intercultural training and a first-year seminar course. Lin provides support on international education efforts more broadly, such as co-chairing the International Education Week committee and more. Lin earned her bachelor's degree in communication studies, and Master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of Iowa. She is from Guangzhou, China, speaks Cantonese and Mandarin, and is now learning Korean.

Dongwang Liu

Advisor

International Student & Scholar Services

Associate Director, Center for Asian & Pacific Studies

dongwang-liu@uiowa.edu

319-335-1305

Dongwang Liu serves as Associate Director of the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies (CAPS) as well as an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Department of Anthropology. He is assisting ISSS as a liaison for newly admitted students, helping support our pre-arrival webinars and taking on some orientation coordination duties. Dongwang earned his doctorate degree in human development and family studies at Iowa State University. He taught English as second language in China for seven years before his graduate study in the U. S. He is an all-weather bike rider and table tennis player.

Brandon Paulson

Associate Director

International Student & Scholar Services

brandon-paulson@uiowa.edu

319-335-0335

Besides advising duties, Brandon's area of specialization includes intercultural training, where he oversees the Building Our Global Community certificate series, Engaging Across Cultures certificate program, the Bridge program, and special requests for individualized training sessions. Brandon serves as orientation coordinator, arranging content and schedules for orientation programs. Brandon holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Economics from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and a Master's in Education with an emphasis on Student Affairs Administration from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He has studied in the United Kingdom, has studied Spanish, and has spent time in Costa Rica, Canada, Ireland, Spain, England, and Scotland.

Kevin Roiseland

Senior Advisor

International Student & Scholar Services

kevin-roiseland@uiowa.edu

319-335-0335

In addition to standard student and scholar advising duties, Kevin coordinates the non-resident tax program each spring, overseeing the workshops providing tax assistance and the online Windstar tax program. He also oversees some SEVIS reporting duties including OPT employment reports and I-20s for students returning after an absence. He serves as the ISSS liaison to the organizations Friends of International Students, the International Women's Club, and the Iowa City Area Development group. Kevin holds a B.A. in Spanish from Luther College and an M.A. in Social Foundations of Education from the University of Iowa. Kevin has a passion for travel and for learning about the cultures of the students he works with. He has traveled broadly throughout Latin America, Europe, and Asia.