International Programs Advisor

Outside of drop-in hours, Richard is available for appointments. Please send an e-mail to Richard.Bruce@wwu.edu or drop by the IPE office to make an appointment

Note: Richard will be unavailable for appointments or drop-ins every Thursday.

The International Programs Advisor

• Advises international students and scholars of the restrictions imposed and benefits accorded by their immigration status.
• Assists internationals in resolving academic, financial and personal difficulties in coordination with faculty and other University resources and community agencies
• Administers the University's F-1 Student and J-1 Exchange Visitor programs, and monitors University compliance with the federal immigration laws governing these programs
• Prepares H-1B Temporary Worker and Permanent Residence petitions for international faculty on behalf of the University
• Conducts comprehensive new student orientation programs
• Conducts periodic workshops on topics such as practical training (employment), cultural adjustment, tax issues, scholarships, etc.
• Administers WWU’s Direct Exchanges with universities abroad and assists Western students with selecting and applying for these exchange programs
• Represents Western Washington University to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of State, U.S. and foreign embassies, and international sponsoring organizations