International Scholars: Navigating Policy & Supporting Our Communities

For international students, navigating F-1 status can be complicated, particularly as immigration policies change. This webinar is designed to help students and their advocates respond to emerging immigration policy changes and to provide a space for international students to voice their experiences and concerns within a larger community.

While developed with the Holmes Scholars community in mind, this webinar is open to all international students, as well as faculty, staff, peers, and anyone who wants to better understand and support international students on U.S. college campuses. Navigating these challenges should not fall on international students alone; every member of a campus community has a role in creating an informed and supportive environment.

Developed in collaboration with and moderated by the Holmes Scholar Council International Student Committee, the webinar will bring together experts in international student services and immigration policy to provide insight into common situations that F-1 students may encounter. Topics will include international travel and re-entry; maintaining F-1 status amid academic or enrollment changes; CPT, OPT, and employment authorization; and assessing and responding to emerging immigration policy changes.

The webinar will conclude with a Q&A addressing questions and concerns submitted by international students.

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Speakers:

Sarah Spreitzer
Vice President and Chief of Staff, Government Relations
American Council on Education (ACE)

Sarah Spreitzer is a senior higher education policy leader at the American Council on Education (ACE), where she represents colleges and universities on research funding, federal policy, immigration, international student issues, and legislative affairs. She has extensive experience advocating for higher education institutions and shaping federal policy.

Before joining ACE, Spreitzer served as director of federal relations for the University of Missouri System, helping connect university leaders, faculty, and staff with Congress and federal agencies. She also worked at Lewis-Burke Associates, representing major public and private universities before Congress and federal agencies, and held a federal relations role at the University of Washington focused on student aid and research funding.

Spreitzer has held prominent leadership positions with the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). She earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Beloit College and a master’s degree in medieval studies from The Catholic University of America and is a founding board member of Creative Minds International Public Charter School.

Tolulope Aworefa
Ball State University
General Alternate and International Student Subcommittee Chair,
2026-27 Holmes Scholar Council

Tolulope Aworefa is a doctoral candidate in Educational Psychology at Ball State University and a member of the Holmes Scholars National Council. His academic and professional interests center on adolescent mental health, culturally responsive research, and supporting student success. As an international scholar, Tolulope is passionate about helping fellow students navigate the academic, professional, and personal dimensions of studying in the United States.

Yiwei Guo
University of San Diego
Historian, 2026-27 Holmes Scholar Council

Yiwei Guo is an international doctoral student in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego, with a Master of Education completed in Canada. Having studied and engaged with educational systems in China, Canada, and the United States, this scholar brings a distinctly cross-cultural and international perspective to education. Experiences navigating diverse cultural, linguistic, and academic environments have deepened an interest in multilingual education, cultural identity, and educational leadership, particularly in how language, culture, and belonging shape students’ educational experiences across contexts.