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In the 2023/24 academic year, there were around 502,000 students pursuing graduate programmes in US universities. That figure is an all-time high, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. Almost half of them remained in the country to gain practical work experience through the Optional Practical Training (OPT), a programme that allows international students with an F-1 visa status to work in the US for a limited time during their studies or after graduation, gaining practical experience related to their field. The number of international students who successfully applied for OPT was a record high as well – 242,782 students, an increase of 22% from the prior year.
If these numbers prove anything, it is that there are many and various career for international students in the US. Take Prithu Khatri from Nepal, for example. He is now working as a financial analyst at CME Group in Chicago, Illinois, and it is all thanks to his OPT and degree from Lewis University. “My courses in Statistical Modelling help me in my current job,” he says. “I apply skills I learned in the classroom to analyse financial data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions, all by using the skills I developed at Lewis University.”
Named one of the Best in the Midwest by the Princeton Review, Lewis University blends a broad liberal arts education with practical career preparation. This is you get a jumpstart to a career in the US and beyond.
“Their Career Services office is fantastic,” Khatri says. “There is career advisor Joanne Rodriguez who assists all international students. She has expertise in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and OPT, so she knows exactly the unique demands and questions of international students seeking internships and employment.”
CPT is another form of practical training F-1 students can apply for. This takes place before graduation in the form of internships, co-ops, projects, etc., offered by employers that partner with US universities.
More than 300 employers recruit Lewis University students annually. Source: Lewis University
Whether it’s for the OPT, CPT or your general career prospects, the university’s Career Services is where you will get all the information and assistance you need. Here, there are one-on-one guides to explore your career prospects and determine which work suits you best; tips on how to enhance your résumé, cover letter, and nail a job interview; and events for you to network and introduce yourself to potential employers.
Every year, more than 300 employers recruit students from here, convinced by the value a Lewis University graduate has to offer to local companies and beyond.
“I regularly attended their job fairs hosted by Career Services and also Meet the Firms events with the College of Business,” Khatri says. “This gave me excellent insight into what employers were looking for and how to leverage my unique experience as an international student to my job field.”
Over at the Lowell Stahl Centre for Entrepreneurship and Real Estate, Lewis University students have a place where academic staff, faculty experts, and industry leaders come together to pursue and support your interests in entrepreneurial and real estate activities. This is where you will find networking and mentoring opportunities with alumni and community stakeholders as you engage with them to talk shop and share ideas. As a result of these resources, the College of Business’s 2022/23 cohort boasted a 77% job placement rate for graduates working full-time and 17% for those continuing their doctorate degree.
For Master of Science in Data Science student Sana Kumar, it was her professor who helped her obtain an internship at a large-scale data storage company in Chicago. “The MSDS programme at Lewis University offers a variety of internship partnerships with large tech companies in the Chicago area,” the Pakistani student says. “All graduate students are required to complete a senior capstone project, where field research is required. For international students, we are able to use CPT employment for this research.”
Lewis University blends a broad liberal arts education with practical career preparation. Source: Lewis University
These CPT internships are built into the curriculum for most programmes here. You get to apply new knowledge in real-world setting, gain early exposure to professional life, know more people in your field, and seek potential referrals for your future roles.
“I am working as a data engineer intern at Morningstar this semester,” Kumar says. “I help with applying machine learning to large data sets. I will use this experience in my capstone course that analyses the development of advanced analytical techniques.”
No matter which programme you pursue at Lewis University, you will find great opportunities when you apply for a CPT or an OPT. The latter allows you to extend your employment in the US up to three years if your programme is STEM-designated.
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