“I was raised in the Dominican Republic and moved to the U.S. as a high school junior. Having experienced cultural shock and the need to quickly adapt, supporting other international students is deeply personal to me.”
– Valerie Goris
Human Resources Assistant for Employment Eligibility & Tax Compliance
University at Albany, SUNY
Valerie has firsthand experience when it comes to culture shock and learning how to quickly adapt to her new surroundings. Valerie works at UAlbany in human resources, so she did not have much experience knowing where to guide international students. Her work mainly focuses on HR and taxing.
Valerie recently joined the iCEP Academy, and it has helped her when it comes to connecting with international students who do not have a support group. Learning the value of how words can impact a person for the better.
What inspired you to join the iCEP Academy, and how do you hope it will shape your work with international students?
“Connecting with our ISSS office. I work in HR, and my main focus is onboarding and taxing international students/employees.”
How has the iCEP experience so far inspired you or reinforced your passion for supporting international students?
“It has reminded me of how impactful it is to move to a different country and not have a support group.
What advice would you give to others thinking about joining the iCEP Academy?
“It will only make you connect with people more. It will make you think outside the box. What is common to us is not common to others, and doing trainings like these makes you more compassionate and connects you more with others.
About the Author
Marely Esperanza Pina
Marely is an English Literature major at Lake Forest College and the 2025 Fall Intern at ICAway. She brings a passion for storytelling and analysis to her writing. Marely has also played the flute for more than 12 years, a pursuit that fuels her creativity.
