As SLU’s Chief Student Affairs Officer and an immigrant myself, I am thrilled to welcome you to this resource page for undocumented and immigrant students. I know firsthand the challenges, sacrifices, and dreams that come with being an immigrant, and I want you to know that at SLU, you are supported.

SLU’s mission is built on a foundation of access, social justice, and equality, and we are committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of immigration status, has the tools and opportunities to achieve their academic and professional goals.

We understand that your path may not always be easy but know that we are here to provide guidance and resources every step of the way. From navigating scholarships to connecting, you with academic, community and legal resources, we will work with you to make sure you have the support you need to succeed.

We are honored to be part of your journey.

In solidarity,
Dr. Rochel Pinder


Rochel Pinder
Director of Student & Community Affairs
rochel.pinder@slu.cuny.edu

Office of Undocumented and Immigrant Student Programs

The Office of Undocumented and Immigrant Student Programs provide support and resources for undocumented and immigrant student success across all 25 campuses.

Immigrant Liaisons:

Immigrant Success Liaisons are designated SLU staff members who support immigrant and undocumented students on campus, helping them navigate being at the school and connecting the students with additional resources. SLU has two Immigrant Success Liaisons.

Samina Shahidi (she/her)
samina.shahidi@slu.cuny.edu

In addition to being an Immigrant Laison, Samina serves as SLU’s Senior Academic Advisor

to the Master of Arts in Urban Studies. SLU supports students in NYC’s community organizations and labor unions and movements through collaborative program building. Samina works with SLU students, in tandem with their faculty, academic, career, counseling and relief services toward the completion of their programs. Our collective goals: to put student professional, academic and organizing backgrounds in dialogue with research projects that serve NYC.

Padraig O’Donoghue (he/him)
padraig.odonoghue@slu.cuny.edu

In addition to being an Immigrant Liaison, Padraig has worked in student services for over fifteen years and is currently SLU’s Student Services Manager.  He provides a wide range of services to support SLU students connecting them to the new student orientation, counseling services, career services, veteran services, emergency grants and SLU’s student government.  A native of Ireland, Padraig is a proud graduate of CUNY and works to honor CUNY mission to serve immigrant and working-class New Yorkers.

International Students interested in SLU should reach out to the Office of International Students at the CUNY Graduate Center for support on how to study with us.

Scholarships for Undocumented Students

Privately funded scholarships at CUNY are available to students, regardless of immigration status, in accordance with the CUNY 2018 Memo by the Office of General Counsel.

SLU offers the Forward Scholarship dedicated to empowering immigrant students who have demonstrated resilience in overcoming personal challenges. Visit SLU’s scholarship webpage to learn more.

Additional Scholarship Resources

Related CUNY SLU Resources

Services and supports that are open to all SLU students, regardless of immigration status.

  • The SLU Wellness Center offers counseling services to provide a safe space for students to talk about personal issues or challenges that prevent personal and academic growth.  Counseling Services provides individual counseling, crisis intervention, and referral to the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies student body.

Undocumented and Immigrant Students FAQ

The FAQ for Undocumented and Immigrant Students is designed to provide answers to some of the most commonly asked questions that undocumented and immigrant students have about navigating their education at CUNY.

Career/Internship Opportunities

  • SLU offers key undergraduate experiential learning and internship opportunities in the fields of urban and labor studies in two undergraduate bachelor of arts degrees that may include full-time semester-long programs, while working with labor unions, community organizations and other advocacy and rights groups. Our programs can be taken as a certificate credential, and serve students in building their skill sets, academic and community, and labor organizing experiences.
  • SLU also offers graduate certificates in community leadership, labor organizing, and democratic management and cooperative ownership, that can be transferred to our  labor and urban studies graduate degrees.
  • Career Services at SLU supports undergraduate, graduate, non-degree students, as well as alumni with all aspects of career exploration, job searching, as well as identifying and securing internship opportunities.
  • Undocumented students can access non-wage stipends and experiential learning fellowship regardless of immigration status. If you’ve been awarded one of these opportunities, and are having trouble accessing the funds, please contact your Liaison and ImmigrantStudents@cuny.edu. If you have any questions about what a non-wage stipend is please visit here.

Dream Team or Student Group

SLU does not currently have a Dream Team program for undocumented and immigrant students because it does not yet have the number of students needed to qualify for the program. If you are interested in starting or learning more about a Dream Team, please contact your Immigrant Liaisons.

The SLU community of students, staff and faculty collaborate on delivering workshops and other knowledge, advocacy and awareness building projects that serve undocumented and immigrant students. They include the BMI SLU Leadership Program , Student Union leadership, the SLU LGBTQI support group, a growing Alumni Association, and other linked affinity groups.