Front Desk Scenarios
A student comes in for an appointment. How do you get them to where they need to be?
Ask them to sign in on the computer and Teams the person that they are meeting with.
How many programs do we offer, and how many countries do we offer programs in?
300; 80
A student calls and wants to know if they can submit their application two days past the deadline. Who could you transfer them to?
The EM for that program.
What sort of credits are given on programs through the College of Engineering?
Participants on CoE programs earn pass/fail credit unless they take courses abroad that fulfill degree requirements for a second major or a certificate outside of the CoE.
Who should you email to inform that new Study Abroad Scholars content (photos, videos, postcards, etc) have been uploaded?
SAA, Bri, Amanda
A student stops by the front desk asking to speak with their Enrollment Manager. What should you do?
Tell the student that we do not offer drop-in advising. Find out what their question is and help as best you can. Let the student know that they can contact their EM via email or make an appointment with via Starfish.
When is the earliest that students can study abroad?
The summer before their freshman year.
A student calls with a question about the visa application process for their program. Who can you direct them to?
Direct them towards the “Travel, Visa and Passport” tile on their MyStudyAbroad. If they have additional questions, transfer them to their SAA.
A student is working on their application and wants to know how to complete the Home School Authorization Form. What should you tell them?
Your EM will complete this on your behalf after reviewing your application.
Where do we save photo captions submitted by students?
Into the appropriate program spreadsheet in the shared google drive.
A construction worker stops by the front desk and wants to speak to someone. Who do you send them to?
Alex
What are the three main types of study abroad programs at UW-Madison?
Exchange & Direct Enroll, UW Signature, Provider
A student calls with a time-sensitive question for their SAA. But the SAA is currently out on vacation. What should you do?
Transfer them to the SAA’s backup, listed on the calendar.
A program says that it is open to juniors and seniors: does this refer to a student’s year in school or academic standing (number of credits)?
This refers to a student’s academic standing. (Some programs, however, will require students to have completed a certain number of semesters.)
What are two items that you should wear at every event?
Study abroad t-shirt (or fleece) and name tag.
A student stops by the front desk and tells you that they need to get a form notarized – they say they’ll be participating on the SRISA program in Florence next spring. Who should you contact?
Send a message in the Notary Service group chat on teams to see if anyone is available to help the student.
In what country do we have the most programs?
Spain (18 programs)
A parent asks to discuss their child’s financials for a study abroad program.Who can you direct them to?
Tell them that you cannot discuss financial information due to FERPA laws, even if they claimed to be authorized payers. If the parent is getting upset, transfer them to a financial specialist.
What should a student do if they would like to change their program after beginning an application?
If they haven’t submitted, they should change it themselves in the application portal. If they have submitted, they should contact their EM.
What are three social media platforms that we upload content to?
Instagram, Flickr, YouTube, Facebook.
An incoming exchange student stops by the front desk and asks for a travel signature. Where should you direct them?
Send them to International Student Services, located in the Pyle Center.
How much money do we give out in scholarships every year?
$2.5 million
A student wants to know if they can use their financial aid to fund their study abroad program. Who can you direct them to?
Direct them to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
When can a student apply to two programs for the same duration?
During the summer (as long as the programs do not overlap).
Name two things you can do to make digital materials more accessible?
Add alt text, add captions, pick contrasting colors, using hyperlinks instead of pasting links, etc.