Telugu students in US get an insight into new challenges

As Indian students gear up for new challenges on United States education campuses amid changing rules and stringent norms, they gained new insights at an awareness session organised by the American Telugu Association (ATA).

The student orientation programme organised at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee addressed the growing challenges faced by Indian students, including concerns about safety and security, mental health, immigration, and post-graduation career opportunities. Interestingly, the University of Wisconsin is the alma mater of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

The event, held in collaboration with various Indian student organisations, provided valuable guidance, resources, and mentorship to international students navigating life and studies in the U.S. The programme drew strong participation from the student community and featured an exceptional lineup of speakers, including law enforcement officials, immigration attorneys, career counselors, insurance experts, and successful entrepreneurs.

The most attentive session was by Attorneys from Somireddy Law Firm and the Law Offices of Prashanthi Reddy, who discussed key aspects of CPT and OPT regulations, provided guidance on maintaining immigration compliance, and addressed questions about recent challenges faced by students. Compliance with the norms would help students, and any deviation could lead to problems in the changed circumstances, said ATA Media chair Bhanu Swargam.

Industry leaders including Ravi Reddy, a CEO, serial tech entrepreneur and venture investor; Kiran Pasham, a co-founder, president and Architect of SplashBI; and K.K. Reddy, an entrepreneur offered insights on securing internships, networking, and building a fulfilling career in technology and related fields.

Dr. Swarnjit S. Arora, emeritus professor of Economics, encouraged students to broaden their horizons through cross-cultural interactions, emphasising the importance of developing communication and interpersonal skills for global success.

Insurance specialist, Krishna Rangaraju, spoke about the importance of adequate health and life insurance coverage, outlining the various options available to international students in times of need.

Chief of Police, Brian Switala, and Police Lieutenant, Alexander Ewend, from the UW–Milwaukee Police Department shared essential safety tips and informed students about available university and local resources to handle emergency situations effectively.

The event was spearheaded by ATA president Jayanth Challa, secretary Sainath Reddy Boyapalli, and board of trustees members Maheedar Muskula, Ven Reddy, R.V. Reddy, and Krishna Rangaraju.

The Milwaukee team, comprising Polireddy Ganta, Chandramouli Saraswathi, Jayanth Para, Karunakar Reddy, Venkat Jalari, Santhoshi Valluri, Raja Nethi, Vivekanand Kommineni, and Vikranth Reddy Kunduru, played a key role in the event coordination and making the event a success.