Staff
Genevieve Cook
Assistant Director
Office of International Services
708 William Pitt Union
412-624-7124*
Fax: 412-624-7105
gdcook@pitt.edu
* For appointments, please call the OIS Receptionist at 412-624-7120.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES
Genevieve Cook is the Assistant Director for Immigration Services in the Office of International Services (OIS). She leads a team of five Immigration Specialists, providing a variety of services to the international population and the University at large. She oversees all immigration services functions and operations within OIS.
In her position, Genevieve is responsible for managing all immigration casework for, and providing related immigration services to, a portfolio of University schools and/or departments. The immigration caswork includes a broad spectrum of cases, ranging from cases involving international student issues to applications for employment-based US Lawful Permanent Resident status. Specifically, and in addition to her administrative and supervisory responsibilities as Assistant Director for Immigration Services, Genevieve is responsible for:
- Processing complex immigration casework for international students, international faculty, and international staff, requiring interface with various academic and administrative units throughout the University;
- Functioning as Designated School Official and Alternate Responsible Officer, recognized by the US Department of Homeland Security and US Department of State, and authorized to access the federal government's Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS);
- Functioning as liaison between OIS and other University schools/departments/divisions, community organizations, and US and foreign government agencies;
- Responding to internal and external inquiries regarding immigration matters;
- Representing OIS internally to various academic and administrative units, and externally to various local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as other educational institutions and organizations; and
- Advising and assisting international students and scholars with regard
to complex immigration regulations, as well as personal, social, and/or
academic concerns.
To view a chart listing all school assignments for all Immigration Specialists in OIS, see our OIS Immigration Services School/Department Assignments chart, which has been updated with new assignments.
Biography
Prior to joining the University of Pittsburgh, Genevieve worked for Carnegie Mellon University's Office of International Education (OIE) in the position of Foreign Student and Scholar Advisor. With her primary role of advising 800+ international students/scholars in the Tepper School of Business and School of Computer Science on immigration, cultural and practical matters.
Genevieve has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Anthropology from the University
of Pittsburgh. While earning a Certificate of Latin American Studies
she carried out an original research project in Montevideo, Uruguay. She
also holds a Masters of Public Management (MPM) with a concentration in
Leadership in Higher Education from Carnegie
Mellon University.
Professional Affiliations
Selected Appointments/Elected Positions
- NAFSA Region VIII CAFSS Representative 2004-2005
- NAFSA Pennsylvania State Whip 2005-2007