By Staff Reports
(Honolulu) — Hawai‘i Pacific University has hired Adrienne Gigantino to serve as director of the Office of International Students and Scholars. She begins her role at HPU on August 17.
Ms. Gigantino holds a Master of Arts degree in International and Intercultural Management from the School for International Training degree from the University of Pittsburgh and Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from Rosemont College in Pennsylvania.
In this position, Ms. Gigantino will lead an OISS team in managing immigration certification, reporting and administration, advising, and the development and delivery of support services for international students and scholars. Her position is charged with working collaboratively across campus in helping develop “best practices” for teaching international students, integrating international students in programming on campus, and creating a welcoming atmosphere for students from diverse backgrounds.
She will ensure institutional compliance with federal SEVIS program requirements. The position serves as the Primary Designated School Official (PDSO) and the Responsible Officer (RO) for the Federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Department of State (DOS).
Adrienne comes to HPU with 15 years of experience in international education, specifically International Students and Scholars Services, and Teaching English as a Second Language. Previously, she was the Associate Director of International Students at Towson University, and the former Assistant Dean for International Students & Scholars Services at Drexel University.
Founded in 1965, Hawai’i Pacific University has grown to become the state’s leading private, non-profit university, with a student population of nearly 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and nearly 80 countries around the world. It has campuses in Downtown Honolulu, Kaneohe, and Makapu‘u. USA Today has named it the most diverse university in the nation.