Fabricae Vniuersitatis: Kathy Cody

In just a few short years in her position as YSU coordinator of International Admissions and Immigration, Kathy Cody has become “a very valuable member of the team…the heart of the office,” says Igor Jourin, Cody’s supervisor.

“She is continuously shaping the lives of her students,” he said. “The students love her.”

Cody grew up in northern Ohio but was living in Florida and running a real estate title office for a law firm when she made the decision to move back to Ohio in 2011 to be closer to her grandchildren and to continue her education.

She enrolled at YSU and worked as the student assistant for Jourin in 2011. After completing her undergraduate degree in Business Administration in 2014, she stayed on as a graduate assistant, completed an MBA in 2105 and then was hired full-time into her current position.

“I applied for a work study job in the International Programs Office during my first semester of my undergrad, and I instantly fell in love with international admissions,” said Cody, who now lives in New Castle, Pa. “I have never looked back.”

Cody spends her days processing applications from international students, completing transfer evaluations and working with government entities from around the globe to ensure that students will receive approval to attend YSU. She also serves as advisor to two student organizations, International Peer Mentors and iPals, which pairs a domestic student with an international student to help with the transition.

The greatest reward for all of the hard work? “Seeing the faces of the students here on campus,” she said. “Finally getting to put a face with a name.”