Support for international students at Northern Essex Community College was in the national spotlight today. Vice President of the Lawrence Campus and Community Relations, Dr. Naydeen González de Jesús, appeared on Univision’s “Voz de la Mañana” Friday morning to join their conversation exploring how revoking visas for international students could affect the U.S. economy. González de Jesús and guest Iván Jiménez shared that international students are essential not only for economic growth but also for intellectual innovation. When asked about growing anxiety among students due to visa uncertainties, González de Jesús remarked on how Northern Essex is working to support student mental health and stability.

“(Translated from Spanish) Right now, what we’re doing is offering them mental health counseling and financial advising, and we’re also working with immigration experts. These efforts help lower anxiety levels a bit. But it’s important to maintain calm and peace—if we keep speaking to students in a way that fuels fear, we’re only adding to the stress they already feel. What we can do is empower them, provide them with information, and keep making them feel welcome here in the state.”

View the full segment below.