Enrollment VP Cheryl Lynn Horsey Sends Letter to Congress on Proposed ICE Rule

Vice President of Enrollment Cheryl Lynn Horsey sent the below letter to members of Congress on September 29, 2025.

Dear Members of Congress:

Since its founding in 1885, Bryn Mawr College, a preeminent college for women, has welcomed international students from around the world. Our graduates have gone on to distinguished careers, discoveries, and contributions in every field of endeavor, notably in science, engineering, technology, and economics. Many join the faculties of colleges and universities around the world or serve in higher education leadership positions. A Japanese graduate from one of the College’s early classes used her Bryn Mawr education to establish Tsuda University, one of the first private institutions of higher education for women in Japan. Tsuda today is a highly regarded private university for women, distinguished by its focus on preparing women for achievement and leadership.

Today, 13 percent of Bryn Mawr’s undergraduate students are international, representing 32 countries outside the United States. Some arrive with a defined idea of their academic path; others discover new interests through our liberal arts curriculum and elect to change or broaden their course of study. Some elect to pursue 3+2 programs with a partner university, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. Regardless of path, their presence enriches our community, contributes to vibrant learning and multiple perspectives in the classroom, and helps expand cultural competence for all.

Despite already rigorous screening and visa requirements, our international students complete their studies and graduate on time at rates equivalent to, or higher than, our domestic students. On behalf of Bryn Mawr College, I join the thousands of voices urging you to defend the current “duration of status” approach to international study. Replacing it with fixed end dates, as proposed by the Department of Homeland Security, is unnecessary, impracticable, and burdensome. It would only compound the present atmosphere of mistrust and hostility toward international scholars and visitors. Most damaging, it would significantly damage the United States' appeal to students and families as a preeminent destination for learning.

Sincerely,
Cheryl Lynn Horsey
Vice President for Enrollment
admissions@brynmawr.edu