After being detained for more than two months in Hubei, China due to difficulty renewing her student visa, Congju (Maggie) Chen was able to return to Wesleyan on Nov. 5. Chen’s stay was extended due to thorough background checks that delayed the approval of her visa.
The visa screening process was intensified as a result of President Bush’s “Combating Terrorism Through Immigration Policies” directive. The directive places foreign students, particularly those studying in the sciences, under strict scrutiny.
Chen filed her application on Aug. 12, soon after her arrival in China, but her visa was not renewed until Oct. 31. Her trip home was intended to last only for the month of August and was her first in three years.
“This year I had time, [so] I wanted to go home to see my mom and my family,” Chen said. “I had to wait for almost two months for the phone call…I was surprised [when they called], I waited for so long.”
While the wait was frustrating, Chen said that she is one of a fortunate few.
“I was so surprised [to receive the visa] because many people…hadn’t gotten their visa and they’ve been waiting since July,” she said.
The professors and faculty in the Chemistry department were anxious for Chen’s return. Her graduate work with Professor Irina Russu, which he has since resumed, focuses on nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and is reportedly groundbreaking. Chen was also a popular teaching assistant.
“She was certainly missed all around,” said Chair of the Chemistry Department George Petersson. “Our biggest concern was for her personal life…for a couple of months she didn’t get any assurance that she would be allowed back here to finish her degree. I would imagine that the anxiety and worry was difficult.”
Almost immediately upon return, Chen resumed her studies.
“She’s back to work,” Petersson said. “She’s just very happy to get herself back into the life she has here…we are very glad for her and we are delighted that it eventually worked out,” Petersson said.
Currently a fourth-year graduate student, Chen plans to stay in the U.S. and work toward a Ph.D. She plans to publish her current research, an NMR study of ribonucleic acid (RNA), and has no plans to return home in the next few years.
Chen currently lives in Middletown with her husband Rong Liu, a student at Central Connecticut State University.
She said that she has always been happy at Wesleyan, and feels particularly at home here after her ordeal.
“I’d like to thank the University and the graduate student office, my advisor Dr. Russu, the chemistry department and the graduate student community. They all came through. I feel the Wesleyan community is like a big, warm family,” Chen said.
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