Adwoa Arhin

From International Student to Business Analyst: Improving Processes That Impact People

I know what it feels like to wait for an important process to move forward.

Before becoming a Business Analyst at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), I was an international student navigating the same enrollment and visa-related processes that many students face when coming to the United States. That experience shaped the way I view process improvement today.

For me, a workflow is not just a set of internal steps. It can affect a student's timeline, funding, travel plans, and confidence in what comes next.

When I applied to UNCG, delays in receiving my I-20 affected my funding and ultimately forced me to defer enrollment to a later term. That experience stayed with me. It helped me understand that process delays are not merely administrative issues—they can have a profound impact on people's lives.

I began my career as a Business Analyst at Vodafone Ghana, where I supported process and system improvements in a fast-paced telecommunications environment. I later moved to the United States to pursue a master's degree in Information Technology and Management, with a concentration in Business Analytics, at UNC Greensboro.

Bringing Personal Experience Into Process Improvement

After joining UNC Greensboro's Global Engagement Office, I found an opportunity to combine my technical expertise with my personal experience in work that directly supports international students.

My responsibilities focus on international enrollment operations, financial document collection, workflow visibility, and process redesign. Much of this work happens behind the scenes, but its impact is felt by students and staff who rely on clear, timely, and reliable processes.

One accomplishment I am especially proud of was supporting the Terra Dotta/TDS implementation for financial document collection. Before the redesign, the process relied heavily on manual steps. Student documents moved between systems, staff communicated case readiness through Teams messages, and spreadsheets were used to track progress. Graduate assistants and staff spent valuable time downloading and re-uploading documents instead of focusing on higher-value review and student support.

What became clear was that the issue was not simply a matter of working faster. The workflow itself contained too many handoffs, hidden dependencies, and manual touchpoints.

Looking Beyond the Symptoms

That insight became central to my approach.

Rather than treating the challenge as a staffing or productivity issue, I helped examine the process from beginning to end. The redesigned workflow supported direct document submission, a clearer review process, improved visibility, and fewer unnecessary handoffs.

The results were significant. The process became more structured, easier to monitor, and more consistent for the teams involved. I-20 processing improved from a typical timeline of seven to ten days to approximately one to three days for many students once documents were submitted and ready for review.

For me, the most meaningful outcome was not the technology itself. It was the opportunity to create a process that was clearer, more efficient, and more student-centered.

Technology works best when the process behind it is well designed. If a workflow is confusing, automation can only take you so far. Understanding the process must come first.

Ensuring No One Falls Through the Cracks

My work has also included improving post-admission communications, supporting automated reminders, increasing visibility into document uploads, and identifying communication gaps that could cause students to miss important instructions.

In one instance, I discovered that international graduate admits already in the United States—including transfer students and those changing academic levels—were being excluded from automated financial document communications. Although these students still required important information, the workflow was not reaching them as intended.

I worked with campus partners to clarify the issue and support outreach efforts so these students would not be overlooked.

That experience reinforced one of my core beliefs as a Business Analyst: a process can appear to be working while still leaving people behind.

Today, my work is guided by clarity, integrity, service, and accountability. I believe people deserve the right information at the right time, especially when a process affects important decisions and life-changing opportunities.

A Simple Philosophy

My approach is straightforward: ask thoughtful questions, understand the real workflow, identify where delays or gaps exist, and collaborate with others to create a better path forward.

I also want young women entering business analysis, technology, higher education, or operations to know that they do not need to have all the answers to make a meaningful impact.

Be observant. Ask questions. Document what you see. Stay curious and open to learning. Sometimes the smallest observation can lead to a transformative improvement.

For me, influence is not measured by visibility alone. It is measured by the ability to use your skills and experiences to make things better for others.

Much of my work happens behind the scenes, but it has helped create clearer workflows, reduce manual effort, improve communication, and make student-facing processes more reliable.

My journey from international student to Business Analyst has given me a unique perspective on the importance of operational clarity. I understand both the student experience and the institutional systems that support it.

That perspective continues to guide my work every day.

I want the processes I support to be easier for students and staff to navigate. If we can reduce confusion, improve efficiency, and create a better experience for the people relying on those processes, then the work truly matters.