DU’s International House is spearheading a campaign for the awareness of International Education Week (IEW) on campus next week.
Between Nov. 13 and 17, the I-House will sponsor events in honor of IEW, highlighting the presence and importance of international connections at DU.
Established in 2000, International Education Week is observed in more than 100 countries worldwide. As a federal program, both the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department’s State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs endorse IEW.
Despite its federal ties, IEW draws its purpose and impact from the personal experiences of internationally-minded individuals. Its official Web site notes IEW as an occasion to develop a broader understanding of world cultures and languages. Moreover, the Web site designates IEW as a celebration of enduring friendships and partnerships created through international education and exchange and their importance in forming a secure future for all countries. The Web site suggests that people share their insights regarding the history, government, language, food, holidays, school system and traditions of their countries. Photos, recipes and literature all serve as great intermediaries between individuals of different backgrounds; schools, places of worship and community organizations provide environments for intercultural communication.
With almost 900 international students from 86 countries and 75 international faculty and scholars from 33 countries, DU’s large international network qualifies the school for numerous opportunities within International Education Week. International individuals help diversify the DU campus by not only enriching the academic discussion but also providing personal anecdotes about cultural backgrounds and traditions. Nearly 30 student organizations at DU cater to individuals with international experiences, many of which involve both international and domestic students. Such organizations range from nation-specific groups, such as the Taiwanese Student Association and the Indian Student Network, to overarching organizations such as the International Student Organization and Global Nomads.
DU’s Study Abroad program displays a variety comparable to its international network. With a 14 percent increase of DU students studying abroad this year from last year, 473 students utilize the Cherrington Global Scholars program. The Cherrington initiative funds eligible students’ visas, transportation and several other traveling expenses. Thanks in part to Cherrington Global Scholars, 70 percent of DU students have had an international study experience, trumping the national average of only 1.5 percent college students studying abroad.
Between domestic students studying abroad and international students studying at DU, the individuality of international experiences on campus reflects the personal variety of experiences instituted by IEW. Denver native Sarah Satterlee, a DU senior, traveled to Havana, Cuba in 2004, London in 2005 and Santander, Spain in 2006. “Undoubtedly, I would not be the same person had I not studied abroad,” Satterlee remarked.
“Everyone should be required to speak at least one foreign language upon graduating from high school so that they have greater perspective and know other things besides America.”
Similarly, Yusuke Yamada, a junior from Japan currently studying at DU, extolls studying abroad for its language challenges. “I have improved my English a lot in living with an American family. Since Japan and the United States are both developed countries, it was so easy to get used to living here,” Yamada noted. Study abroad has also directly impacted his plans for the future: “When I go back to Japan I want to work with students who want to study abroad.”
Yamada’s DU ties formed even before he arrived in the United States. Nicole Enomoto, a DU senior, studied at Kansaigaidai Foreign Language University in Osaka, Japan with Yamada last year. Similarly, Enomoto plans to use her study abroad travels as a springboard for her career. While traveling with one of her friends back to his native Thailand during break, Enomoto spoke with her friend’s family and friends about Thai tourism. “They suggested that working in the hotel industry would be a great opportunity for an internship or job,” Enomoto recalls. In fact, one of her friend’s friends has promised her a job in his new hotel in Thailand when she graduates. “I would not have had this completely random opportunity had I not traveled abroad,” Enomoto stated.
Considering the breadth and interest in international connections at DU, International Education Week promises a myriad of opportunities for the DU community and all other networks it touches. DU Study Abroad advisor Claudia Giannetti sums up IEW as “the advocate for a greater understanding of the diverse cultures that inhabit this earth and of the diversity that we are a part of in our daily life.”
A list of the DU International Resources is below, in the Related Sites field.
