Bridging gaps between international and domestic students at DU, the Pioneer to Pioneer Partnership Program has been actively looking for new students to join their program.

Started last fall by the International Outreach division at the Office of Internationalization, the Pioneer to Pioneer Partnership Program (PtoP), which has actively been looking for new students to join, pairs international students with domestic students.

“I became interested in Pioneer to Pioneer because I had just returned from abroad and I felt the need to continue to connect with my international peers. I wanted to help make them feel welcome at DU and in America,” said Davis Jonland, a junior from Boulder who is currently participating in PtoP.

Due to limited space because students are paired based on gender and year in school, the Pioneer to Pioneer Partnership Program matches participants on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“After my experience studying abroad, I understood how hard it can be sometimes to be an international student, and I wanted to help others,” said Jordan Lewis, a junior and previous participant in PtoP who has reapplied for the spring quarter.

Through mandatory kick-off events and monthly scheduled activities, PtoP encourages international and domestic students to interact with one another and foster relationships.

“The program really tries to build a true community of domestic and international students. They have coffee breaks at the I-House and ISO programs that people can attend. It is very well fostered,” said Lewis.

For some international students, PtoP offers a unique and enjoyable way to improve English skills.

“All my Chinese friends are really shy, especially about their English. For students who are not really good at speaking English, PtoP really helps them. Also, the domestic students who are signing up are people willing to help foreign students because they are really interested,” said Karen Huang, a Chinese international student and past PtoP participant.

According to Lewis, PtoP provides students with the opportunity to gain more cultural experience, learn about other people and make friends.

Some participants report on the challenges of participating in PtoP as a time constraint.

“I’m not going to do PtoP this quarter because it takes too much time, and I’m too busy with other activities. It’s just a priority thing,” said Huang.

For other students, Pioneer to Pioneer is an invaluable cultural experience.

“I think it is beneficial for any student to connect with people who come from different cultural backgrounds because it will open up their minds to diversity, improve their communication skills and allow them to see the world differently. From this program I have gained a friend who is from Saudi Arabia and a perception about his country independent from what I get in the media,” said Jonland.

In a way, the Pioneer to Pioneer Partnership Program serves as a means to bring together the DU community as a diverse body of students.

“If we truly want to become one community, we have to get to know each other and support each other in as many ways as possible,” said Lewis.

Students who are accepted into the Pioneer to Pioneer Partnership Program will be required to attend a KickOff Mixer from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on either Tuesday, April 10, or Friday, April 13.

Email intloutreach@du.edu with questions about the program or events. The deadline for applications was yesterday.

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