DU is a school comprised of many domestic students in addition to a large number of international students who hail from 30 different nations. Our university’s international studies program is ranked highly throughout the world, and the new Sie International Relations Complex, named after Anna and John Sie, has many interesting architectural quirks.  Here are just a few of the little details that make the international studies building at DU both unique and beautiful:

1. On one of the exterior bricks of the building, there is an imprint of three polar bears.  They symbolize the friendship of Chris Hill, David Houston and Mark Rodgers, who all worked on the Sie Complex project together.

2. Inside the front door is a beautiful mosaic that is actually an ovular world map.  One can follow the latitude and longitude lines and identify the continents.  The three gold circles are Denver, Naples, Italy and Beijing, China. Respectively, these are the home cities of Anna and John Sie.

3. Originally, there were intricately carved wooden doors inside the international studies building, but they have since been removed, preserved and remade into conference tables.

4. There are two link spaces on the first and second floors that connect the old and new buildings of the Sie Complex.  These links act as a literal and figurative connection between the importance of remembering the past but looking towards the future.

5. The school of international studies was founded by Josef Korbel, an immigrant, which is fitting, since the new school was made possible by two immigrants, Anna and John Sie.

6. The international studies school is ranked No. 11 in the world by Foreign Policy Magazine.

7. Noteworthy alumni of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies include Condoleezza Rice (the 66th United States Secretary of State), Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Foreign Minister), General George W. Casey, Jr. (36th Chief of Staff of the United States Army), Heraldo Muñoz (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile) and Cindy Courville (the first U.S. Ambassador to the African Union (2006-08)).

8. The international studies school just added a public policy degree in July.

9. Located on the fifth floor is an event space called Maglione, which is named for Anna (Maglione) Sie and the “Green Room” which is designed for eventual use as a media studio.

10. Beans Cafe is coming to the Sie Complex.  Students will be able to enjoy sweet treats and delicious drinks starting winter quarter.

Be sure to take yourself over to the new Sie Complex and check it out.