Where can you see clouded leopards leap 15 feet from tree to tree, arctic foxes with “built-in sunglasses”, and 150 pound komodo dragons that can reach speeds of up to 11 miles per hour? At the Denver Zoo! A special zoo day for international students and their families was enjoyed by more than 70 international students who are enrolled in a degree program at the University of Colorado Denver or at the CU Denver ESL Academy.

Hosted by the Office of International Affairs (OIA) , the event took place on a sunny October day and was attended by students from countries throughout the world, including India, China, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.

“It was great to see the international students and their spouses and children outside of the office. It was a family-friendly event, and we enjoyed getting to know each other on a more personal level,” said Christine P. Nyugen, International Services Specialist in OIA. Nyugen and her colleagues in International Student and Scholar Services work daily with international students and sponsors to help students obtain and maintain visas, learn about OPT (Optional Practical Training) and internship work opportunities, and acclimate to studying and living in the United States.

“The U.S. is one of the most multi-cultural, diverse places in the world,” explained Saira Yasmin Hamidi, Program Coordinator in International Affairs. “You can learn about many global cultures within the U.S. culture. I brought my little girl; she was so excited to go to the zoo and to meet other children.” Hamidi commented that the event was an “example of how much we [OIA] care about our international students and their families.”

A number of students and OIA staff had such a good time that they spent all afternoon trekking throughout as much of the 80-acre zoo as possible. The only business “agenda” for that day was simple — to build relationships and have fun!

International Admissions
internationaladmissions.ucdenver.edu.

ESL Academy
esl.ucdenver.edu

International Student and Scholar Services
international.ucdenver.edu/isss

To read more stories about international students and programs at the University of Colorado Denver, visit: internationalnewsroom.com