Skip to content
University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus CU Denver | CU Anschutz
  • Webmail
  • UCD Access
  • Canvas
  • Quick Links
 
 

Tools & Resources

  • Campus Directory
  • A-Z Index
  • Human Resources
  • University Policies
  • Auraria Library
  • Strauss Health Sciences Library

Schools & Colleges

CU Denver

  • College of Architecture and Planning
  • College of Arts & Media
  • Business School
  • School of Education & Human Development
  • College of Engineering, Design and Computing
  • College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • School of Public Affairs

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

  • School of Dental Medicine
  • Graduate School
  • School of Medicine
  • College of Nursing
  • Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Colorado School of Public Health

CU Campuses

  • CU Anschutz Medical Campus
  • CU Boulder
  • CU Colorado Springs
  • CU Denver
  • CU Online
  • CU System

Announcement: CU Denver is Celebrating 50 Years

Whether you’re an alumnus, current student, member of the faculty and staff, donor, or neighbor, you’re a valuable part of the CU Denver community. Help us celebrate the last 50 years and a future that works for all.

Learn More

International Newsroom

Office of International Affairs

Explore International

  • Home
  • Study Here
  • Work Here
  • Go Abroad
    • Travel Guidance & Policy
    • Travel Alerts, Notices, & Advisories
  • Resources
    • Help & Support Desk
    • International Newsroom
    • Publications & Media
    • Fulbright Program
    • International Alumni
  • Partners
    • International College Beijing
    • Memorandums of Understanding
  • About OIA
    • Contact & Address Information
    • Appointments
    • Staff
University Quick Links

    Donate to the International Student Emergency Fund

    CU Denver Day of Giving is April 6!

    CU Denver is committed to making education work for all; this includes international students who are abruptly faced with a financial crisis. Unexpected disasters at home – massive flooding, earthquakes, medical emergencies, losses in family incomes -- have affected more than one of the university’s international students.

    Donate Today
    .j-allow-row-background', .j-apply-a-background30a829db-0cc7-44a2-807f-2e10fe1abb06, j-t-bg-widget-CU_text-gold-bg-none, "background-image", "url('')

    View All News & Stories

    More Recent News & Stories

    Celebrating Diversity : Amplifying CU Denver’s Rich Blend of Culture

    Students create ‘Cultural Awareness Certificate’

    May 15, 2015
    students speaking on stage

    Their campus is a microcosm of the world, so a group of senior-seminar students decided to do something to celebrate and amplify CU Denver’s rich diversity.

    “In our class we realized we all spoke multiple languages and had international travel backgrounds, so we decided to use that to connect international students with domestic students across campus,”

    said Tess Farmer, a student in the University Honors and Leadership (UHL) capstone class. Farmer said the team initially struggled to come up with a project idea, but their shared global interest—and using it to encourage fellow students to check out the many cultural events on campus—gave them a strong focus.

    The group devised a “Cultural Awareness Certificate” to award students who attended at least five cultural/international events in an academic year. “It’s a way to encourage them to go to events, get involved and know what other student clubs are doing,” Farmer said. “Basically, they’re exploring different world views through these events.”

    “Everyone just got on board (with the idea),” added Lubna Mazin, another UHL team member. “We were like, ‘We’re doing this.'”

    The team of five seniors originally considered hosting events to raise awareness of international culture, economics and political issues, but they soon realized that plenty of activities already take place on campus.

    “There are a lot of events, a lot of clubs, a lot of diversity and cultural clubs on campus,”

    Farmer said. The key is spreading awareness, among both international and domestic students, about the opportunities to learn about different cultures and meet students from diverse backgrounds.

    The team used Global Ambassadors through the Office of International Affairs (OIA) to track student participation in the events. Those seeking certificates were also required to complete a survey and write a short essay about what they got out of attending the cultural events. In all, 114 students signed up for the Cultural Awareness Certificate program and 27 completed it. The first “class” received their certificates, along with green graduation honor cords, during a ceremony at St. Cajetan’s on May 6.

    The certificate is non-credit at this point, but completion of the program helps enhance a student’s resume. The certificate was created in partnership with the UHL, Educational Opportunities Programs (EOP), OIA and Office of Student Life.

    Also receiving recognition at the year-end event were 21 graduates of EOP; 16 graduates of Ethnic Studies; three Diversity Certificate recipients; and five Puksta Scholars. The latter students, all Ethnic Studies majors, each received $2,000 scholarships for projects focused on social justice.

    As the students came to the stage, they each told the audience what they’d be doing next with their lives. The students also thanked professors and mentors in their academic programs and offered kudos to EOP, for its steadfast support over the years. Also involved in the program were representatives of OIA and the Office of Student Life.

    Emma Sletteland, another UHL team member (the other two members are Hinna Zahid and Jamal Zahir), said plans are in the works for the Cultural Awareness Certificate to be administered by the OIA and EOP next year.

    CULTURAL AWARENESS CERTIFICATE RECIPIENTS:

    Tayud Mongkolrat, Quiaochen Liu, Shubheksha Sthrestha, Donna Hobley, Kieu Phan, Kaylee Nakamura, Kevie Kawasaki, Maroua Chouechi, Aditi Nigudkar, Kevin Li, Star Hess, Alex Pong, Varshith Kuraganti, Yinlung Wang, Yu Ju Chen, Justin Nguyen, Sinduja Seethapathy, Anthony Dang, Tianyang Wang, Sweta Chalise, Kelsi Miles, Yachao Shang, Kunpor Suriwong, Suhail Ali, Dianne Kitt, Tian Zhang, Sharice Bass.

    PUKSTA SCHOLARS:

    Zeinab Ali, Mohamed Ahmed, Kianna Crowe, William Mundo, Akemi Tsutsui.

    DIVERSITY CERTIFICATE RECIPIENTS:

    Sharice Bass, Sheila Dickerson, Myra Sanchez.

    EOP GRADUATES:

    Kevie Kawasaki, Kaylae Nakamura, Lester Night, Jayden Tumbaga, Camden Tokunaga, Amy Ng, Valencia Hill-Wilson, Kelly Marlet, Quang-Minh Tran, Matthew Davis, Anushka Tandon, Anupkumar Soni, Rajiv Thapa, Jennifer Huynh, Sharice Bass, Thao Dang, Sinduja Seethapathy, Brittany Reid Jaraillo, Bethany Jo Hinzman, Dianne Kitt, Riham Bakhat.

    ETHNIC STUDIES GRADUATES:

    (majors) — Shewit Isaac Gebremichael, Elaine Gezahagne, Katy Marie Gorman, Kevin Lorenzo Harbin, Rudolph Logan Rice, Ashley Manning, Regat Abreha Tsehaye, Kimberly Watson, Jessica Van Alstin; (minors) — Riham Rizgalla Bakhat, Betlihem Zerezghi Ghebrekidan, Hannah Jong Lee, Liem Truong, Latosha Lindon, Rajiv Thapa, Amber Winston.

    LEARN MORE

    Cultural Diversity Certificate, contact Joanne Wambeke. 

    International Programs, visit Office of International Affairs

    Original Story: “Students create ‘Cultural Awareness Certificate’ to amplify CU Denver’s rich blend of cultures”

    Originally Published: May 11, 2015
    Contact: christopher.casey@ucdenver.edu

     
    Categories: International Student & Scholar Services Office of International Affairs |

    View All News & Stories

    Media

    Discover CU Denver (Undergraduates)

    Discover CU Denver (Undergraduate)

    Colorado's Urban Public Research University

    View & Download

    International College Beijing

    See Description
    Published Jul 26, 2012
    ICB is a joint education program between the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) in Denver, Colorado, USA, and China Agricultural University (CAU) in Beijing, People's Republic of China. This partnership, formed in 1994, was one of the first of its kind approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education. ICB is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in the U.S. and maintains a reputation as a challenging, robust academic program.

    Study Abroad

    See Description
    Published Oct 19, 2016
    The CU Denver Office of Global Education is committed to providing every University of Colorado Denver student a wide range of engaging and affordable international study, research and clinical opportunities to help you globalize your academic and professional future.

    Discover More


    downtown
     

    Study Here

    masks-two-female-students
     

    Work Here

    goabroad-student-asia-mobile
     

    Go Abroad

    resources
     

    Resources

    icb-partners
     

    Partners

    campus-sunburst
     

    About OIA

    Office of International Affairs

    CU Denver

    Lawrence Street Center

    1380 Lawrence Street

    Denver, CO 80204


    CU Anschutz

    Fitzsimons Building

    13001 East 17th Place

    Ground Floor: STE. EG305, EG305A, and EG306

    Aurora, CO 80045


    • Contact Us
    • Website Feedback
    • CU System
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Accessibility
    • Accreditation
    • Employment
    • Give Now
     

    © 2023 The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. All rights reserved.

    Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. All trademarks are registered property of the University. Used by permission only.

    CMS Login

    Webmail

    UCD Access

    Canvas

    Opens in a new window Opens document in a new window