Fall 2020 International Student Orientation (ISO) Program

Arrival/residence hall move-in for all  International Students, Exchange Visitors, and Third Culture Kid (TCK)/Global Nomad Students:  Tuesday, August 11, 2020

International Student Orientation:  Wednesday, August 12^th – Friday, August 14^th, 2020

Orientation Description:

At the beginning of each term, International Student & Scholar Services holds a mandatory orientation program for new international students. During orientation, you will attend workshops that will provide you with valuable information and facilitate your transition to Colorado College.  ISO is designed to:

• Present material, information, and resources which will help you better understand and navigate classroom expectations, transportation options, employment restrictions, and student health services
• Cover cultural adjustment and coping skills
• Present immigration policies and rules that affect your visa status
• Offer campus tours, fun evening activities, personal connections and opportunities to make new friends, and learn what it means to be a CC student before the rest of the new students arrive on campus

ISO SCHEDULE

Fall 2020 ISO Leaders

ISO Leaders are returning international and globally-minded students who serve as orientation leaders and role models to help with your transition to CC and help prepare you for what's ahead.  ISO Leaders begin communicating with our new international students before they arrive on campus, support you during ISO, and continue throughout the fall semester by organizing events and serving as a resource for questions about U.S. culture and academic life at CC.

Meet your ISO Leaders here:

 Cecelia Mweka           c_mweka@coloradocollege.edu                     Class of 2021

Hi! My name is Cecelia, and I am a Physics Major (Material Science emphasis) from Western Kenya. I have been involved with the Consulting Club, FemmeInSTEM, the Office of Sustainability, Refugee Alliance, Children’s Literacy Center, the Outdoor and Recreation Center and the Community Engaged Scholars Program. I have worked as an RA and with the Career Center and the Fine Arts Center. I have been abroad this past year on two separate programs so if you’re interested in study abroad I would love to talk about it! I look forward to meeting you all.

3 pieces of advice:

1. Ask a lot of questions when you aren’t sure. There’s a lot of support at CC that you can find when you ask.
2. Take advantage of your health insurance!
3. Be meaningful with the relationships you create and maintain; those are people who will be happy to do the most for you.

 Patricia Pi                 p_pi@coloradocollege.edu                                Class of 2021

Hi everyone! My name is Patricia and I am a rising senior majoring in Art:Integrative Design and Architecture. I spent my much of my childhood in Maryland then moved to Taiwan for high school. I love finding new places to hike in Colorado, hanging out with my friends and family, and picking up different hobbies. During the school year you can find me running around campus working with the Carpentry Shop or in the Ahlberg Gear House renting outdoor equipment. Feel free to reach out to me and ask as many questions you like! I’m here as a resource for you and to help you throughout your time here at CC.

3 pieces of advice:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. People are valuable resources and more than happy to help you navigate your time here at CC.
2. Too shy to go to that event, talk, etc. by yourself? Take a friend with you! Now both of you get to try something new.
3. Say yes often. Take advantage of the many opportunities and events available to explore your interests and meet people. The more people you know, the more opportunities you will open yourself up to in the future. 

 Kelly Yue                   k_yue@coloradocollege.edu                               Class of 2021

Hi y'all (how American is that?) I'm Kelly, a rising senior from Hong Kong. I major in Sociology and minor in History. On-campus, I work as a Writing Center Tutor and a writer for the Asian Studies publication. I also work at the downtown courthouse through the Justice Corps Internship Program. I enjoy playing badminton in my free time and sunbathing when the weather is nice (which is 300 days of the year). I worked as an ISO leader my sophomore year and it was one of my best experiences in CC, so I'm really excited to return to this role as a senior.

3 pieces of advice:

1. It's okay to feel you don't belong anywhere. I struggled almost my entire freshman year trying to figure out where I belong. Take your time, embrace your emotions, and stay open-minded.
2. Build relationships with professors early on. If you like a professor, take another class with them! Establishing good relationships with professors land you good recommendation letters, research opportunities, and so much more.
3. Look for funding opportunities. CC provides many generous grants to support students' financial needs for travelling/doing unpaid internships/research. Ask around and check your emails.

  Daniel de Koning              d_dekoning@coloradocollege.edu            Class of 2023

Hi! I am South African Dutch but I grew up in a small, landlocked country called the Kingdom of Eswatini. I am a Film and Media Studies Major with a potential Minor in English. I had never done any film related work before CC but the awesome faculty and department got me hooked on it in Block 3. I work as the photography and cartoon editor for the school newspaper, The Catalyst, as well as the social media intern for the collaborative for community engagement where I drink liters of artisanal tea with my facinating and eclectic boss from Minnesota. The experience and by extention America has been a shocking one, complete with its own array of ups and downs and lefts and rights, but nonetheless positive. I really appreciate the space and commitment CC has designed towards making this alien word digestable and fun and I hope you will feel the same soon! Welcome.

3 pieces of advice:

1. Bring something of home with you, shareable food usually is the best, its a great ice breaker and fantastic way of getting to know your roomate(s).
2. The people I met in ISO became very close friends, greet everyone if possible, never stop meeting new people!
3. Don't forget to try to relax, the block plan is hectic, pick what you like to do for fun and do it.

  Lora Yip                     l_yip@coloradocollege.edu                                 Class of 2021

Hi everyone!  My name is Lora Yip (she, her, hers) and I am an international student from Shanghai, China.  I'm currently a third year Sociology major and Asian Studies minor.  My hobbies include making art, dressing well, playing UNO, planning my next tattoo, and being a goofy goober.  I'm also an ENFP, a Cancer sun, Gemini moon, and Scorpio rising.....if you know, you know.  I hope you and your communities stay safe and healthy.  I look forward to meeting and welcoming you to campus!

3 pieces of advice:

1. Culture shock is real!  It can hit in many different ways and last longer than you expect, please be lenient with yourself freshman year.  Feel free to reach out to me if you are curious about mental health resources on campus.
2. Friend groups tend to change a LOT over the first semester - especially on the block plan.  If you feel a connection with someone, don't be afraid to get their contact and make the effort to meet up.  You'll figure out who the real homies are.
3. Learn some of your favorite recipes from home before you leave.....

  Rocky Sui                  r_sui@coloradocollege.edu                          Class of 2023

Hey guys! Welcome to CC! Here's a little about myself: My name is Rocky, a rising sophomore from mainland China (Northeast). I'm a prospective neuroscience major but still undeclared as for now. I'm associated with CC's speedskating team, esports club, etc, so I spent a lot of time at the ice arena, the lab, and simply outside enjoying the view of the mountains. Please feel free to reach out with questions, concerns, or anything in general. We're all just as thrilled as you probably are, and honestly can't wait to actually meet you guys!

3 pieces of advice:

1. Reach out! Don't be afraid to get to know some people before and after you arrive on campus.  We're all here to support you!
2. Embrace diversity and stay open-minded!  People at CC are generally super friendly so always feel free to share your unique voice.
3. Explore CC!  You will come across immense opportunities during the first few months here...take time looking around to find those who you genuinely love!

  Anya Quesnel               a_quesnel@coloradocollege.edu          Class of 2023

Hi! I am Anya Quesnel and I'm from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. I'm a second-year student at CC. My academic interests are Creative Writing, Feminist and Gender Studies, and dance. Outside academics, I'm a part of the SpokenWord Poetry group SpeakEasy and enjoy dancing, choreographing and cooking. I'm particularly grateful for the friendships I've been able to cultivate at CC and am constantly renewed by the activism and care of many of the people around me. I am truly excited to be a mentor to incoming International Students and to support you all as you begin to navigate, engage with and grow in the CC environment. Please send questions, concerns and tasty recipes my way anytime!

3 pieces of advice:

1. Ground yourself in a few important communities to you while at CC (like affinity groups).
2. Acknowledge that it is exhausting to constantly have to justify your nuanced situation as an International member of a US college community. Focus your energies on cultivating the relationships that make you feel seen in all your multiplicity.
3. Seek out non-academic settings that contribute to your all-round development. Validation is not purely academic!