Happy Summer Reading! Explore International Perspectives

ESL Academy Student Success Stories

Spring semester is in its final stretch, and summer is almost here. Get ready to enjoy a season filled with longer daylight hours, more time for outdoor recreation, and extra moments for catching up on … Read More

Global Partnership Model = Chinese Student Success

Innovation Leads to Success for CU Denver & Northeast Forestry University

Strategic expansion is a key component as well as indicator of a strong professional partnership. Six years and more than forty students after signing their memorandum of understanding, the University of Colorado Denver and Northeast Forestry University are not only celebrating their collaborative 3 + 1 + 1 academic program, but also moving forward on plans that will broaden and deepen the academic offerings. Read More

Inaugural CU Denver Information Fair for ESL Students

Event Successfully Showcases Schools & Colleges

“What kind of jobs require a degree in public administration?” “Exactly what is conditional admission?” “I have two more Levels to go at the ESL Academy; when should I start applying to CU Denver?”. These questions, and many more from international students, engaged University of Colorado Denver school/college representatives at the inaugural CU Denver Information Fair at the ESL Academy. Designed to connect ESL students in Denver in direct discussions with staff from the university’s schools/colleges, the event was attended by more than 80 students. Read More

“Be The Hero In Your Own Life”

CU Denver ESL Academy Students Celebrate Summer Graduation

Amid cheers, applause, and a few tears of joy, twenty-eight international students celebrated their graduation from Level 5 at the ESL Academy, University of Colorado Denver on July 21st. They had arrived in Denver from countries around the world – China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Panama, Chile, Libya, and Vietnam – and had quickly become classmates, “study buddies”, friends, and a welcome addition to the ESL Academy family. Read More

Sharing the Good News

ESL Graduates Celebrate Success

What’s the first thing you do when you learn something new? Share it with a friend or family member. Lulu Alsalem, who graduated in 2016 from the ESL Academy, University of Colorado Denver, was pleased to discover how well the Academy had prepared her for university when she entered classes at CU Denver’s College of Engineering and Applied Science in Fall 2016. Naturally, she shared the good news with her younger brother, Doaij, who was living in Kuwait and interested in earning a dentistry degree in the United States. In May 2017, the siblings celebrated together, along with dozens of CU Denver friends, faculty, and staff, as Doaij and his Level 5 classmates graduated from the ESL Academy. Read More

Celebrating Kuwait National Day at CU Denver

ESL Academy Students & Denverites Enjoy Afternoon Festivities

“We have fun together when we celebrate our national holiday on February 25th; so we wanted to share it and enjoy the moment of having a smile on someone else’s face, too,” said Thamer Alshammri, a student in the ESL Academy, University of Colorado Denver. Along with his friends and classmates, Alshammri enjoyed distributing traditional Kuwaiti food, as well as American snacks, and extending global friendship to downtown Denver business and community neighbors throughout the afternoon. Read More

Navigating Cultural & Language Differences

ESL Academy Teams With First-Year Freshmen at CU Denver

International students and first-year American college freshmen share many common concerns: acclimating to a new environment with high academic expectations, understanding campus and city resources, and polishing communication skills for success in the classroom and workplace. Members of the Office of International Affairs and faculty and staff at the University of Colorado Denver collaborate in creative ways to develop programs that help students make the transition from high school—or from another country.

“The ESL students and new freshmen all want to make friends and be part of our campus community while building social confidence,” explained Rebecca Fisher, ESL Specialist at the ESL Academy. “Based on their smiles and laughter, I think this class has been a great success; they have really honed their conversational skills while making new friends.”
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Festive Feast Hosted for International Students

Sharing Friendship  & Thanks at the University of Colorado Denver

Dozens of pumpkin pie slices, steaming trays of green beans, mashed potatoes and stuffing, and plenty of turkey slices (as well as pumpkin ravioli for vegetarians) were abundant at a festive Thanksgiving feast for international students, hosted by International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office at the University of Colorado Denver. Students came from diverse global regions around the world but all were focused on one thing: having fun.
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Family-Friendly Event for Internationals Hosted by OIA

Having Fun at the University of Colorado Denver

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.
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“It’s Never Too Late To Choose The Life You Want”

CU Denver ESL Graduates Embark On Careers

If you’ve ever spent hours researching a topic, written a 10-page paper on your findings, then presented your discoveries to a live audience, you know how intense the process can be. It takes determination, commitment, and follow-through. Now, imagine going through the whole experience in a different language. More challenging? Most certainly. More rewarding? Just ask the Level 5 international students who recently graduated from the ESL Academy, University of Colorado Denver: Read More