The eager anticipation that comes with the start of a new adventure hung in the air as incoming Pathway students looked toward Center Director Fabiola Ehlers-Zavala as she gave her opening remarks at the INTO CSU orientation and welcome session in August.
“Just like you I was also an international student. I’ve been there, I’ve been in your shoes,” she said.
Ehlers-Zavala also shared her best advice for becoming a successful Colorado State University student. Her recipe for success: an outstanding academic experience — provided by INTO CSU faculty and staff — an earnest effort to do your best academically and get integrated in the community of CSU and Fort Collins, supplemented with healthful habits and taking care of yourself, such as taking advantage of the CSU Recreation Center and getting plenty of rest.
“We will do our part, you do your part, and the outcome will be success at CSU,” Ehlers-Zavala assured the students.
It was an event-filled rest of the week for new students who’d traveled from over 24 different countries around the world to start their academic journey toward earning a degree from Colorado State. INTO CSU welcomed 165 new students to the Pathway and Academic English programs.
Get comfortable in new surroundings
To get everyone acclimated, students were walked through a series of information sessions about immigration, CSU, and Fort Collins. Everyone was able to get comfortable in their new surrounding with tours of the CSU campus and Old Town, Fort Collins.
“This year orientation was super awesome because all of our students were really enthusiastic and I loved getting to meet everyone,” said INTO CSU Student Ambassador Hannah Purtymun.
INTO CSU students joined the rest of the Ram Family for fun at the Ram Welcome picnic before the start of classes.
Welcome events such as the tour of Old Town, Target shopping trip, and Ram Welcome were wonderful bonding opportunities for new students and their peer mentors.
“We didn’t need to worry about anything because everyone here is like my family, and they are so nice to me,” said Youngxuan Lao. Lao is from China and enrolled in the Undergraduate Business Pathway program. “This is very exciting and I am getting excited to be one part of the CSU students.”
“Fall 2016 orientation at INTO CSU was a great success. We had a wide range of services and events to help ensure our students start their term on the right foot,” said INTO CSU Director of Student Experience Carmen Rivera. “The faculty and staff had been planning for orientation for months upon months, and the end result was a smooth process for students. The weeklong program could certainly not have happened without the dedication and commitment from our outstanding student staff, our Student Ambassadors and Global Village Mentors. They are so invested in our INTO CSU students and were involved in every aspect of orientation and will continue to work with our students throughout the year.”
“Orientation week kicks us off, but the work to help students succeed will certainly continue throughout the semester and school year,” Rivera added. “We look forward to ensuring academic success while guiding our Fall 2016 students on their pathway to CSU and beyond.”
