White water rafting, hiking, a trip to a theme park and a cruise are all among the summer activities offered by the International Program Office at the University of Idaho.
Student Service Coordinator of American Language and Culture Program, Luisa Uribe said there isn’t a huge difference in the number of ALCP students attending summer session, so IPO still offers many activities during the summer.
“Because (ALCP) students are required to take summer session, most of our students are here,” she said. “It’s still smaller than fall and spring semesters but there’s about 85 to 90 students.”
Contrasting with only 49 general international students that are taking academic classes at UI, IPO Scholar Advisor Huiran Ding said.
Uribe said there are around 25 students that attend big events, like rafting and hiking. But for free events, like Family Dinner, in the past they had more than 70 people including staff, faculty and students.
“Our goal is always to bring more students, especially the American students,” Uribe said. “The school doesn’t put together a lot of activities during the summer. We’re trying to get our students to be more connected to the American students here. We’re trying to get them to go to the university’s events a lot more during fall and spring.”
Izabella Argueta Cifuentes, one of the ALCP students in the summer session, said that she has signed up for white water rafting and Silverwood trip, and is also planning to go to Family Dinner as well.
“I really like it because they have a lot of activities,” Argueta Cifuentes said. “We have shared experience in different levels. I am entering level 5 and I will be going to the university next semester,”
Coming from Guatemala, Argueta Cifuentes said that being here is more interesting than being home, because she has met a lot of people from different cultures and being far from home has taught her to be more independent.
International Enrichment Programs Coordinator Glen Kauffman said that there are other fun programs that IPO always offers for students such as Friendship Family and Conversation Partner programs that connects international students with American families and students to help them improve their English.
Nurainy Darono can be reached at [email protected]
More info:
White Water rafting will be on June 29, and to celebrate Vandal day a trip to Silverwood Theme Park will be on July 25.