UCF Global hosted the opening celebration on Monday for the International Education Week (IEW) with colorful flags and different organizations tabling. The event was organized around the reflecting pond.
“International education week is a nationwide initiative that has the objective of making people aware of the importance of internationalization on campuses”. Dr. Olga Bedoya, the director of the academic services and students’ success at UCF Global, said.
Ana Bello, a senior in international studies, was hosting the Puerto Rico Research Hub table with Fernando Rivera.
“What we do is to raise awareness about Puerto Ricans. IEW is a great opportunity to reach students and share about this community,” Bello said.
The opening celebration was a fair/expo where the students were able to go table by table, interact with the e-board members, recognize UCF resources, ask questions and get to know different associations and organizations.
Multiple UCF organizations and UCF partners participated, and it was an opportunity to have an intercultural exchange.
Laura Suarez, freshman biomedical science major, is the secretary of the International Student Association (ISA). “We are out here for the international students and the rest of our community to connect with all the resources that are out there for us such as events and workshops” Suarez said.
Claudia Aaron is the coordinator of the Intensive English Program IEP. She said this was a great opportunity to share the conversational partner program (CPP) that UCF Global offers.
The UCF library had a table where they were presenting a new tool called Mango languages. Juan Carlos Ayala, junior sport business management major, was working with the library promoting it.
“It is a platform to learn a new language. This is a beneficial way for UCF students to grow and go outside their comfort zone” Ayala said.
There were student’s associations representing different countries such as the Argentinian Student Association (ARSA), the Omani Association and the Gujarati Student Club.
Ayusha Shah, senior space engineering major, said that the main goal of the Guajarati club is to socialize with students from India who are far from home.
UCF Study Abroad was also present at the event. UCF Study Abroad is a unit that offers programs to study in another institution and earn college credit or do an internship abroad.
“Studying abroad is a transformative experience. It helps to be immersed in a different culture, be more confident, and learn a new language” said Adrienne Theune one of the Study Abroad coordinators.
The Opening Celebration was the first event of the International Education Week Nov. 13 – Nov. 17. Which includes other events such as night of poetry, cultural activities hosted by Dominican Republic and Colombian consulates, and the Signature event UCF IEW’s Partner Reception.
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