International 101 program supports international students through their first semester at CU Boulder. It provides timely information and mentoring to foster academic success.聽

What You Will Learn聽

  • How peers, faculty, and staff can help you grow as a student at CU;聽
  • How resources such as office hours, CAPS, and co-curricular activities can contribute to your academic success;聽聽
  • How to use relevant university support services to address their academic needs;聽
  • How to maintain your well-being;聽
  • How to communicate effectively in intercultural settings with members of the university community.聽

How to Participate聽

  • Visit International 101 in Canvas every week to learn about that week's topic;
  • Connect with your peer mentor in person, via email, in Canvas, and in WhatsApp;
  • Attend the I-101 Meet & Greet events: monthly gatherings to meet new friends, the peer mentors, and CU academic support staff;

Fall 22 Meet & Greet Calendar

November 17th: Center for Leadership, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, Academic Coaching, Academic Advising

Register for the I-101 Meet & Greets here.

Meet the Peer Mentors

  • Sri Akkina - Hi! My name is Srilekhya Akkina but I go by Sri. I was born in India but grew up in Iowa most of my life and also spent some time in Chicago post undergrad. I am new to Colorado and am very excited to explore different state and national state parks for the next 2 years of my program. During my free time, I enjoy painting, crocheting, playing tennis, and traveling. A fun fact about me is that I got bit by a monkey when I was 5 years old in India. If you ever want to try out new coffee shops or would like to connect, please don't hesitate to reach out!
  • Sarah Al Qallaf - Hello! My name is Sarah (saa-ra) from Kuwait and I am a third year studying MCDB (Molecular Biology) with minors in Art Practices and Korean Language. I love studying, playing video games with friends, baking bread, and learning languages ! I speak 7 languages being fluent in English, Arabic and Korean, intermediate level in French, and elementary level Chinese, German, and Japanese. I work as a Student Ambassador for CU which means I know a lot about campus and CU. If you have any questions at all, or just want a friend, feel free to reach out at any time. I look forward to meeting you all!
  • Areej Alawadhi - Hi! My name is Areej, I鈥檓 from Kuwait, and I鈥檓 about to go into my fourth year in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Management. My favorite color is Olive green and I love cooking. I actually learned how to do it because I missed the food back home, and enjoy inviting my friends over for a home cooked meal. I鈥檓 excited to meet you all and hope I can help your transition here!
  • Shancheng Huang - My name is Shancheng Huang, I am a senior now, and my major is computer science with a minor in electronics. I have been in the United States for three consecutive years due to the pandemic, in which I have traveled to many places in the United States with my friends, and I like history, video games, and mountain biking. And I'm from Shenzhen, China, and as an international student I've also experienced the confusion you're experiencing now, but this time you're welcome to ask me any questions about college life.
  • Johnny Hultzapple - My name is Johnny Hultzapple (he/they) and I am from Denver, Colorado. I am currently a senior at CU and I am double majoring in International Affairs and Spanish. I spent the 2021-2022 school year studying abroad in Madrid, Spain as an international student and am excited to be able to be a student mentor to international students back home in Boulder. Some of my hobbies include drinking coffee, going thrifting, watching movies, exploring new places, and meeting new people. I look forward to supporting students as they adjust to CU and am here to help in any way I can!
  • Mijia Tao - My name is Mijia Tao, you can call me Mia. I am a senior student and expecting to graduate in December this year. I'm majoring in Math and minoring in economics. I was聽 originally from Jiangxi, China which made me a huge fan of asian culture, such as anime and K-pop. Although I have been in Colorado several years, but I did not have a chance to try snowboarding, so snowboarding had always been on my to do list. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me, I would be happy to know you guys both personally and professionally.
  • Jane Thurgod - I am from the UK (England) from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, I study environmental science and am currently completing my masters here at CU. Recently I have been researching wildfires and prescribed burning practices for my university back home, the paper is almost ready to be sent off for review! Since being here in Boulder I have joined the hiking club which I really enjoy since I love being in the outdoors. I have done some great hikes in Boulder and the Rocky Mountain area as well as some trips to Utah. The natural environment here is so beautiful and I would really recommend getting out there. I can鈥檛 wait to meet you all!