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International students receive customized orientationAug. 25, 2006 KALAMAZOO--For one group of incoming students, WMU's fall orientation programs will include activities such as walking the beach, schmoozing about art and negotiating the aisles of a large discount department store. These activities are part of the required International Student Orientation and Registration Program. The weeklong program will runs from Monday, Aug. 28, to Friday, Sept. 1, and primarily takes place in the Bernhard Center's West Ballroom. It offers social activities and a conference-like format with informational sessions. Participants will obtain practical information on topics such as U.S. immigration rules and regulations, WMU's academic policies, and registering for classes. The program also will cover "daily life" issues, including how to obtain health insurance and a Michigan ID card, and allow participants to learn more about the local area and life in the United States. The orientation program will open with registration from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 28 in the West Ballroom and include campus tours as well as on- and off-campus excursions. Planned excursions include dining out at 5 p.m. Aug. 28 followed by a trek to Meijer to shop for essentials; attending a "worldwide" dance party in the Student Recreation Center at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30; traveling to WMU's Fountain Plaza near Miller Auditorium at 3:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, for a Taste of the World festival, then visiting the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts for a private tour and reception at 5 p.m.; and heading to Saugatuck, Mich., and scenic Lake Michigan for a daylong outing that will begin at 8 a.m. Sept. 1. The Taste of the World event is being co-sponsored by the University's Fall Welcome program. Entertainment will be provided, and Kalamazoo-area restaurants will be offering samples of foods from around the globe as well as showcasing their products and services. The KIA event will feature music by indie singer-songwriter Hailey Wojcik and a traditional Japanese dance supervised by WMU's Project Japanese. For more information, visit the Web site at www.wmich.edu/international or contact Kim Ritter in the Haenicke Institute for Global Education at kimberly.ritter@wmich.edu or (269) 387-5859 or (269) 387-5865. Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu WMU News |
