PSU welcomes international students for summer camp experience
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Many international students are participating in a summer success program at Pittsburg State University.
“Having a camp experience like this, to really prepare them is truly a big deal for these students,” said Stuart Zizzo, PSU international recruiter & communication coordinator.
Eleven Taiwanese and 21 Japanese recent high school graduate students are getting a head start on experiencing university life. They`re living in a university residence hall.
Over the next month, the students will be doing some academic preparation, as well as activities to improve their English skills and learn more about American culture.
“I think if I can teach them to like how to communicate or how to take a conversation with other American students or teachers,” said Aika Kajihara, Washburn University student & camp associate.
“It gets them ready and kind of gets them acclimated to what they’re going to expect in the college environment. It kind of gives them that little practice run, that trial run, so to speak. That way they can really understand here’s how the course structures are going to go. Here’s kind of what we can expect from instructors or teachers,” said Zizzo.
Washburn international student Aika Kajihara says there’s also a transition in the way American educators teach.
“Because in Japan, they like their style is like teachers. The whole time it’s talking to students. But in here a lot of discussion and make like extending their opinions,” said Kajihara.
The students will also be doing some fun activities like visiting Silver Dollar City, attending a Royals game, and participating in the Independence Day activities at Lincoln Park on July 4.
“It’s a good you have people that’s there to help them, to make them feel comfortable, like just do activities with them, laugh like have fun together so that they’re going to have a good time here,” said Enzo Basso, PSU international student & camp volunteer.
“We’re just putting on a lot of really fun activities. That way they can just feel involved and like, there they belong here. That’s the main thing that we try to really emphasize the like, inclusiveness, and the belonging,” said Zizzo.
A third group of international students will arrive later this summer from Japan, to get the same experience.
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