International students welcome new Sun Devils at spring orientation

Arizona State University welcomed students who traveled thousands of miles away from home to start their Sun Devil experience this week. About 12,000 international students attend ASU.

Spring 2019 International Orientation Week was presented Jan. 2–4 and featured a breakfast event, opening ceremonies and social activities, that culminated with the International Students Carnival at the Sun Devil Fitness Complex at ASU’s Tempe campus.

The orientation and carnival helped international students transition to ASU by providing opportunities to meet one another and get acquainted by playing interactive games like Connect Four, Jenga and ring toss while enjoying pizza, ice cream and other treats.

Coalition of International Students event planner Sirish Pabbi Setty, a master’s student in computer science, is originally from India and says that his favorite part of being involved in the coalition is the spirit and different cultures represented within the group.

“I have various friends from Singapore, China, Taiwan, Africa, the Middle East and here in the U.S. as well,” he said.

Pabbi Setty, who is set to graduate this May, said dozens of students from all over the world join the coalition each semester. The coalition is involved in organizing events such as the carnival to help welcome new international students to the university.

Exchange student Surim Meagan Kim, who is from South Korea and is studying biotechnology, said the best part of orientation was meeting new people from all over the world. She said the carnival gave students a chance to meet as new Sun Devils over fun games.

“We shared our experiences,” she said. “It’s great, it’s fun.”

Kim says she wants to visit the Grand Canyon while she is in Arizona.

Abdulmajid Kabli, who is from Saudi Arabia and is a master’s student studying mechanical engineering, said he’s most looking forward to going on new adventures while at ASU. The advice he would give to other international students is to engage with others as much as possible.

“You have to go out and meet people,” he said. “Especially people who are from different cultures [and] different nationalities.”