The University of Denver will host the 19th annual Overseas Association for College Admissions Counseling (OACAC) Summer Conference July 10–12. More than 700 high school and college admissions counselors from around the world will attend the event, which is the largest conference ever hosted by the University.
The counselors — many from elite international schools — are coming to the conference for professional development and networking. While here, they also will get a firsthand look at DU — from its residence halls, where they will be lodged, to classrooms, the Ritchie Center and campus food services.
“There is no better way to showcase what we have at DU than to have these influencers on our campus,” says Marjorie Smith, associate dean for International Student Admission.
“These high school counselors work with students on their college choices,” she says. “They influence international students’ choices on where to apply and eventually where to enroll.”
The conference is held at a different college or university every year. DU was chosen as the host location for the 2012 conference “on the basis of the University’s outstanding facilities and in recognition of DU’s increasingly strong profile on the international stage,” Smith says.
In the past, colleges that have hosted the conference have seen a 40 percent increase in their international applications, she says.
The conference ties in with DU’s emphasis on globalization. “We’ll be able to expand our message internationally,” Smith says.
“This is a huge honor for us,” she adds.
“All students – domestic and international – benefit from interacting with students from other countries,” she says. “They benefit from exposure to differing cultural perspectives and differing experiences. This prepares students for the interconnectedness of our shrinking world in business, politics and communication.”
Students, faculty and staff who are interested in volunteering to help with the conference should contact Khouri Markos at Khouri.Markos@du.edu.