Spouse and Partner Information

Childcare
Spouse and Partner Activities
Shopping
English Language Classes
Safety
Trans-Cultural Health Services
Transportation
Volunteer Opportunities

Childcare

Traveling to a foreign country with your children can be a daunting experience. In the family Apartment areas at Colorado State University there are many activities designed for children of all ages. Apartment Life has two youth programmers on staff in each area to work with the children, providing educational and fun activities in a friendly environment. For more information on childcare facilities at CSU please go to University Childrens Center. This is a website for the Sunshine House at CSU, it and covers childcare for infants, toddlers, pre-school/kindergarten age children.

Spouse and Partner Activities

Apartment Life organizes many programs and activities for all of its residents. You can read more about these events on the Activity page. One event that is specifically for spouses and partners is the International Women’s Orientation, which is held in late August and covers issues such as childcare, safety, volunteer opportunities and culture shock. It is a free program for women spouses and partners. Please ask your Community Coordinator about it on your arrival. Both University Village and Aggie Village hold weekly women’s clubs and English classes for you to touch base with friends and meet new ones. Both areas produce weekly calendars listing all the available activities for residents of Apartment Life. We also have many children’s activities including, the International Children’s Carnival, the Halloween Children’s
Carnival, youth clubs, sports days and much, much more.

Shopping

Fort Collins has a wealth of shopping opportunities to meet all your needs. Whether it is plates and dishes for your kitchen or clothes for all the family, Fort Collins and the surrounding area can provide this for you. Downtown Fort Collins has many shops selling clothes, ornaments for your home, sports equipment, and musical instruments! A little further away on the main road that runs through Fort Collins (College Avenue) there is the Fort Collins mall that has many clothes shops for all ages and needs. College Avenue also has some great stores that have everything you need when you first move to a new place and at low prices (for example: Target and Wal-Mart).

If you are able to venture to Denver, the 16th Street Mall has a variety of shops and there is also Cherry Creek Mall that is much bigger than the mall in Fort Collins and houses many more clothes, and general merchandise stores. In addition to clothing stores, Fort Collins has many supermarkets selling a variety of food as well as stores that specialize in foods from all over the world.

English Language Classes

Moving to a new country can be difficult enough without the added worry of whether you can speak the language. Here at CSU, we want both you and your student spouse or partner to succeed. Apartment Life takes the welfare of our residents very seriously and that includes everyone, not just the student! That is why we offer English languages classes for those of you who are more comfortable learning English in a less formal environment. CSU does have an Intensive English Program (IEP) where you can learn English more formally should you wish to.

At both the family apartment areas of Aggie and University Village, weekly English classes are held. They not only act as a means to improve your confidence and knowledge of the English language but also give you a chance to catch up with friends and meet new members of your community.

Safety

Fort Collins, Colorado State University, and the University Apartments take pride in promoting safe communities for students, families, and children. You should feel safe in your community due to the services both the city and university offers. Apartment Life’s web page features Fire Safety information, transportation options, and women’s safety issues.

In addition, the Colorado State University Police Department has more information regarding safety and security on CSU’s campus. This website has access to safety tips related to bicycle safety, domestic violence, alcohol and drug issues, and weather and emergency notification, and it also features crime statistics. In addition, this website gives instructions for crime prevention and reporting.

Lastly, the City of Fort Collins has more information about safety and security issues you may be interested in and you can learn about police services and programs in the entire community.

Trans-Cultural Health Services

Lynn Kalert is a trained nurse who works at the CSU Health Network on campus and specializes in multicultural issues. Lynn is sensitive to students' cultural context and experiences and is trained to work with students from all over the world. Lynn welcomes the
opportunity to learn about the challenges surrounding cultural diversity and offers programming for students, faculty and staff and is eager to work with spouses and partners at CSU. For more information on this service please visit the CSU Health Network website.

Transportation

The city of Fort Collins and the CSU campus offer a variety of transportation options for residents. Most residents of the city use automobiles as their primary form of transportation. However, other options exist for those who either choose not to drive one or do not own an automobile (as is the case for many international students and spouses/partners). Bicycles prevail on CSU’s campus, as they are the most efficient method of transportation.

Colorado State University has information about bicycle regulations on campus and the City of Fort Collins also has designated bike lanes and bike transportation routes throughout the city. A map of these routes can be obtained from the University Apartments when you arrive.

Fort Collins also has a bus system with routes that operate throughout the day and early evening. Most routes begin service at 6:30am (0630) and end at 6:30pm (1830). Buses run throughout the city to a variety of parks, libraries, city government buildings, and shopping districts. The cost is about $1.25 per ride (for non-students), and discount passes may be purchased for frequent riders. Students can use this service for free.

Volunteer Opportunities

Not sure what to do with your time once you have arrived and are settled in? Volunteering is a great way to make connections with others, learn new skills and utilize old ones, and make a positive difference in your community. Apartment Life, Colorado State University, and the City of Fort Collins offer numerous volunteer opportunities.

Apartment Life resident volunteers make significant contributions to the hundreds of programs that occur each year within Apartment Life. Some of our larger programs such as World Fest, Aggie Bash, and the International Children’s Carnival could not exist without the help of volunteers. In addition, many programs are resident initiated and run, such as ping-pong night, the Tastes and Sights series, and language classes. For more information on how to volunteer with Apartment Life, please contact the Office of Central Programs in the Palmer Center by calling (970) 491-4755.

Colorado State University also has various volunteer opportunities for students through the office of Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLiCE). The office offers listings of volunteer opportunities throughout campus and the community. These listings are primarily aimed at CSU students; however, working with SLiCE may give you ideas or resources to pursue individual volunteer opportunities.

Many organizations within Fort Collins also offer volunteer opportunities, such as the public libraries, museums, parks and natural areas, police services, local television and radio, domestic violence shelters, medical facilities, children’s programs and services, and others. The community-wide organization, FirstCall can connect residents wishing to volunteer in the community with organizations that align with their personal interests.