Local employers, visa sponsors, business leaders, and community partners gathered on Wednesday at the YMCA of the Rockies to learn about a new community support group aimed at helping international students who come to Estes Park each year on the federal Summer Work Travel J-1 visa, a non-immigrant visa for individuals participating in authorized U.S. exchange visitor programs.
The meeting, organized with representatives from U.S. State Department-affiliated exchange program sponsors, outlined plans to improve orientation, housing coordination, transportation, cultural programming, and emergency support for exchange visitors working in Estes Park.
Last summer, 575 J-1 visa holders came to Estes Park in 2025 as part of the BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program, which allows college-age students from other countries to work seasonal jobs in the United States. The top 10 countries that students hail from were Thailand, Romania, Turkey, Ecuador, Macedonia, Mexico, Malaysia, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina.
“This is a cultural exchange program with a work component,” said K.Leigh Furzer, Director of Seasonal Programs for LifeTRAVELED, which is authorized and designated by the U.S. Department of State to administer the BridgeUSA Programs. “It is not a work program,” Furzer stressed.
U.S. Department of State representative Carrie Lynch told attendees the broader BridgeUSA program operates in all 50 states and is designed to advance U.S. foreign policy goals by fostering mutual understanding between Americans and international visitors.
“Every exchange visitor that you encounter is an ambassador from their country, and you are an ambassador from the United States,” Lynch told the audience of about 50, most of whom were visa sponsor employers.
The Estes Park community support group is intended to bring together employers, visa sponsors, municipal leaders, nonprofits, and volunteers to address issues before they become larger problems.
Topics discussed during the meeting included housing issues, transportation, emergency preparedness, cultural activities, compliance with visa program rules, including visa overstays, and employment taxes. With certain restrictions, J-1 visa holders are generally exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes, and as nonresidents, most cannot claim the standard deduction.
Mayor Gary Hall voiced support for the initiative, calling exchange visitors a critical part of the town’s summer economy.
“We need them. We love to have them,” Hall said. “It’s a wonderful thing for our town, both from a cultural standpoint and from a commerce standpoint.”
Hall said the town itself does not have formal oversight of the J1 visa program, but he said community support can help address concerns that have surfaced about housing, working conditions, and access to resources.
Logos for the Town of Estes Park, Estes Park Chamber, Visit Estes Park, and the YMCA of the Rockies were included on the public announcement for the meeting, which invited community members to attend.
“Exchange visitors are a vital part of Estes Park,” said Kiley Jo Schroeder, operations manager for the Estes Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development and Workforce Council. “They support our businesses, they contribute to our economy, and they bring energy, diversity, and global perspective to our town.”
Amanda Moulden, director of talent acquisition and international programs at YMCA of the Rockies – Estes Park Center, spoke about her own experience as a former exchange visitor from South America. She said participating in the program changed the course of her life.
“My life has been forever changed because of having the opportunity to come as part of the exchange visitor program,” Moulden said.
Organizers announced several initiatives for the upcoming season, including a June welcome week, a community fair, local business meetups, hikes, a World Cup-themed event, and an Exchange Day celebration at Stanley Park. They also said they are developing a website with information for exchange visitors, employers, and housing providers.
Other efforts include ID cards with emergency contact information, a second-job database for approved employers, and a guide to local resources in Estes Park.
Additionally, the Social Security Administration has agreed to process at least 200 Social Security applications locally, sparing many participants from having to travel to Fort Collins.
During a question-and-answer session, Joan Hooper of Estes Park asked why members of the news media had not been welcomed at the event. Furzer said that the decision came from “higher-ups at the Department of State” and was not made locally. She directed Hooper to contact the State Department for more information.
“That is not something I decided,” she said. “Everybody here in this room is welcome to share any of the information that we have shared.”
The Estes Valley Voice had received an email from Furzer on March 17, 2026, stating that the State Department had barred the media from attending and reporting on the meeting.
“Unfortunately, the Department of State has changed their requirements for presenting, and they will no longer allow press to be present. Therefore, we are unable to have you attend the forum reporting for Estes Valley Voice,” wrote Furzer.
Judy Smith of Estes Park asked how the organizers expected the information from the meeting to be disseminated. Furzer said they expected information to be spread by word of mouth and social media, and that the Estes Chamber would provide the community with the necessary information.
Organizers also said that the material in the presenters’ slide decks would be publicly available online.
Despite the media restriction, the Estes Valley Voice attended the meeting without incident and will continue to cover the development of the support group program.