I never imagined a parking lot in Shakopee, Minnesota, would give me a glimpse of what makes cultural exchange so powerful.
On my first Summer Work Travel (SWT) site visit with InterExchange, I had the privilege of meeting more than 250 Exchange Visitors working at Valleyfair Amusement Park in Shakopee, MN. They came from more than 20 countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica—and as far away as Kazakhstan and Thailand—to work as ride operators, lifeguards, kitchen staff, and more. Valleyfair boasts an impressive cohort of domestic staff, too.
During their program, these students come to the United States to interact with U.S. citizens, experience U.S. culture while sharing their own cultures with Americans they meet, travel in the United States, and work in seasonal, summer jobs to help defray a portion of their travel expenses. They live together in dorm-style housing, getting around by bike or taking the bus into Minneapolis. For many, this is their first exchange experience; for some, it is their first time ever leaving home. They are navigating culture shock, laundry machines, American slang, bunk beds, homesickness, and new roommates—often all at once. It can be a daunting experience, but in this small corner of the country, they have a superhero who makes them feel welcomed and appreciated.
Enter Our Host Employers: Unsung American Heroes!
At InterExchange, we know firsthand that the lifeblood of cultural exchange is our network of dedicated host employers. They are the ones on the ground, helping ensure a transformative, welcoming experience.
Valleyfair and their Recruiting Manager, Todd Reutter, are a shining example of this.
My colleague Meave Treacy and I met Todd in his office at the park. He is an energetic Minnesotan from Apple Valley with close-cropped hair, the lilt of a Midwest accent, and a buoyancy that perfectly matches the students he manages. To the Exchange Visitors, he’s simply the “world’s best boss.”
Since joining Valleyfair, Todd has elevated the cultural exchange elements of the program to incredible heights by focusing on community and connection. Examples include:
- Worldwide Wednesdays: Students take turns cooking traditional dishes from their home countries, sharing everything from Ukrainian borscht to Colombian empanadas.
- J-1 Exchange Visitor Sports Tournaments: During the summer he hosts soccer and volleyball tournaments exclusively for the International students who work at the park.
- Access to Transportation: Todd has worked tirelessly with the MVTA, the local Minneapolis transit authority, to develop more opportunities for transportation including: summer bus passes and a live-feed bus schedule displayed in the participant residence, and he’s been in talks to develop another bus shelter closer to housing.
Celebrating International Exchange Day
On the day of our visit, we were there to celebrate Exchange Day 2026, an annual celebration that highlights the impact of the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program. Todd’s enthusiasm for the night’s festivities was contagious! He could barely contain his excitement about a recent partnership development with Chick-fil-A! Valleyfair provided admission tickets to cover the entire expense of the meal so the SWT participants could access the entire menu! He also invited local Shakopee Police to attend as he is always championing the safety and welfare of the students.
Todd had also created custom stickers, “Olympic” medals, and certificates for the winning country’s team, all of which he showed off with immense pride.
The party was set to begin at 10:00 PM and go into the wee hours of the morning. Todd’s team had built a miniature festival right in the parking lot: a pop-up tent stacked with food, a DJ spinning music from around the globe, and an inflatable mini-nightclub. Todd himself was decked out in red, white, and blue sweatbands.
Initially, the students were a little shy, focusing on getting dinner and looking at our InterExchange swag. Eventually, though, they joined in the fun, putting on USA 250 headbands and red, white, and blue glitter freckles. They eagerly compared their new branded bike lights and luggage tags, tying on bandanas and mingling.
Once Todd announced the winners of the sports tournaments, the energy completely shifted. The students were thrilled. A mix of Colombian, Ecuadorian, and Turkish exchange visitors surrounded Todd, chanting his name. Zeynep, a participant from Türkiye, found herself in the middle of a circle of dancing Colombians, belting out Karol G in Spanish. Nearby, a cluster of Jamaican students started their own dance floor by the speakers.
As incredible as the party was, my favorite moment of the night came from Abdulaziz, an exchange visitor from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Unprompted, he approached me to share that if it weren’t for Todd, he might not be in the U.S. at all.
Even before Abbulaziz’s arrival, Todd provided guidance and support from 6,000 miles away. “I want to do anything I can to make their dream a reality,” Todd told us.
I heard it from more than one exchange visitor that night: Todd is the best boss ever!
Tucked away in his office, easy to miss among the soccer trophies and Exchange Day stickers, sits a “Sunshine Award” certificate. It is the perfect accolade for a man who spends his days making sure a parking lot in Minnesota feels, if only for one night, like the whole world showed up and everyone belongs.
That is the quiet power of cultural exchange. It isn’t just about the grand gestures; it is about the people who show up for these students every single day. At InterExchange, we are endlessly grateful for host employers like Valleyfair and Todd. For more than 250 students far from home, they made all the difference.
