ETSU’s Multicultural Affairs works diligently every year to bring international and domestic students together to explore the many different cultures on our campus through International Education Week.
Throughout the week until Saturday, November 18, International Education Week will consist of a series of events relating to the diverse cultures here at ETSU.
“We want everyone to know and accept that there are a large number of international students on campus from different cultures,” said Tedra Bennett, the Multicultural Affairs Assistant.
Along with these exciting events happening all week, Multicultural Affairs teamed up with the Marketplace to bring students international cuisine Monday-Wednesday from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Monday’s featured culture food was Mediterranean; Tuesday’s was Asian and Wednesday’s was African. They also provided language cards for students to interact with while they enjoy their cultural meal.
“International Education Week is constantly growing and changing,” Tedra Bennett said. “New people come in every year and bring something new to the table.”
To kick off the week, the International Students Association and Multicultural Affairs hosted International Dance Lessons in the D.P. Culp University Center Ballroom. They had four different cultural dances, including belly dancing, Arab line dancing, African dancing and Latino dancing.
On Tuesday, they hosted Language Mini-Lessons in the Cave. That night, with the help of the Black Affairs Association and Buctainment, Multicultural Affairs also hosted an Open Mic Night in the Cave. Different talents were displayed as people stepped up to the mic, such as poets, rappers, singers, musicians and storytellers.
Wednesday’s event was hosted in the Multicultural Center Presentation Room. Director of the Office of Veterans Affairs at ETSU Colonol Antonio Banchs hosted a motivational speaking session with free snacks and drinks provided.
On Thursday night’s event, Karaoke Night was hosted in the Multicultural Center to bring people from all talents around to try out the mic. Nights like these are just to bring people together and have a good time.
To wrap up International Education Week on Saturday, the movie “Girl Rising” will be shown in Rogers-Stout Room 118 at 6 p.m. This film is about girls from underdeveloped countries seeking change through education and personal advancement.
“This is a week designed to unify all students on campus, despite their backgrounds or cultures,” Bennett said. “It’s a time for international students to gain a stronger sense of belonging and for domestic students to explore the wide variety of cultures at ETSU.”
All of these themes brings a special light to cultures all around the world and those inside ETSU’s campus. Multicultural Affairs presents International Education Week in hopes of getting ETSU’s campus acclimated to all the different cultures it homes.
