Students taste flavors from around the world at ethnic dinner
The International Student Council held their 23rd annual President’s Dinner Saturday, Nov. 8 in the Taggart Student Skyroom. The event, one of the council’s largest, is held every year in honor of the faculty members and the university president, although President Kermit L. Hall was not able to attend this year. The dinner also brings global culture to campus and showcases cuisines from the students’ home countries.
The International Student Council has six members – from Africa, Japan, Pakistan, Sudan, China and India – representing approximately 1200 students from 93 different countries here on campus, according to Maribeth Evensen-Hengge, adviser for the Office of International Students and Scholars.
Besides the cooking, decorations, music, and even ushering were all provided by international students.
“There are often special, rare spices needed for these recipes,” Evensen-Hengge said. “The students have to go out and find them, sometimes even as far as Salt Lake.”
Chris Fawson, Vice Provost for Academic/International Affairs, stood in for President Hall and expressed appreciation for the Council on his behalf. In his remarks, Fawson pointed out Utah State University’s history of International Student Relations.
“Utah State has invited literally thousands and thousands of international students through its doors,” Fawson said.
He said USU was one of the first schools to work on international technical projects, and has been involved in 125 such projects since 1950, worth over one hundred fifty million dollars in research money.
The dinner was hosted by International Student Council Michael Addo, a student from Ghana. Addo provided fun break-the-ice activities that showed how little people actually know about other countries and languages. Guests learned useful, clever phrases from other countries, such as “Ji Rou Hao Chi” (Gee Roe How Shee) which in Chinese means “the chicken is yummy!”
Evensen-Hengge said the dinner is also a good way to introduce the upcoming 4th annual International Education Week, Nov. 17-20.
International Education Week is a result of a presidential mandate during the Clinton era for universities all over the United States. The mission of the Week is to spread the word about international students and the diversity here on campus, and also to educate people on international issues. The week will feature lectures, panels, workshops, and films. Evensen-Hengge said the emphasis this year will be on the variety of different films.
“We hope people will come to see [the films], because they bring to table important, salient political issues that wouldn’t normally have a showcase here in Cache Valley,” Evensen-Hengge said.
For example, International Education Week will feature films about life in Kuwait, a panel and film about both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, a Kimono workshop, an African Drum workshop, and many other events throughout the week Nov 17-21. A panel on N. Korea will also be featured.
“It should be very interesting,” Evensen-Hengge said.
She also explained that all the films presented during the week have been cited or nominated for Grand Prizes at Cannes, Berlin, or Sundance film festivals.
Other events to look forward to this year are the Mr. and Mrs. International Contests, with five contestants each this year, and of course, international food on the patio. For complete details on International Education Week, go to http://cc.usu.edu/~ISC/ or contact the Office of International Students and Scholars at 797-8322.
-slqzk@cc.usu.edu