Mr. and Ms. International crowned
Diversity Week concluded with the Mr. and Ms. International Pageant. The performances were displays of culture and talents of different countries cheered on by students both local and international. Every ticket to the Friday night pageant was sold out.
Each of the contestants performed a talent, showed off the traditional attire of their culture and answered questions. Traditional clothing included dresses, robes, kimonos and an African beating stick.
This year’s Ms. International was Nazneen Malik of India. Her talent was a Bollywood dance performance.
“I loved it, I absolutely loved it,” she said of the pageant. “Just meeting new people.”
First and second runners-up were Ms. Dominican Republic Paloma Grullon and Ms. Chile Carolina Gutierrez, respectively. Grullon danced three Latin dances as the audience cheered and Gutierrez sang a Latin American song.
Gutierrez said, “I represent my country because I love my country.”
Mr. International was Kenneth Mbwanji of Tanzania, senior majoring in biochemistry. He performed a traditional Tanzanian dance.
“I’m dedicating this trophy to my parents because they’re the ones who inspired me,” Mbwanji said. “My dad said just do your best and leave the rest to God.”
Announced as first and second runners-up were Mr. India Shayok Mukhopadhyay and Mr. Japan Tsutomu Irie. Irie sang with his band and Mukhopadhyay played a traditional Indian drum called the tabla.
“It really is not just a drum,” Mukhopadhyay said. “You use your hands and do all kinds of stuff.”
During the question and answer portion he said he enjoyed Logan and the closeness of the community.
“I really like it here. I came from a city of 30 million to Logan. It is so beautiful to look up at the mountains,” he said. “People wave at you at the crosswalk. It’s a warm little city, I like it.”
Shayok was convinced to join the pageant by friends.
“They said, ‘Man, you play an instrument, you should do it,'” he said.
Irie also said he joined the pageant because of his friends.
“I like to snowboard. I like Utah because it snows so well, the best snow in the world,” he said. “I’m here because of my friend. A friend is the best thing in the world.”
International Student Council Faculty Adviser Ed Reeve said the pageant is a good medium to share the different cultures represented at USU with students who might not have as much interaction with other ways of life.
“It’s just a great opportunity to let people showcase and share their culture with Utah State,” he said.
The International Student Council’s efforts to organize the event were not in vain, said Council President Janitha Nandalochana.
“It went really good,” Nandalochana said. “We put so much work into the pageant. I haven’t slept in three days. The whole council has worked really hard.”
He said a goal of the pageant was “trying to bring out international students and show that there is diversity in Logan. We tried our best.”
While the judges deliberated special guests were invited to perform, some of them former pageant winners. Sumairy Mendez of the Dominican Republic sang, Mami Matsumoto Japan played jazz on her violin, Arti Naraynan and Poonam Thimmaiah of India danced, and Mr. International 2007 Jean Carlos Almonte also performed.
After the pageant, Mbwanji said the pageant was a success due to the efforts of many people.
“There’s a lot of people to thank,” he said.
–r.perkins@aggiemail.usu.edu