By Kimberly Zicha
Staff Writer
Students experienced the world’s cultures without ever leaving the College Tuesday Nov. 17 through Friday Nov. 20 , which marked International Education Week.
Various activities offered throughout the week focused on international dedication and awareness.
The week was put together by Regina Morin, modern languages department chair, who was content with the variety of events on campus presented to the students.
“We reached out to many departments and programs on campus, so it wasn’t just a modern languages week of events. For example, our faculty panel had invited speakers from English, classical studies and history, in addition to modern languages,” Morin said.
According to Morin, International Education Week provides a time to commemorate the benefits of exchanging global education. This is an effort of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to promote programs that can prepare Americans for an international environment.
The events held at the College involved presentations by professors and students regarding counterinsurgency in culture, a solidarity project by Women In Leadership and Learning (W.I.L.L.), a study abroad fair, student cultural music performances and reading of Chinese poetry.
Morin knew that students could benefit from this week long event.
“First, some events like the presentation on counterinsurgency in Afghanistan help expose the students to various points of view on national and international issues — the conflict in Afghanistan is both.
Events like the presentation of Chinese poetry and calligraphy give students the chance to experience facets of a culture they may not be familiar with. Other events, like the student and faculty panels on study abroad, provide practical suggestions for successful study abroad experiences,” she said.
Jessica Baker, sophomore english major, said she enjoyed the study abroad panels the most because she wants to study abroad in Italy. Baker said she liked hearing what the foreign students studying in the U.S. at the College had to say, as well as the the College students who had already studied abroad.
Thursday night was a musical night for all students in the basement of the library. Those who attended these musical performances by students got to listen to a variety of cultural music and other performances such as classical guitar and opera singing.
“Some events, like the student performances have a cultural component, but they are also just plain fun,” Morin said.
Angelica Garcia, sophmore international business major, liked the idea of International Education Week as an international business major.
“(It was) helpful in getting to know other cultures and getting a brief view of what other cultures do,” she said.
