International Club educations us all through International Education Week

10/27/14

Do you know any international students on campus? Are you interested in learning more about all the different cultures that the international community at IC represents?  IC International Club might be the student organization for you! 
 
IC International Club is a cultural student organization that embraces the diversity of students here on campus.  Vice President Desiree Lim (Theatre Studies ’15) described the student organization’s mission by saying, “We want to be the bridge between international and domestic students. Sometimes there’s a disconnect because depending on where you’re from there are stigmas or stereotypes, and we want to be able to get rid of those by allowing people to really get to know each other on a more personal level in a safe space.“

President Nilshika Weerasinghe (Economics ’15) added that ICIC focuses on promoting cultural dialogue and events.  The executive board works to continue to extend the educational focus of the student organization and create opportunities to discuss controversial issues.  In both the fall and spring semesters, ICIC hosts events that are culturally informative and educational.  All events are open to students, faculty, staff, family members, friends, and members of the Ithaca community.
 
This week is the twelfth annual International Education Week, one of ICIC’s biggest events of the year.  The executive board encourages everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to become immersed in multicultural experiences that are not always offered on campus.
 
The traditional kick-off event of the week, “Around the World in 60 Minutes,” was held on Monday.  At the event, many members of the campus community volunteered to share their culture with the audience through stories, artifacts, performances, and more.  Yesterday, ICIC collaborated with the African Students Association to bring in guest speaker Sherry Deckman, who gave a speech entitled When Imitation is Not Appreciation: Making Sense of Cultural Appropriation in the Global Era.
 
Tonight, at 7:00 p.m. in Klingenstein Lounge, ICIC and PODER will be hosting a Latin Dance Workshop, where attendees can learn different types of dances from Latin American culture including salsa, merengue, and bachata.  No experience is necessary and all are welcome!  Tomorrow, ICIC and the South Asian Students Society will be hosting a festival of lights entitled Light it Up! A Festival of Life, Lanterns and Learning.  This event is being held in honor of the Deepavali holiday.  Participants will be decorating and lighting their own lanterns and learning about what the celebration means to those who celebrate it each year. 
 
To conclude International Education Week on Friday, ICIC will be hosting its annual One World Concert at 7:00 p.m. in Emerson Suites. This event will feature a variety of talent from around the world ranging from dance performances to comedy acts, and much more. Before the concert, Campus Center Dining Hall will be featuring international dishes based on recipes that have previously been submitted by students.
 
Weerasinghe said her favorite part about being involved with ICIC is having a strong influence on the experiences of the new international students who come to campus each year, especially by providing them with a safe space.  She also loves being a part of the executive board because it allows her to spend time with other international students who come from completely different cultures and learn so much from each of their unique working styles.
 
ICIC will have a few more events throughout the rest of the semester.  These events include a souvenir sale in Campus Center the week of November 10, an opportunity to learn to write calligraphy on December 3, and a de-stress event with tea and goodie bags before final exams on December 12.  Next semester, ICIC will be hosting InterFashional Night, an annual spring event where both international and American students get a chance to walk the runway showcasing traditional clothing and representing beautiful cultures from across the globe.
 
Lim would like to encourage all students to check out an ICIC event to learn more about IC’s international students. She became involved with ICIC immediately after transferring to Ithaca College from Australia, one of the two countries where she spent time growing up.  She said, “Some people don’t realize that I’m an international student, and I’m not the only person in that situation. We’re proud of where we‘ve come from, and [ICIC is] a great opportunity for us to share that with other people.”
 
To find out more about ICIC and other upcoming events, like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

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