SRU International Week showcases food, fashion and flair from across the globe
Slippery Rock University's Office Global Engagement, the International Club at SRU and the Study Abroad Club at SRU will host the 44th Annual International Dinner, Nov. 10, as part of the University's 2018 International Week. The festivities begin Nov. 4 with International Sports Night at Morrow Field House.
Nov. 1, 2018
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - With the vast array of real-time social media outlets at our fingertips, keeping up with family and friends anywhere in the world is just a click away. As a society, we are far more globalized and interconnected than ever before. Still, we have a lot to learn from one another.
Slippery Rock University's international student contingent is heeding that call. They'll bring a piece of home to share with campus with a week-long celebration showcasing their cultures as part of the 44th Annual International Week, Nov. 4-10.
The event is co-sponsored by SRU's Office for Global Engagement, the International Club at SRU and the Study Abroad Club at SRU.
"The main focus of the week is to allow American students to engage in diversity and inclusion through a series of interactive events that expose them to a variety of cultures," said Noora Alie, assistant director of international student services in the Office for Global Engagement. "It also gives international students a chance to take pride in and showcase their culture and to share with students who are interested in those cultures, but may not have the opportunity to study abroad."
Events for week include:
● International Sports Night, 6-8 p.m., Nov. 4, Morrow Field House.
● International Fashion Show, 8 p.m., Nov. 5, Smith Student Center Ballroom.
● International Coffee House, Noon to 2 p.m., Nov. 6, SSC Theater.
● International Spicy Noodle Night, 6-8 p.m., Nov. 7, Building F Great Room.
● International Roundtable, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Nov. 8, Eisenberg Classroom Building, Room 111.
● International Dinner, 7 p.m., Nov. 10, SSC Ballroom.
International Sports Night is a free event that offers students an opportunity to participate in a variety of sports that are played internationally - including popular games such as volleyball (Sri Lanka); cricket (England, Australia, various African nations) and the globally popular futbol, otherwise known as soccer in the U.S. - and will offer tournaments in volleyball and table tennis. Teams of six are required to participate in tournament play and are able to register on the International Club's CORE page. However, walk-ins will be welcome. For additional information, contact Koki Kawaguchi, a junior athletic training major from Kawachinagano, Japan and president of the International Club at SRU, at kxk1067@sru.edu.
The Nov. 6 International Coffee House will offer free, culturally-unique coffees and teas during Common Hour. The event will feature artifacts from the home countries of many of SRU's international students.
The International Fashion Show will feature American and international students modeling clothing of different cultures and regions including East Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, Central America and South America.
International Spicy Noodle Night is a free event that will feature a broad range of, you guessed it, spicy noodles from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, East Asia and South Korea. A "Spicy Noodle Challenge" will take place pitting students against increasingly spicier bowls of noodles. The student that eats the spiciest of the bunch will win a prize.
The International Roundtable is an opportunity for students to address current cross-cultural issues, with this year's topic being "How has immigration changed in the last five years in your country?" Hosted by the School of Business, student speakers will be given the opportunity to talk about immigration in their home countries.
The week will wrap up with the 44th Annual International Dinner. The buffet-style meal annually draws approximately 300 guests from the community who will be treated to singing, dancing and various performances while partaking in more than three dozen ethnic dishes prepared and served by international students. The menu will feature chicken curry (Southeast Asia), bulgogi (South Korea) and baklava (Middle East).
Tickets for the event are $25 for the general public, $15 for students and $10 for children under the age of 12 and can be purchased in advance at the Smith Student Center Information Desk.
MEDIA CONTACT: Lesa Bressanelli | 724.738.2091 | lnb1009@sru.edu