As we send off our annual International Education Week, we are again reminded of the existence of our diverse multicultural student body and amazed by the incredibly colorful display of cultures. Through a plethora of cultural and educational events that took place during the week, we celebrate international students’ contributions to the campus and provide opportunities for domestic students to learn about other cultures.
As someone who has been a member of multicultural organizations, I can tell you that international students work extremely hard to make sure these events such as cultural dinners and presentations are successful and well-attended by the community. We believe that it is important to actively represent our culture and we welcome you in our celebrations. However, our international programming seems to always be limited to the annual, large-scale events. What we do not see enough of are meaningful, interactive opportunities for domestic and international students to get together and learn from each other.
The lack of interaction between international and domestic students has perhaps attributed to the perception of international students as merely performers in these cultural showcases. If the exchange and participation stops at devouring South Asian food and watching an African dance, international students are still very much objectified in relation to their culture. Therefore, it is no wonder that international students may feel foreign in ways that go beyond their nationality. In a college as small as Wooster, international students are disproportionately represented in sports teams, Greek life and other non-cultural organizations. Is The College of Wooster creating an environment for all students to grow and succeed? Is this a safe, educational space that fosters personal intercultural interactions? Do we have the capacity to support the growing number of international students academically, socially and intellectually?
I am encouraged to see that in recent years, resources have become increasingly available for international students hoping to receive language support. We have a full-time English Language Learning coordinator, who manages the ELL Peer Tutoring program and offers individual appointments. Yet, these programs, such as the writing studio class, are completely voluntary. With almost 100 first-years international students enrolled, the need for consistent English support is not always met. A number of first-year students, usually a combination of domestic and international students, participate in Global Engagement Seminar. Facilitated by Center for Diversity and Inclusion staff, students are introduced to a list of important American topics and issues and discuss them from their personal and global perspectives.
However, it is worth noting that these opportunities not only are almost exclusively targeting first-year students, but are also limited to a number of participants. I believe it is crucial to expand these cross-cultural dialogues to the whole campus to ensure that meaningful, interactive learning opportunities are taking place consistently. Through collaborative programming, students should be encouraged to participate in more conversation with people of diverse backgrounds without the fear of discrimination. In addition, more training programs need to be implemented for faculty and staff to be equipped to facilitate intercultural conversations in classrooms and informal settings.
Lastly, to the campus community, when attending our various cultural events, do not stop at appreciating the diverse cultures, but be curious and don’t be afraid to ask meaningful questions. It’s absolutely essential as an institution that is actively seeking a larger international enrollment that appropriate levels of service and support are put in place. I believe that it is important for Wooster to recognize that having international students on campus is an opportunity for students, faculty members and administrators to take advantage of our differences and to truly celebrate diversity.
Yichu Xu, a Contributing Writer for the Voice, can be reached for comment YXu18@wooster.edu.