The week of Nov. 14 kicks off the Collegeís annual celebration of International Education Week with a variety of events and activities that are open to the campus and Wooster community.
IEW is a joint initiative of the United States Department of State and Education and has been in practice since 2000 and this year, on the tenth anniversary of the week, more than 100 countries worldwide will take part in the festivities. For over 30 years, the College has prided itself on celebrating IEW and this year, the different sponsors have put together a schedule of events all aimed at celebrating the benefits of international education.
Sangeeta Asre, the Programming Coordinator for the Office of International Student Affairs said, ìSome of the IEW events are standard events that we have every year such as the Culture and Talent Show, Ambassadors ëFlavors of the Worldí Reception, South Asia Dinner, Off-Campus Study Fair and the International Bazaar.” The talent show is the weekís first event, with students sharing their different works of songs, dances, art and poetry. The Ambassadors Club, which is composed of five students or global nomads from the College serving as ëAmbassadorsí for their homeland, will be hosting the ëFlavors of the Worldí dinner reception, which is a favorite among the weekís events. The dinner, which features Wooster Inn-prepared cuisine from the Ambassadors home countries, is being held in Kittredge Dining Hall. Tickets cost $15 for students and are available now from the Wooster Inn. Although all are invited, you must reserve your place in advance.
Another exciting addition to IEW this year is Mehndi Night, where all are welcome to participate in traditional Indian activities, including the drawing of Henna designs, crafting rangoli, Indian sand painting art and learning the dance of dandiya, a traditional Indian folk dance with sticks.
Nicola Kille, the Coordinator of the Ambassadors Program, is most looking forward to an event titled, ìBotswana: a Case of Global Humanitarianism,” where shared experiences regarding service work in Botswana will be given by students, faculty and staff members of the College. ìThis is exciting as it brings together many groups, departments, and individuals on campus with a shared interest in global engagement,” says Kille.
The event features speakers† Morag Neill í12, the Botswana Ambassador, Economics Professor James Warner, Reverend Linda Morgan-Clement and Nancy Anderson from the Wellness Center. ìThe panel talk came about through conversations about having Ambassadors speak in Dr. Angie Bosís FYS class ëAdventures in Citizenship,í so it links class conversations to activities outside the classroom environment,” adds Kille.
The Lilly Project, one of the weekís sponsors is also hosting two different opportunities for students to come explore summer vocational and service work projects. For students interested in health-related international service work or social justice issues, there will be an informational session featuring returnees talking about their experiences called, ìInternational Summer Vocational Exploration,”† For those interested in pursuing a Lilly Project fellowship over the summer, it is encouraged that you attend the Lilly Project Summer Field Experiences Informational Meeting.
To reach a wider campus audience, two members of the Ambassadors Club will join Associate Professor of Economics Amyaz Moledina on his weekly radio show, ìTransglobal Groove Collective,” on both Sunday Nov. 15 and 22 from 2-4 p.m.
The events featured during IEW Week are intended not only to raise awareness and interest in global and international issues but also to inspire people to become more involved in international education. Asre adds, ìOur goal is to help and encourage our community to develop a greater cross-cultural understanding, appreciation, and respect, and also realize that the world is full of a multitude of opportunities to learn about different cultures.”
The College sponsors for IEW include the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA), the Ambassadors Program, the Center for Diversity and Global Engagement, Off-Campus Studies Program, the Lilly Project, South Asia Committee, Cross-Cultural Living and Experiences Program and the International Students Association. However, Asre wants to put the spotlight on the students, adding, ìStudent assistance in the planning and their participation in the events are very crucial in making the IEW a success.”
For a more comprehensive schedule regarding specific dates and times, please refer to the schedule of events Web site at http://www3.wooster.edu/oisa/intweek/default.php.