Last week, as part of a continuous effort to promote cultural diversity at Hamilton, the Cultural Affairs Committee and International Students Association (ISA), along with the Dean of Students Office, hosted the first International Week.
With 130 students from 41 countries outside of the United States, the ISA and Cultural Affairs Committee hoped that the week would increase the visibility of the College’s many international students and highlight their diversity.
“One of ISA’s goals is to help international students be an active part of the Hamilton community,” said the ISA Executive Board in an email. “We also focus on building an international alumni network to help international student’s with their post-undergraduate plans.”
Events, such as last year’s International Fair Day and this year’s International Week, are focused on just that. For International Week, the groups created fun fact posters featuring the quick biographies many international students and placed on the tables at Commons, as well as putting up flags of each country represented by Hamilton students.
The Cultural Affairs Committee also created an international music playlist for WCHL, consisting of Nigerian, Chinese, Greek and other international music. On Tuesday, there was a well-attended International Trivia Night, followed by a dinner with ISA on Wednesday.
On Thursday, there was a panel and dinner with the All Beliefs Union, featuring Jiin Jeong ’21 (Korea/Christianity), Huzefah Umer ’21 (Pakistan/Muslim), Soha Kawtharani ’21 (Lebanon/Muslim), and Aurora Cai ’21 (China/Christianity). During the panel event, the students discussed their various religions and the role of religion in their respective countries.
To end the week, there were student presentations in Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Hungarian, Swahili, Vietnamese, Nepali, and Greek, which generally discussed the history and some fun facts of each language. On The Move also hosted Multicultural Mayhem to end International Week.
Last spring, the Cultural Affairs Committee hosted a Pyeongchang Olympics Opening Ceremony Viewing, International Fair Day, and Committee Open Hour. This fall, they are also hosting Holiday Programming, like Korean Thanksgiving, a Student Diversity Council Meeting, and a Thanksgiving Program, which students staying on campus during break can attend.
The ISA also has other events planned, including an all-campus “Speed Friending” event and a Thanksgiving trip for international students who cannot leave campus during the break.
In the spring, they are also organizing an all-campus formal and an International Music Festival. During the year, they arrange weekly dinners in Commons, and those who attend receive a raffle ticket to enter in a chance to win Hamilton attire from the book store.
“My good friend commented that ‘every week should be International Week, not just once a year.’ I really wish that everyday, people would try to have more curiosity about the people around them and their background,” said Jiin Jeong, ’21, the chair of the Cultural Affairs Committee.
“My personal goal for the committee is to expand our alliance with student organizations and encompass other aspects of ‘diversity’ — as of the moment, a lot of the work we do surround ethnic and racial diversity.”
