Asking Elizabethtown College students about the weather at this time of year is usually met with complaints about frigid temperatures from legions of chattering teeth. The same question asked closer to the equator would most likely be answered next to an air conditioner on full blast. At Etown, the Office of International Student Services (OISS) believes that global education and awareness are crucial, no matter what part of the world someone calls home. To celebrate how international education and exchange can be beneficial, from Monday, Nov. 10 to Saturday, Nov. 15 the College hosts International Education Week.
As part of a joint initiative by the United States Department of State and Department of Education, International Education Week will provide students opportunities to become part of worldwide exchange and education. Etown will host a variety of activities and programming, ranging from lectures to dances. More than just the sum of its parts, International Education Week will involve an eclectic mix of activities as diverse as the global community.
The week kicked off on Monday, Nov. 10 with the Global Village event in the Brossman Commons (BSC) and Global Etiquette in the marketplace. Echoing the global theme, flags of many nations adorned the BSC. Students within earshot of the Blue Bean early on Monday were treated to the musical talents of a Mariachi band. Tables in the BSC concourse educated students about international celebration and appreciation in addition to providing treats for snacking. These morsels only served as appetizers to the main course, an international dinner held from 4 to 7 p.m. The dinner allowed students to sample foods from around the globe. These cuisines ranged from Asian to the Mediterranean to South American. On Tuesday, Nov. 11, the festivities resumed with a lecture by Dr. Robert Johansen, professor at the Kroc Institute of the University of Notre Dame. Johansen educated those in attendance about the “state of international peacebuilding” in the Susquehanna Room.
Also on Tuesday, Nov. 11, alumni of the study abroad program were present for a panel discussion about the benefits of getting an Etown education as far as half a world away. This session allowed curious students to actively participate. Rounding out the Tuesday events was a meeting of the No Boundaries club and a session concerning slang and its relationship to U.S. culture.
Wednesday morning was another presentation by Johansen, who delivered the ECAPF Peace Fellow Lecture from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center. Johansen used his expertise in the subjects of international ethics and governing at a global scale to teach about the maintenance of peace and security in today’s world. This lecture richened International Education Week’s programming for anyone who attended.
One of the barriers that still divides different cultures is language. However, on Wednesday, Nov. 12, a drumming circle provided a universal dialect, which was music, to participants from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Zug Hall. Dr. Gene Behrens, professor of music and director of music therapy, led an interactive seminar on rhythms from around the globe. Although the drums subsided on Wednesday night, the next day the music resumed with the Global Beats event. Facilitated by OISS, this international dance session will be held in the KAV on Thursday, Nov. 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. For those who prefer the silver screen to a tango, a film will be shown at the same time. “The Keys to the House,” an Italian picture about a man’s relationship with his handicapped son, will be available for students to see in Gibble Auditorium.
International Education Week will continue on Friday, Nov. 13 and spill over to the weekend with a Global Talent and Fashion Show. This final event takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14 and Saturday, Nov. 15, punctuating the week-long celebration with a bang. After concluding Saturday night, International Education Week will have hosted an array of entertaining and enriching experiences for students.
As an added bonus, the students who visit the most events during the week will be eligible to win a prize given out by OISS. Collecting as many unique signatures and stamps from events attended in a passport book is an added incentive to make traversing the week’s events more interactive. In addition to International Education Week, OISS always offers more ways to internationalize the College that anybody interested can participate in. Events like those available during International Education Week show students that education offered on the College’s campus extends beyond Lancaster County.
