WSU Celebrates Cultures During Int’l Education Week

OGDEN, Utah — Hello, hola, bonjour, olá, hallo, ciao. Weber State University will celebrate international students and culture during International Education Week, Nov. 17-21. Events throughout the week will highlight different cultures from around the globe.
 
International Education Week began in 2000. WSU has observed the week annually, but with a new Office of International Programs, this year’s celebration will be on a much larger scale.
 
“We really have tried to increase the visibility of the event this year,” said International Programs Dean Cliff Nowell. “In prior years, international students set up tables in the Union with the goal of explaining their culture to campus, but this year we are aiming for a real showcase.”
 
Each day from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., different events will take place in the Shepherd Union Building, including fashion shows and dances. A World Cup soccer tournament will also be held throughout the week in the Swenson Gymnasium. All events are free and open to the public.
 
“We will have students from different countries competing, just like the World Cup,” Nowell said.
 
In addition, the Wildcat Room will offer international cuisine every day during its buffet-style lunch.
 
WSU’s Center for Diversity & Unity is sponsoring two events during the week: a discussion on American bias of Middle Eastern culture, Nov. 19 at 11:30 a.m. and a panel discussion about international religion, Nov. 21 at 10:30 a.m.  Both will take place in Shepherd Union Room 232.
 
Two foreign films will be shown in the Wildcat Theater, one on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. and one on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. The festivities will end Nov. 21, with a dance party in the Shepherd Union Atrium at 8 p.m.
 
“This is the international students’ chance to express what is important to them and their culture,” Nowell said. “The public has a chance to learn firsthand what these international students value.”
 
International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Education. The goal is to promote international understanding and develop programs to prepare Americans to live and work in a global environment.
 
For a complete list of events, visit weber.edu/SIS/international-education-week.html. For more information on International Education Week, visit eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/international-education-week.
 
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
 
Author:
Marcus Jensen, Office of Marketing & Communications
801-626-7295 • marcusjensen@weber.edu
Contact:
Cliff Nowell, International Programs Dean
801-626-7521 • cnowell@weber.edu