A Night of Food, Laughter and Cultural Insight
The 4th annual MILR Cultural Night was held on March 3, 2010. This long awaited, highly popular event was organized by the International Graduate Student Association at the ILR School, and was co-sponsored by the Office of Career Services, the Graduate Student Association and ILR International Programs.
Every year, groups of international and American students present interesting aspects of their country, culture, history and traditions. According to Sonia Rucker, MILR Program Manager, Cultural Night has the highest turnout rate both amongst graduate students and ILR faculty and staff. This year was no different. The audience consisted of an impressive number of students and their families.
Moreover, Dean Harry Katz, Professor Sarosh Kuruvilla, Professor Lisa Nishii, Professor Chris Collins and Regina Duffey Moravek, were amongst the faculty and staff present at the event. A few children also accompanied their parents. Hence, students were not only entertained by the cultural presentations, but were also kept engaged by the energy and enthusiasm of children in the audience.
Professor Sarosh Kuruvilla, the key note speaker, kicked off the night by giving a brief background on the IGSA and its role in integrating American and international students. He spoke about the importance of networks in today's globalized world and encouraged students to take advantage of the international component of the MILR program by networking with American and international peers.
The address was followed by a series of insightful and humorous presentations. Amongst the highlights, students learned the correct way of "Bowing" from their Korean peers, as they learned about the infamous "Stinky Tofu" in Taiwan. Everybody had a good laugh over the Turkish tradition of "Asking for a girl in marriage" and "Dotting of the I" painted a humorous picture of sport traditions in the US. Other countries represented include Israel, China, Pakistan, Canada and France.
The annual Cultural Night is incomplete without international cuisine, which is a very popular part of the event. This year the table had an assortment of food, ranging from Greek to Korean, American, Thai, Indian and Italian to name a few. Students and guests, eager to learn about different cultures enjoyed the food with great enthusiasm and interest.
The 4th annual cultural night was a great success. A night filled with food, laughter and cultural experiences that help students appreciate diversity. The IGSA deserves credit for the well organized and entertaining event!