On April 2, students and staff came together to attend the International Festival and a celebration of the different organisations on campus. There was attendance from the EuroSim club, the Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity, International Student Services and international students themselves who had come to represent their home countries.
The International Festival is part of the Diversity Conference and included the Study Abroad fair, where students could sign up to declare interest in studying abroad for a month, semester or year.
International students want to share their culture with others at SUNY Brockport who might not be aware of the journey they have been on to get here. One of these students is Adeola Bajulaiyea, a sophomore nursing major from Nigeria.
“There are so many countries aside from the United States, I want people to know more about international cultures, that’s why I came here today,” Bajulaiyea said.
In collaboration with the International Student Services, the Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CGSD) were also present. Wegmans also had a pop-up stall showcasing food from Mediterranean and Moroccan cultures. CGSD Program Coordinator Kristen Walker stresses the importance of sharing these experiences.
“These kind of events show that we can showcase different folks’ backgrounds and the beauty of their diversity and making a safe space for folks to explore,” Walker said.
For the CGSD, the Diversity Conference comes off the back of the re-opening of the Pride Lounge last week, showing the CGSD’s commitment to improving the diversity of student life.
“This gives us a way to engage and then build on that curiosity to keep going. It challenges us to live in a melting pot model, which is talked about but is rarely experienced,” Walker said.
Over 60 international students joined SUNY Brockport last semester, adding to the record-breaking student enrollment last fall. The International Student Services are a part of the Center for Global Education and Engagement, based at Hartwell Hall. International Enrollment Coordinator Ethan Lehman is part of the team that welcomes students from elsewhere in the world and sends students from SUNY Brockport on experiences too.
“Every year we encourage the international students and faculty to show visibility and work together to put on something special. That cross cultural intelligence is just really important,” Lehman said.
SUNY Brockport students can study abroad as much as they like during their college career, with opportunities such as winter and summer sessions, as well as internships abroad.
“SUNY Brockport enabled me to grow as a person because I studied abroad twice, and now coming back in this role to recruit international students and give them that chance to experience education, it’s just a really enriching experience,” Lehman said.
The international festival has always allowed students to represent their culture while being at SUNY Brockport while providing insight and opportunities for international growth, so it will continue to be an important part of SUNY Brockport’s Diversity Conference in the future.
