International Dinner: 47 Years of Making Connections
UWSP students wearing their beautiful dresses at the International Dinner 2017. Photo courtesy of Jacob Peichuan Ji

International Dinner: 47 Years of Making Connections

On Saturday, April 8, students from all over the world united to celebrate diversity at the 47th Annual International Dinner.

This year’s dinner theme, “Destinations: Off the Beaten Path,”  was chosen to recognize that some of the most beautiful aspects of a country lie off the beaten path.

The dinner is a celebration of the diversity of students who attend the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

17th Annual International Dinner booklet. Photo courtesy of Jacob Peichuan Ji

17th Annual International Dinner booklet. Photo courtesy of Jacob Peichuan Ji

Melanie Snyder, junior English major and dinner attendant, said, “There was a real feeling of connection and movement in everything that evening. It felt impossible to simply be a spectator and not also be actively engaged in what was being offered.”

The sold-out dinner served 342 people and featured student performances, a silent auction and a fashion show.

Michelle Wilde, senior psychology major and president of International Club, said that International Dinner helps to represent students from diverse backgrounds by allowing them to represent themselves and their countries.

The dinner opened with the traditional flag ceremony, which gives students the opportunity to carry the flag of their country on stage and wave it in unison with the other flags. This year’s ceremony featured the flags of 35 countries.

Laura Campo, sophomore sociology major and outreach coordinator for International Club, organized this year’s flag ceremony to the beat of Pitbull’s “We are One.”

Campo said the flag ceremony is imperative because, “It’s important to represent those students that we have because then they feel that they are accepted.”

This year’s dinner was unique because it was the last dinner for two of the club’s long-standing advisors, Marcia Mace and Remya Sarma-Traynor.

In honor of their commitment to inclusivity and the success of the club, Chancellor Bernie Patterson lauded their efforts in his address to the audience.

Beautiful table setting of the 17th Annual International Dinner. Photo courtesy of Jacob Peichuan Ji

Beautiful table setting of the 17th Annual International Dinner. Photo courtesy of Jacob Peichuan Ji

The menu represented a broad spectrum of foods from places all over the world such as Spain, Korea, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Vietnam and Mumbai.

Ketevan Shonia, junior pre-occupational therapy major and cross-organizational event coordinator for International Club, co-chaired the foods committee.

The crowd favorite of the night was a drink called the Brazilian Vitamina, which consisted of ripe avocados blended with milk and sugar.

Other foods included traditional Spanish cold soup called Gazpacho and a dessert enjoyed across South America, Arroz Con Leche.

After the dinner, students performed traditional and modern songs, dances and skits.

The performance portion was concluded with an energetic dance put on by the officers of International Club and choreographed by Apoorva Sarmal, the vice president.

“It’s a very nerve-wracking and high-stress experience but my favorite part is when the I-dinner actually happens and watching everything actually unravel,” Shonia said.  “At the very end you really feel part of the team and part of the community.”

 

Olivia De Valk

Reporter

odeva199@uwsp.edu

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