by Kelsey Curtis '27
Tonight, the International Student Association (ISA) is having a soiree in the Center for the Performance Arts atrium at 8 p.m. The soiree will be a night of celebrating different cultures that are represented at Houghton University (HU).
Prashansa Chakrapani ‘27, President of ISA, said the event serves to “remind us of how diverse Houghton is. We are a population of out-of-state students, international students, Missionary Kids, and Third Culture Kids.” She added that the night is about sharing how people have experienced and lived in different cultures in their “own unique way.”
The event will have live music, food prepared by community members and professors, and “icebreakers,” where attendees will participate in an activity to help get to know one another better. There will also be community members in attendance, who “are eager to interact with the students,” Chakrapani added. She also noted that there is a dress code for the event, “Come dressed like you would for a formal event back at home. Most importantly: be colourful!”
Lee Camacho ‘27, an ISA member, assisted in planning the soiree. He was most excited about two aspects of the event: hearing people’s stories and seeing a map that will display where attendees are from. Camacho said he loves to “exchange life stories” with others and the soiree is an opportunity to talk to new people who do not normally talk with each other.
The soiree is a way of achieving ISA’s goal: “helping international students integrate well into Houghton… and giving them a safe place to share experiences,” reported Chakarapani. She shared that being an international student comes with many challenges. She named the distance from home as the biggest challenge, which can present issues like people having a hard time understanding them. This not only comes in the form of talking with others but also how they live. Chakarapani added that people may not understand “even something as simple as how you eat.”
Camacho said another challenge with being an international student is “culture shock,” or a feeling of disorientation when emersed in a new culture. He further shared that ISA is a web of international students who can provide “support and guidance” to one another when someone is struggling.
A large concern that ISA faces frequently is international students struggling to be involved with HU’s community while staying “in touch with their own cultural identity,” Chakarapani commented. When looking at this issue and keeping their association goals in mind, ISA planned their soiree with the help of MuKappa, the Black Heritage Club, and the Hispanic Heritage Club.
Grace Findley ‘27, Vice-President of MuKappa, shared that she is “excited to hear stories about how people’s cultures and home countries have influenced their experiences at Houghton.”
MuKappa, a national collegiate organization, helps missionary kids, “MKs”, and third-culture kids, “TCKs”, transition well to living and attending college in the United States. Findley said that the soiree “offers TCKs and MKs a unique chance to express how growing up in a culture different from their parents has shaped their appreciation and embrace of various traditions and perspectives.” ★
