Hosting Multicultural Events

As an ISEP alum, you have a unique appreciation—and most likely a strong passion—for other cultures. Bring the world to your home campus by hosting culturally themed social events. These events are a fun way not only to bring people together, but also to actively promote cultural diversity on your campus.

Tips to Get Started

• Celebrate International Education Week. Collaborate with your home ISEP Coordinator to find innovative ways to celebrate International Education Week on your campus in mid-November. You might host a different multicultural event each day of the week or combine activities from various cultures into one campus-wide bazaar or fiesta. The possibilities are endless!
• International Coffee Hour. To celebrate a culture from a different country each month, you can ask visiting ISEP students and ISEP alumni to set up a table in a campus coffee shop for a few hours. The display could include photos, maps, crafts, and snacks from that country. Students can take turns staffing the table and chatting with people interested in hearing more about the culture.
• International Film Night. Organize a weekly or monthly international film night in which visiting ISEP students suggest films from their home countries and then lead a post-movie discussion.
• International Dinner. Cooking recipes from around the world can be fun and delicious! Gather the international students and have a bring-your-national-dish night. This has been a great success in the past.
• Sharing your Local Culture. Not every social event needs to focus on cultures from far away—don’t be shy about sharing your local culture. Invite visiting international students to join you in regular local activities like parties, movies, sports events, barbeques, holiday celebrations, camping, etc. You may be surprised how people’s perspectives from other cultures can help you gain new appreciation for and insight into your own culture.

Demonstrated skills for your résumé

• Demonstrating initiative and leadership
• Project management
• Event planning
• Global awareness
• Creativity

“This semester, I put on a ‘Global Nomads’ program, which provided a comfortable, coffeehouse-esque atmosphere for the Whitworth community to participate in a discussion with a panel of Global Nomads. The evening began with refreshments and socialization. Then an organized panel was presented, with time for Q&A afterwards. The primary purposes of the event were to raise interest in international travel and study abroad, and to make known the diversity in our campus community.”
Lara Lichten — ISEP Ambassador from Whitworth University, USA

“I introduced a visiting student to an American holiday, Labor Day, and a historic site iconic to my hometown of Atlanta. This was a lot of fun. The laser show played popular American songs and ended with a huge fireworks show. We packed a picnic and had fun chatting.”
Helen Tzow — ISEP Ambassador from Agnes Scott College, USA