By Marisa Young | Staff Writer
Providing a literal and metaphorical taste of home, International Snack Hour is just one of the ways the Center for Global Engagement celebrates Baylor’s community of international students. The event will be held in the lobby of Sid Richardson at 2 p.m. on Thursday.
Katie Klingstedt, coordinator of International Programs in the CGE, said the goal is to acquaint students with the Baylor environment while also recognizing their unique cultural backgrounds.
“When a student gets to Baylor — however they get here, wherever they’re coming from — we want them to know that they are welcome here, and that Baylor is excited to have them as part of the family,” Klingstedt said.
The event helps shed light on the multitude of cultures represented at Baylor, allowing international students to connect with other students from their home countries. The first snack hour of the semester will feature South Korean food and drinks. While this event will specifically celebrate South Korean students, it is open for everyone to attend.
“We invite all students, both international and domestic, to come to learn about South Korea, to taste the food and to talk to international students from that area,” Klingstedt said.
Wenzhou, China, senior Chang Liu said that despite the struggles of being away from home, the CGE events help her feel more integrated in the Baylor community.
“I always feel lonely as an international student,” Liu said. “But when you go to the activities they host, you see a lot of international students from different places and even from the same country as you … and you feel belonging here.”
One occasion that Liu said stood out to her was the International Thanksgiving Dinner, where she shared a meaningful meal with students from all over the world.
“That was a really nice experience because I saw almost every international student gather,” Liu said.
This will be the fourth semester that the CGE is hosting international snack hours, and Klingstedt said she hopes the tradition continues to grow in size and impact.
“We want this event to be both celebratory and educational,” Klingstedt said. “For students from that country, we want it to feel really representative and celebratory, and for everybody else, we hope it’s a chance for them to learn about a new culture.”
Klingstedt said she hopes events such as this encourage international students to bring their own cultures to Baylor’s campus, even if they have left their homes far behind.
“We want them to come and see that they don’t necessarily have to conform to the culture here, but that their individual cultures and traditions are celebrated,” Klingstedt said. “Snack hour is one small way that we do that.”
