By Emilija Sarma
Starting your studies on a college campus is an experience unlike any other. For a while, everything around you is new – the people, the campus, and sometimes the entire culture!
The University of Arkansas offers both domestic and international students many opportunities to make this transition easier. One of the organizations on campus that helps you feel at home at the U of A is the International Culture Team (ICT).
The International Culture Team is a multicultural organization that aims to introduce students to cultures they might have never encountered before. Through ICT, international and domestic students give presentations, cooking demonstrations, traditional clothing displays, and performances that help bring the entire world to the University of Arkansas campus!
Being in an organization like ICT is a great way for international students and their families to meet and work with other international and American students. As ICT member Suellen describes, “It’s very difficult being away from your family, from your culture.” Being a member of ICT helped Suellen stay connected to Panamanian culture, “through sharing it with other people,” while also giving her “a sense of purpose in this new culture [here in the USA].”
ICT welcomes everyone on the University of Arkansas campus into the fold: the only prerequisites are a passion for your culture and wanting to share it with other people! American students are essential to the team, especially when it comes to putting together events like USA Day: an activity which helps international students learn more about all 50 states.
Vinci, a long-time ICT member and an Arkansas native, explains how much being a part of this group has brought to her campus experience: “Before joining ICT, I really struggled finding a solid group of friends or even a community where I felt like I belonged. ICT has provided both for me and I am so grateful to have joined it. I know the friends I’ve made through ICT are friends that I will have for life.”
Cynthia Smith, Assistant Director for Outreach, says that ICT is unique in that it also helps students build friendships and make connections “with people off campus.” These connections often do not come easily to students, but if they participate in ICT presentations off campus, “all of a sudden they’re meeting someone who could be a mentor.”
International and domestic students get to see a whole new side to Northwest Arkansas through ICT activities. As ICT Graduate Assistant Akane says, “going to local schools, … retirement homes,” and other community centers helps you get to know Arkansas so much better.
Bringing People Closer Together
Sometimes international students will say “no one knows the name of my country… others say they only hear negative things about their country,” but ICT gives them an opportunity to tell their own story. Cynthia says, “I feel like we’re a diplomacy team. We’re making these cultural connections and changing people’s attitudes because they do meet someone from [a foreign] country and all of a sudden they don’t fit all the stereotypes.”
In the last academic year, a total of 221 students, scholars, and their family members represented 60 different countries in ICT events reaching 7,043 members of the campus and Northwest Arkansas communities. Wherever they go, ICT is always appreciated. According to Akane, “They just love having us there…People are just amazed that we’re there for them.”
There Is Something for Everyone
Working as an ICT presenter is not only fun, but it also directly benefits students’ academic performance. According to Akane, students often express that “ICT has helped improve their presentation skills.”
Even if you aren’t comfortable with public speaking, Cynthia says: “We find something for everyone.” There are also events where students can talk to people one-on-one. You may be a musician, enjoy dancing, or like to do crafts – these are all skills that can be used to represent your culture. “We help our students prepare [for everything] and they get a lot of support from us,” says Cynthia.
ICT can also help international students improve their English skills, as Suellen found—“[Participating in ICT] gave me a lot of confidence in speaking in English because I had to practice for ICT presentations.”
Akane says that the effect ICT has on students is transformative—“It’s amazing to see how the students grow. At first, some students are very shy and barely talk about themselves, but then after the ICT training and spending some time getting to know each other [they open up] … and it’s amazing to see those students get more involved or get out of their shells.”
Grad students can often find themselves totally occupied by their research. While academic achievements are very important, so is maintaining a social life and healthy habits. To Akane, ICT activities are “a good opportunity to get out of the research lab or out of [your] study field” for a healthy break.
If you are curious about ICT, drop by one of their monthly meetings, which is a great opportunity to socialize, share food, and talk about upcoming events. Cynthia emphasizes that becoming a part of ICT “doesn’t have to be a huge commitment.” After students go through the new member training, they are only asked to prepare two presentations per semester. “It really isn’t that much… so it isn’t that big of a commitment, but there is a huge return.”
If you want to learn more about ICT and get a glimpse of the amazing events they have been a part of, visit their social media:
- Facebook–https://www.facebook.com/ICTuark
- Instagram–@Uark_Ict
Contact them directly for more information at ict@uark.edu.
Make sure to come to the first ICT event of the semester, The ICT Kickoff, which is just around the corner: Friday, August, 30, 5 -7 p.m. at Hillside Auditorium!
