Alcorn’s international students and employees share their cultures with campus and community
Alcorn’s international students and employees share their cultures with campus and community
Musical performances, international flag ceremony, dances, fashion, cuisines, and cultural displays from 27 countries were a part of Alcorn’s Multicultural Festival 2013. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members packed the James L. Bolden Campus Union Ballroom on April 23, to share the spirit of multiculturalism and get a taste of the world.
“The Festival is sought to celebrate different cultures that come together at Alcorn State University,” stated Dr. Alipoe. “Led by the Office of Global Programs and International and Multicultural Student Organization, the event’s popularity and attendance grows every year.”
The program kicked off with the colorful flag ceremony and continued with participants browsing cultural displays prepared by international students, employees and community members representing Nigeria, Russia, Oman, China, Nepal, Morocco, Canada, Yemen and Egypt, to name a few.
The highlights of the program included a slave narrative by performer Amanda White, and an ancient Indian dance “Bharatnatyam” by Deepti Patki, a medical researcher at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The audience also enjoyed a kung-fu dance by students of Alcorn’s Chinese class taught by Hongli Wen, Fulbright language teaching assistant from China, and flamboyant international fashion show by students, employees and community members modeling national attires from several countries.
At the end of the fulfilling and educational program, the participants had a chance to sample various international dishes.
“I just love the Festival,” exclaimed graduating senior Marcus Griffin, “I’ve attend it every year during my tenure at Alcorn. I enjoy learning about different cultures, meeting international students and faculty, listening to them share about their home countries and speak their native languages!”
Ann Brown from Red Lick, Mississippi, shared, “At the Festival, you can tour the world in a couple of hours!”
The festival was sponsored by the Office of Global Programs through Title III. The members of the Multicultural Festival Committee represented various schools and departments. The committee invites new members to participate in next year’s festival preparation. For more information, please contact Global Programs at 601.877.6530 or [email protected] .
