The ASWSU International Student Council held a celebratory dinner for their 20th year anniversary on Monday, where they invited various international RSOs to participate in some games for the opportunity to win funding.
The German Club and Muslim Student Association won first and second place, respectively, earning $250 and $150 for their RSOs in funding.
Kate Hellmann, ISC advisor international student and scholar services director, and Cody Tornow, international programs assistant director, started off the event by giving a brief history of the ISC.
“This is actually really important because the fact that you’re all together today is really how this group started
The German Club members with their first place $250 prize
in the first place,” Hellmann said.
Twenty years ago, there was a group of 12 different students originating from various countries who came to International Programs and Student Involvement at WSU and asked why there was no group on campus representing international students, Hellmann said.
“This group really felt like there should be some official voice for representation,” she said. “So they started working with ASWSU and eventually they had 27 international student organizations they were working with.”
Hellmann said it is important for international student organizations to become familiar with one another and to learn to work with each other in order to ensure the success of all international RSOs.
“When you’re working to help people understand your culture and represent your culture, it is even more powerful when you do it together,” she said.
Tornow spoke to students about some ways that the International Programs and the international center on the lower level of the CUB work to support international students. The international center serves as a leisure spot for international students where they can play video games, relax on the couches or spend time with other international students at socialization events. International students are also able to access free printing in the center.
The Muslim Student Association accepting their award at the ISC’s event to honor RSOs
“One of the things I’ve been able to do in my role is advocate for bringing in a prayer room that’s just upstairs in the CUB from the international center,” he said. “However, because of university rules and policies, we can’t keep prayer rugs in there, so we keep those in the international center and while it’s not perfect, it’s a step in the right direction.”
Tornow said he encourages international RSOs to take advantage of the International Program’s presence on campus so they can help international students to solve any problems they face at WSU.
“We can help you navigate through the university, we can advocate for you, and we can help you when you’re having problems,” he said. “But there’s also places where I’m stuck as a staff member. That is the ISC. The ISC is your center to get advocacy and support.”
Some representatives from the UREC were also invited by the ISC to lead some icebreakers and introductory team games between the RSO members, after which the challenges began.
Challenges split the members into randomized groups which required them to demonstrate cooperation and teamwork, after which the ISC executive board decided on which RSOs would be receiving the funding prizes based on their participation in the games. Funding can go toward any future RSO event.
The German Club and the Muslim Student Association were chosen as the winner and runner-up, respectively.
