With the help of a few staff members from the College of the Liberal Arts and the Division of Undergraduate Studies, a group of students from the College of the Liberal Arts have decided to come together to form a club called Cross Cultural Connections (CCC). We are a diverse group of students working together to bridge the cultural gap between the different nationalities represented here at Penn State.
As George H.W. Bush once said, “We are a nation of communities… a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky.” Diversity is one of the great things about this nation and our Cross Cultural Connections club embraces it. Because of the diverse student population at Penn State, we are able to learn about so many different cultural backgrounds. This opportunity helps us to become globally aware, conscientious, and well-rounded individuals while improving our cross-cultural communication skills. With the world becoming more and more globalized, these are all important skills to help you become successful in the future.
Our club brings together people of all different backgrounds and we learn from those with different experiences, beliefs, and perspectives by engaging in conversations and participating in activities together. By opening up and getting to know each other, we are able to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions we may have about other cultures.
So far we’ve had two events this semester. The first was a multicultural potluck! Students and staff shared their stories about growing up both abroad and in the U.S., talked about what their nationalities mean to them, and discussed their interests and pursuits, all the while dining on homemade pizza and dumplings.
The second event we had this year was a cooking class! Shellie from Sweet Heat Gourmet and her friend Tiana, both chefs with culinary degrees from Pennsylvania College of Technology, came to teach us how to make an authentic gourmet Italian meal! For our entr�e, we made chicken saut�ed with Marsala wine, mushrooms, garlic and herbs, honey balsamic glazed carrots, and parmesan risotto. For our dessert, we made tiramisu!
For the upcoming 2013-2014 school year, we are planning activities such as monthly dinners at local ethnic restaurants in State College, game nights, and trips to different cities around the Northeast. We hope that more students will join us to celebrate, embrace, and learn about the diversity here at Penn State!
If you’re interested in becoming part of our club, feel free to contact me, Polina Tai, at hvt5043@psu.edu or Nayantara Singh at nayantarasingh@gmail.com! You can also check out our website for more details and contact information!
“Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.” – Andrew Zimmern