Students Gearing Up for Spring Festival

The Office of International Services will hold its annual Spring Festival April 8-9. The festival will highlight the different cultures and traditions of USA’s international students.

The African, Latin American, Nepali, Saudi Arabian, Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Associations will each take part in the two-day event, which will take place at the Student Center and the Mitchell Center.

While sharing cultures, the festival will also be a competition. According to International Student Services Director Brenda Hinson, students will provide exhibits featuring artifacts, architecture, and cultural traditions; a fashion show that will include traditional clothing worn in the student’s country of origin; and a talent show that will demonstrate dances native to different countries or social customs.

According to International Admissions Officer Jessica Brown, international students prepare weeks in advance for the event.

“It’s not just about international students showing their traditions; it’s a competition,” Brown said. “They get very competitive.”

Nepali student Piyush Shakya said his organization will start preparing its booth during Spring Break. Shakya said judges will evaluate the student organizations on preparation and creativity.

Recently elected president of the Indian Student Association Gopinath Kurakula said his group will focus on displaying rural India and the lifestyle of Indian farmers.

“We want to show off the backbone of India,” Kurakula said.

While the Indian Student Association is still in the early stages of planning the exhibit, Kurakula said his group has already started practicing a dance routine. For the fashion competition both men and women will wear tradition Indian attire. Women will wear sarees and men will wear dhotis, Kurakula said.

The Council of International Student Organizations (CISO) will select three to four judges for the event. Hinson said funding for the event will come from the Student Government Association, Office of International Services, CISO, and from each international student organization involved in the event.

The Spring Festival allows students to show off the pride they have for their country, Hinson said.