International Cultural Festival Showcases Global Exchanges, Togetherness at CPP
About 120 attendees enjoyed a cultural poster fair, performances and a lunch featuring various ethnic foods at Cal Poly Pomona’s International Cultural Festival.
The Global Education Institute, a division under the College of Professional and Global Education (CPGE), hosted the July 26 event at AGRIscapes. The festival highlighted international students and scholars participating in CPP’s summer programs.
The event started with a cultural poster fair showing interesting facts from countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Lisa Xue, director of the Global Education Institute, shared that there are currently over 100 international students and 19 visiting scholars participating in summer programs at CPP.
“These are students from various universities in China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam and the scholars are from countries such as Brazil, India and Mexico,” Xue said. “They are participating in the Cal Poly English Language Institute (CPELI) program for eight weeks, Student Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Leadership Program (SIELP) for two weeks, Semester@CPP program, and English Language and Secondary Battery Education Training Program for three weeks. It is the largest number of international students and scholars on our campus since the pandemic.”
Following the poster fair, three academic colleges at CPP gave presentations on their graduate programs. The presenters included Sandeep Krishnamurthy, dean of the College of Business Administration; Meihua Koo, professor of accounting and graduate program director at CBA; Ron Yeung, associate dean of the College of Engineering, and Brianne Dávila, associate dean of the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences.
Larisa Preiser-Houy, interim dean of CPGE, acknowledged the teamwork within the college and GEI and their contributions to international education and thanked the campus community for its support.
The event also showcased cultural traditions from the students’ home countries.
Anmar Abdulmajeed, an international student from Saudi Arabia majoring in administration, did just that. Using a CPGE staff member as a model, he showed the attendees how women in his country wear head coverings called shemagh or egal, for informal occasions.
Abdulmajeed said that he was glad the event gave him the opportunity to learn about other countries’ interesting facts, such as how the anime Dragonball from Japan is a very popular show in Mexico.
“If I didn’t come to Cal Poly Pomona, I would not know these facts about other countries,” he added.
Yingjie Zhang, a scholar from China, said it has been great exchanging knowledge and getting to know new friends in her first month on campus.
“I have had a wonderful time here at CPP and learned a lot during this trip,” she said.
An international luncheon followed with an assortment of diverse cultural dishes. During the luncheon, three students from the GEI summer programs captivated the audience with beautiful dances and traditional Chinese opera performances, leaving a lasting impression.
The festival demonstrated the following successful outcomes:
- Faculty exchange opportunities: The festival facilitated valuable connections between faculty from CPP and international institutions including the University of Kyung Hee University and the College of Convergence in South Korea with plans to collaborate.
- Increased awareness of academic programs: International students gained valuable insights into the academic programs offered by CPP, enhancing their understanding of further educational opportunities.
- Enhanced engagement and interaction: The event provided a platform for CPP faculty, students, and staff to interact with international students and scholars, strengthening our global community. The Office of Admissions, CPP Enterprises and the Student Innovation Idea Labs are involved in the summer international programs showcased.
- Cultural awareness and enrichment: The festival significantly boosted cultural awareness among CPP participants by exposing them to a diverse range of cultures and perspectives.