Collaboration between the International Club and UMD Dining Services brought a diverse and culturally rich dinner to Superior Dining on Wednesday, January 24. This was the fourth installment in the seven-part dinner series featuring student groups from the Multicultural Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD).
Previous dinners in the series have featured the Asian Pacific American Association, Black Student Association, and Hmong Living in Unity and Balance organizations. The next dinner, scheduled for Wednesday, February 28, will showcase the South Asian Student Organization. Following that, dinners with the Latinx/Chicanx Student Association will take place on March 20 and the Muslim Student Association on April 10.
According to Gloria Tom, President of the International Club at UMD, the club has approximately 50 members representing cultures from all around the world. The International Club serves as a home for international students, who make up a majority of its members. Tom notes that these students, who are on student visas and may not have their families with them, find comfort and community in the club.
Wednesday's dinner featured a variety of dishes, including Ethiopian beef tips, Indian chicken curry, Thai bubble tea, Brazilian steak, and French crepes. Tom also highlighted the important role that the Multicultural Center and Office of Diversity and Inclusion play in promoting cultural awareness on campus. She expressed her gratitude for the ease with which international students are able to integrate into the dominant culture at UMD, largely due to the understanding and acceptance of their own cultures by their peers.
Tom encourages the UMD community to attend the upcoming Feast of Nations on February 24, an event that celebrates and showcases various cultures through food, performances, and displays. The International Club will be tabling every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday leading up to the event on February 24. Those who attend can expect to have their taste buds tickled and their understanding of different cultures expanded.