International Club hosts trips and events
September 18th, 2018 – One of a number of student organizations at Illinois Central College is the International Club. They meet weekly to serve the needs and interests of its members. Students need not be born internationally to join, though a total of over 150 international students from over 50 countries attend ICC, according to Dr. Barbara Burton, Director of International Education.
Meetings are held in Room 304A, just around the corner from the large, upstairs student lounge on the third floor in the East Peoria academic building. It is open on a drop-in basis—and offers free coffee. The room is practically a museum, with colorful flags of some 44 nations hanging overhead, and with glass-cased displays of artifacts from around the world. It doubles as a conference room for meetings every Thursday from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., but is often occupied by students as a place to “hang out.” (Those interested are encouraged to contact student leaders, Neema Mwakatobe or Conner Thompson. Meeting times may vary.)
Examples of activities sponsored by the club include the annual International Fair, annual International Film Festival, and “Taste of…” events scattered throughout the year. Out-of-town trips are also sponsored. They’re partially underwritten by the club in order to encourage exposure to the American experience for students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to travel. Two such day trips to St. Louis occurred this year. The first was co-sponsored by the Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, another group on campus. They went to the City Museum of St. Louis followed by an authentic Mexican dinner. The second trip was a riverboat cruise to the St. Louis Arch on the Tom Sawyer paddle-wheeler. The day was capped off by a sumptuous barbecue dinner at Pappy’s Restaurant.
This year’s International Fair was beautifully documented in a short film by Wesley Brooks (recently brought on as our Managing Editor). It was held in April at the Peoria Campus, utilizing its new and sparkling kitchen facilities for food preparation. In addition to nationally-unique foods, the event also featured music, dance and was capped off by a fashion show. The participants represented various nations in colorful garb. Fair Trade articles from around the world were demonstrated and sold by Global Village, located in Peoria Heights. The Peoria Area World Affairs Council was also represented. They foster civil and diverse discussion about world issues. By Peg Pendell | VIDEO BELOW
Contact International Club:
- Neema Mwakatobe: nm520@lab.icc.edu
- Connor Thompson: ct610@lab.icc.edu