The 18th annual commencement of International Education Week at Humboldt State occurred last week from Feb. 5 through Feb. 9.
The commencement began with an annual flag ceremony procession that snaked its way from the Feuerwerker House, up around the quad and meandered its way towards the library – all to the beat of an improvised drum line.
The International Education Week was hosted by the Academic and Career Advising Center, Center for International Programs, the College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences, the College of Extended Education and Global Engagement, the International Advisory Committee, Library, the Multicultural Center and the Global Connections Club.
The procession was initially just members of the Global Connections Club and international students, but bystanders were invited to select a flag to represent in the parade by Center for International Studies study abroad coordinator, Christiana Frye.
Ana Nihalani, an exchange student from Pakistan, was excited at the prospect of showing off the parade on her Snapchat story.
“It looks so cool!” Nihalani remarked excitedly when shown the video taken of her of the procession. “All of us walking together with our flags on from all over the place!”
Kate O’Connor, president of the Global Connections Club, touched on the purpose of the group as well as the importance of the week itself.
“When international students come to HSU, either for study abroad or the duration of their education here, they can join the club.” O’Connor said. “Along with some domestic students from around here, we all get together and form connections and friendships and volunteer together for events like this.”
The keynote address of this year’s international education week was given by Dr. Teresa Wright, department chair and professor of political science at CSU Long Beach on Feb. 6.
Dr. Wright’s lecture was called “Politics in China: Good Governance Gone Bad?” and focused on the misconceptions many have when it comes to foreign policy.
Wright encouraged to reject any prejudice.
“We need to view regime type as a spectrum, not just democratic equates good, undemocratic equates bad.”
Wright condemned certain actions of the Chinese government over the last few decades. She emphasized that it was fair to be critical of their governance, but not simply because of typical Americanized prejudice that “only a liberal democracy can fulfill functions of good governance.”
The international film festival screening was held in the Kate Buchanan room on Feb. 7. A variety of foreign student-directed and produced films were made available by Humboldt International Film Fest, a student-run film festival organization founded in 1967.
The winner of the 2017 festival was “Memory” directed by Ilirjan Himaj.
“Memory” focused on an elderly Albanian man with dementia trying to find his way home after setting out to buy a toy for his visiting grandson. Despite being only 18 minutes long, the film was profoundly sad and several of the attendants remarked on this aspect when it was revealed that it was this year’s winner.
If you are interested in participating in next year’s International Education Week, are interested in future international program event or thinking about studying abroad, you can visit the Center for International Programs website or Feuerwerker House on campus for more information.
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