Staff in the Office of International Affairs and the Office of the Dean of the Chapel and Religious Life at Emory sponsored a “Thanksgiving 101” for international students that took place on Thursday, Nov. 21 – Thanksgiving – in Brooks Commons in Cannon Chapel. The event provided students with the opportunity to break bread, share stories and listen to a presentation about the Thanksgiving tradition.
The goal of the event was to offer students whose homes are far away from Atlanta – and thus were unable to travel home for Thanksgiving – a warm and casual environment to share Thanksgiving traditions with other American Emory community members. We hope “Thanksgiving 101” sets a precedent for years to come.
We at the Wheel found this event great for a few reasons. Considering the international student enrollment has doubled in the past 10 years, this event was an effective way to integrate different cultures and break down boundaries between students of the Emory community.
It also was a warm and welcoming gesture to give international students the opportunity to learn more about an American tradition. There was no pushing, or “stuffing,” of culture in the faces of these students. Rather the event served as a voluntary and educational experience to bring students together in the spirit of the holidays.
The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel‘s editorial board.
The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.
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