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Wanted: American students

International Student Organization struggles to attract domestic students

BY RAQUEL MORALES AND JIABEI PAN

Every Wednesday evening on the second floor of the Joe Rosenfield '25 Center, a room is filled with laughter. This is where the International Student Organization (ISO) welcomes everyone on campus to enjoy a meal while learning about cultures across the globe.

ISO seeks to encompass all nationalities and promote international understanding; however one nationality is often missing.

"They tell me, 'why do international students sit together in the cafeteria?'" said Janet Alexander, Director of International Student Services. "And I tell them, why do American students do it too?"

This typical scene in the cafeteria reflects a situation that is gaining attention on campus. Student Affairs is conducting a study to examine how widespread the problem may be, reflecting a concern about the interactions between international and domestic students.

This is also one of the main concerns of International Student Organization (ISO), the second-largest student organization on campus, with 600 students on its mailing list. According to ISO, 75 percent of the members are domestic, but only a few American students attend ISO-sponsored events.

"They sign up out of curiosity, not really knowing what goes afterwards", said Thailand student Dae Gon Ha '07.

Current President of ISO, Dew Rattanasangpunth, '09 said their goal is "to promote diversity and cultural understanding to everyone on this campus, not just to international students."

Some efforts to achieve this goal have become well-known annual events, such as the Food Bazaar and the Culture Evening. This year's Food Bazaar, scheduled for Oct. 1, will provide the campus with the opportunity to taste flavors from all around the world. In the past it has been popular with both international and domestic students.

However, these efforts do not seem to draw ISO much closer to its goal of merging the two sides.

Blair Brown '07, former president of ISO, said that when people would come to events, "the internationals would stay in one group, and the Americans would be in their own group".

Interestingly, Brown is an American. Her friendship with international students started with her roommate., who was from Turkey. Since then, she has actively befriended Grinnellians from all over the world.

"I have learnt so much about how big the world really is but at the same time how small it is," Brown said. Her popularity among international students raised her to the ISO cabinet, and finally the presidency.

ISO represents 60 nationalities, and many other multi-cultural groups exist to serve more specific interests. These groups are also struggling for the attention of domestic students.

"Unless we are like them, we are Americanized, they are just not interested," Na Hee Bae '08, president of Asian Student in Alliance (ASIA), said.

Some people blame the problem on International Student Orientation, something ISO tries to anticipate. Before New Student Orientation (NSO) starts, international students have already been in Grinnell for a week, participating in activities aimed at adapting to a new environment.

Some people fear that the friendships formed in this week hinder international students from making friends with Americans during NSO.

Brown disagreed. "Going to college is a crazy experience to begin with, but going to college in a completely new country is even more crazy," she said, insisting that change should take place in NSO.

She said it should offer more opportunities for students to socialize, given that it's the first time international and American students meet.

Alexander said it is not a myth that there is discomfort regarding interaction between domestic and international students.

She explained that this is caused by subtle cultural patterns that are activated when they first meet each other. However, she insisted people should be objective as to how serious the problem actually is.

"Of 162 international students, 42 are first-year students who can't choose their roommates and 19 live off campus," Alexander said. "That leaves 101 international students who can choose their roommates. Of these, 83 choose to live with American students." She also stressed the role of ISO as an "umbrella organization" that provides a network for students from all around the world.

ISO has been actively seeking to collaborate with other multicultural organizations, and is also devoted to educating domestic students on the importance of diversity.

"Everyone at Grinnell is away from home, so we all share that common bond," Brown said.

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