Ashish R Dodlolla reporter
Pitt State is hosting a variety of events for international students enrolled in the Intensive English Program (IEP) from Japan and Taiwan. They will visit Silver Dollar City, attend a Royal’s game, see Crystal Bridges, fish and canoe at the university lake, and participate in more events through August 8. Stuart Zizzo, communication coordinator for Pitt State International Programs and Services shared his insights and plans.
Zizzo said they’re organizing activities to give Japanese and Taiwanese groups an authentic American cultural experience, with a focus on college prep for the Japanese and Taiwanese students.
“We’re planning these different activities to give them an American cultural experience because that’s one of the primary things that they’re here for—to experience America and American culture before going to American universities… We’re putting on these different activities to give them that true taste of America, what we’re all about, and what it’s like to live here. Through these activities, we’re really hoping that they take something away from them and learn something new.”
Zizzo said they’re planning the Great Gorilla Games to get everyone active and interacting, aiming to blend different cultures through fun activities and competitions.
“We aim to integrate various cultures and foster interaction among participants through mutual enjoyment, games, various activities, and competitions. That’s mainly the point of these games and activities: getting everyone involved and learning about different cultures.”
Zizzo mentioned that they encourage participation in all events and use initial questionnaires to tailor activities to everyone’s interests, ensuring all students can be involved and have fun: “We try to encourage them to come to all our events, but if they’re not coming, we still try to check in with them to see maybe what they’re interested in. We did send out a questionnaire when they first arrived to see what kinds of activities and things they were interested in doing. That way, we can try to have something available for everyone. That way, everyone can be involved. Everyone can have fun doing whatever they like and enjoy.”
Zizzo said that at the Crystal Bridges event, students enjoyed the museum and a hike, where they engaged in rewarding cultural exchanges and tried speaking new languages.
“The students really enjoyed the museum from the Crystal Bridges event that we just had this past weekend, getting to see something very different and very new. There was a beautiful art exhibit that they saw. Following their visit to the art exhibit, we took them on a hike. During the hike, they had the opportunity to meet and converse with some of our other international students. They began to share their cultures and languages, to the point where the students were even attempting to speak the new languages they were learning. Observing that cultural exchange unfolding in real time is truly fulfilling.”
With the help of student translators and guides, their events are well-received.
“Finding something that will be of interest to everyone is a challenging task. That’s one of our challenges. The second challenge, of course, is language. It can sometimes be challenging to explain these events or to fully grasp what’s involved due to a lack of understanding. However, we make every effort to do our best. Many of our student helpers are available to assist with translations and provide guidance. Our student workers have been a huge help in making sure these activities and events go well and are well received by all students.”
Zizzo mentioned they regularly use questionnaires to gather feedback on student preferences, including likes, dislikes, and suggestions for event durations and food choices.
“We try to gauge their interests, their likes and dislikes essentially, start, stop, and continue. And we try to take that into account for future events and adapt accordingly.”
With a variety of activities, Zizzo expressed the hope that students would gain new cultural insights and learn about both a new culture and Kansas during their experiences in the middle of the US.