Every year, the International Student Association hosts the International Showcase at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts. This year, on Saturday, Feb. 28, there were a total of 12 performances. These performances ranged from singing, instrumental talents, and skits, each one tailored to show a piece of their unique cultures.
Ngetwai Ngiramengior, the president of the International Student Association and in her last semester of grad school with the social work department, said that “this event is special because it highlights the many cultures represented on our campus and creates a space where students can celebrate and learn from one another’s backgrounds.” She is originally from Palau, an archipelago near Guam and Papua New Guinea, but came to study social work at Pitt State.
Ngiramengior is now the president of the ISA. As president of ISA, she helped to “lead the planning and coordination of the event, work closely with [their] team, and encourage international students to showcase their talents and cultures through performances.”
Thanks to events like this, Shreyashee Dutta, a graduate student and graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Psychology & Counseling, feels that “people in the States are very well aware of the rich cultural heritage of India.”
She has received a few comments from people saying they liked the “Ghungru,” which is the sound that the bells worn around the feet make while dancing.
“I really wish that people would get an enriching experience by watching my dance in this international showcase,” she said.
Aagaman Bajracharya is the vice president of ISA, and he is a senior studying biology. He is from Nepal and represented his country by performing “End of Beginning” by Djo on his guitar while he sang. He said that since he was in America and has visited Chicago several times, “That song just hits different.” He brought his own guitar to play and has played the guitar on and off for the last 10 years.
Another of the performances was done by several students from Africa and their friends, dancing to a compilation of several Afrobeat songs. Favour Bassey, a graduate teaching assistant in the department of communication, gave some words following the performance. Last year, it was just her and her sister on the stage, but this year, she was joined by several other students, and she said that she “was just happy to see friends and old and new faces” on the stage that night. Bassey went on to say that she “loved seeing not just [her] own country and continent but also seeing other countries too.”
Jayli Johnson is a junior graphic communications major with an emphasis in graphic design and said that “it was a really cool night.” She added, “I liked to see the excitement of all the international students and the pride they have in their countries.”
Mia Perry, a senior English and creative writing major, came to the showcase to experience “all the different things with [her] friends.” She said her favorite was the very first act, where Gabriela Mongelos Dominguez of Paraguay performed “Regalo De Amor,” a song praising love.
Perry mentioned, “When I sat down and that was the first one to come out, I was not expecting it.” She also added that having the showcase on campus “gave [her] hope” among “all the things happening” in the world right now.