Ouachita Stories

Ouachita’s International Club will host its annual International Food Festival in Walker Conference Center from 6-8 p.m. on Feb. 17.

Sponsored by the Grant Center for International Education, the food festival is a way for Ouachita students to catch a glimpse of other cultures through the efforts of the International Club’s members.

“Our theme this year is dance,” said sophomore Stephanie Beck, co-director of the event. “We will have dancers representing every continent from around the globe.”

Beck, a French and Russian major from Sheridan, Ark., started getting involved in the club the second semester of her freshman year.

“My first semester last year, I had too many hours, but now I’m really connected with people and I love it,” Beck said. “I see the International Club as a family for students that do not have a home nearby. It’s fun and exciting for the international students to get connected to the United States and Ouachita life.”

The festival is held in the Walker Conference Center and costs $5 at the door. Contrary to popular belief, the festival is not a fundraiser.

“We’re really just trying to break even,” said Ian Cosh, director of the Grant Center for International Education. “The money taken at the door is for entertainment and the cost of food.”

“The International Food Fest has been around for a long time,” Cosh said. “It was not until the Walker Conference Center was built that the festival took off. What was really holding us back was the lack of space.”

This year’s event is expecting a large turnout. “We are expecting anywhere from 400 to 500 people at this year’s event,” Beck said.

Students in the International Club are certainly looking forward to the event.

“It’s going to be different from years past,” said junior Elisa Modesto, co-director of the event. “We’re stepping above and beyond with entertainment.”

by Katie Steele