World Student Association Holds 23rd Annual Cultural Night

A small campus isn’t typically known for being multicultural. After a two-year hiatus, the University of Wisconsin-Superior held its 23rd annual Cultural Night showing the diversity that is found on a campus of less than 3,000 students.

The event was held on Saturday, March 25 and was $10 for UWS students or $15 for community members. Dinner was served between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. and performances were shown between 6:30 and 8 p.m.

The first half of the event started in the Yellowjacket Union, where food from different countries was available. Some dishes included Indonesian Corn Fritters, Chinese Spring Rolls, Ghana Chichingas, Scottish Mince Tatties, Brazilian Pao de Queijo, Japanese Sweet Potato Dessert, and Indian Lassie Drinks.

Attendees gathered in the Thorpe Langley Auditorium for a flag celebration that represent all of the countries that international students are from which concluded the event. | Photo by Rene Williams

Following dinner, UWS students held a fashion show to showcase cultural attire from their home countries.

The event then moved to Old Main into the Thorpe Langley Auditorium where seven student performers celebrated with a variety of cultural songs and dances from their respected countries. This year also saw some poetry being read out loud.

To cap off the night, a flag show was presented broadcasting every country that the University of Wisconsin-Superior had a student from. The flags can also be found hanging around the Yellowjacket Union.

Cultural Night helps promote diversity and allows international students to show off any cultural differences that may clash with a Western lifestyle. The inclusion of a Cultural Night and Intercultural Coffee Hour helps international students celebrate their own culture as well as promote diversity for our small college community.

Cultural Night will continue to be an annual event at UWS and was postponed for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. World Student Association meets biweekly on Mondays from 5 to 6 p.m. Their next meeting is April 17 in the Pope Wright Center in Old Main.