The Russell House ballroom hosted 2018’s World Night, a celebration of the multicultural students of USC, on Tuesday. USC's international students plan, run and perform the entire show, making it a time where the true diversity of the university is shown.
Student organizations like the Bangladesh Student Association and the Carolina K-Pop Dance Club showcased traditional and modern performances of singing and dancing.
Guests were invited to try food from around the world, like baklava and lychee rice pudding, before sitting down to watch the performances. The night began with a musical performance, and then a flag parade celebrating all of the countries represented that night.
Jody Pritt, director of International Student Services, was excited to see what the students were showcasing and were proud of the work they had done.
“It’s really just an opportunity for them to kind of showcase their different cultures and customs, but also I think the big key word here for World Night every year is that it's a celebration,” Pritt said.
The Darla Moore School of Business is home to a nationally ranked international business program, and students come from around the world to study at USC. Over 100 different countries are represented. Pritt thinks the international students bring a refreshing view to our campus.
“USC is a place that is very international, and we have individuals, not only just students but staff, faculty from all over the world," she said. “I think it’s just a really unique environment that we have on campus that some people who might be a little further away from the campus life don’t really realize that we have and it's really what makes us special and a spotlight institution here in Columbia.”
Between performances the Miss and Mr. World Pageant took place. Students represented their home countries and answered questions about their culture and themselves. Questions ask varied from favorite holiday back home to what country they wish to travel to next.
Laura Kock, a third-year Spanish and experimental psychology student, competed in the pageant. Kock grew up in Aruba, an island country in the Caribbean, and came to South Carolina for college.
In addition to the pageant, Kock performed an award-winning poem inspired by her love for her home. After first reciting it in English, Kock performed it in Papiamento, the native language of Aruba.
“Here in the South, the people are very similar to Arubans, very warm and friendly and I love it when they call me ‘yeah, sugar,'" Kock said. “It’s very similar to Aruba, which made me feel at home right away.”
Despite going away for school, Kock still is very proud of her heritage.
“A lot of people, once they spend a bit more time in Aruba, or getting to know about Aruba, it's so much more than just the beaches,” Kock said about Aruba. “Our island, even though it's not big, it is very rich in culture and history.”