International group elects new officers
The elected officials will take office in January.
Published Nov. 15, 2005
The Missouri International Student Council, or MISC, celebrated the election of its new executive members during an inaugural dinner Saturday night in the Benton Bingham Ballroom at Memorial Union.
The student council offers a cultural experience for international students and serves as an umbrella organization for nearly a dozen special interest groups at MU. The new officer-elects will take office in January.
"The council provides a network of support for international students by unifying and raising voices through a legislative course of action," MISC President Byung Jae Kim said. "The primary purpose of the council is to unite voices of international students through student activities."
Newly elected External Affairs Vice President Liu Hanqing said students from more than 100 countries attend MU. He said MISC helps foreign exchange students adapt to the new cultural setting in Missouri.
"I think that's really important for international students that just come to America and are just starting their studies and have to adjust themselves to a new college to a new environment," Hanqing said. "They definitely will meet some difficulties."
Although MISC helps international students adapt to a setting foreign from their own, the organization also provides students of all ethnicities with the opportunity to learn about other cultures.
"I think I've gained a broader world perspective," said Matthew Webb, the newly elected associate vice president of internal affairs. "It's one thing to read about other cultures, but when you talk to people, interact with people, then you have a real life sense of what's going on."
Prasad Guggari, an exchange student who serves as the coordinator for Cultural Association of India, said the organization provided him with a safe haven when he first came to America.
"It makes me feel one with the local community here," he said. "So, it's definitely a lot more beneficial rather than just having your local cultural organization. You are exposed to a much larger community. It feels really nice for newer students."
Throughout the year, the organization offers several cultural events for community members.
"One of the main things we do is the welcome party," newly elected Activities Manager Ashley Spratt said. "It invites all of the new international students that it just got into MU to come out and meet other international students."
European Committee Chairwoman Jennifer Tyler said her experiences with MISC have broadened her horizons.
"I've had the wonderful opportunity to meet students from all over the world, not only Europe, but Asia and Africa and also Latin America, and it's been a wonderful cultural experience," Tyler said. "I'm thinking about teaching internationally, which I hadn't thought about before."
According to a recent preliminary count by Institutional Research at MU, international students make up approximately 4 percent of the student population.
"This is really what a university is all about, trying to bring together different perspectives, different cultures, share knowledge, share insights ultimately to make this a better place to live," International Center Director James McCartney said.
MISC President-elect Sid Singh said he is pleased with the new slate of chosen officers.
"All of the new elected leaders are great members," he said. "They have their own visions. They are very strong on their own, and I have great expectations for them."