International students from Kent State University’s English as a Second Language (ESL) Center presented aspects of their home countries Monday during “Culture Share Day,” an event designed to build community, practice English and introduce students to one another’s cultures.
The event featured short student presentations on topics including food, traditions, language and natural beauty from a range of countries across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America. Students shared personal perspectives and cultural experiences, and one group read poems in both English and their native language.
ESL Center Director Debbie Rozner said Culture Share Day began as a way to reconnect students outside of traditional classroom structure following the COVID-19 pandemic and has since become a recurring semester event in different formats.
“We had the sense that we needed to think outside the box a little bit and build community again,” Rozner said. “[Culture Share Day] is a chance for the students to talk to each other and get outside of the script of a traditional classroom.”
This semester’s presentation groups were organized by English proficiency level and theme. Rozner said the event also supports language development alongside cultural exchange.
“There’s of course a language function to it too,” Rozner said. “It’s about speaking clearly, using vocabulary that’s within your range and practicing pronunciation.”
Among the participants was Fahad Albalawi, a student from Saudi Arabia who said the event helped students connect across cultures.
“I really enjoyed how they let us communicate with students from other countries,” Albalawi said. “We saw a lot of beautiful places in their countries. It was really good and useful for students to learn about other cultures.”
Students in the ESL program are preparing for potential academic study at Kent State or other universities after completing intensive English instruction, and typically spend about a year in the program, according to Rozner.
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