Boston University is located in the heart of New England, but have you ever thought of how many people from around the world call this college home? Hyerim Seo, president of BU’s International Student Organization, is bringing attention to all of the different cultures here at our school. She’s created a welcoming environment that celebrates differences, and today she’s telling me how she does it.
Q: Where did the idea for BUISO come from and how did you find others who were interested in joining the club?
“Since BU’s such a diverse school, most international students or American students from different backgrounds are interested in getting to know other cultures. I know that the founder of the club went to a party freshman year and came up with the idea with the people he met there.”
Q: Who can join?
“Basically everyone! A lot of people think that the group’s only open for international students, but everyone who appreciates cultures and wants to learn more about them can join.”
Q: What is your mission?
“Our mission is to build a common ground for everyone at BU regardless of their culture, race or sexual orientation because the culture of being here is what unites them after all. I want everyone to feel welcomed and that BU is a community where they all belong.”
Q: What kinds of activities and events do you do?
“We are a social club, so we like to have all of us get together at least once a week, so even though our meeting is bi-weekly, we try to go on trips together, hang out or eat as a group as often as possible. This semester, we went to the aquarium and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and had a few mixers. Other official events included Tea Around the World, where we had seven different stations of cultural tea and members were able to learn about the teas and taste them, and Culture Shock, an event composed of cultural education, showcase, and celebration.”
Q: Has being a leader for BUISO taught you anything?
“I think about the club 24/7. It’s kind of tiring but every time I do something fun, I tell everyone that we should all do it together, and every time I eat something good, I like to take our members to the restaurant. I feel like a mom sometimes, but it just automatically made me more caring and obviously, I’m more conscious about what I do inside and outside school because I’d like to set a good example. I’m better at time management now and being a group leader has given me more room to think creatively because I always think about what to do at our next meeting to make them all happy.”
Q: Do you have any goals for the organization’s future?
“It hasn’t been long since we got officially registered on the system, and our next goal is to have members and have more regular events so we can become a bigger group, which then leads us to get more financial support from BU. Right now we have no budget and it’s really difficult to hold bigger events, so that’s our goal for now. And of course, we want students to know that we exist and that everyone is welcomed here.”
Check out @buiso_ on Instagram to be a part of Hyerim’s mission today!
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