This past Thursday, a mixture of both domestic and international students, faculty, and staff gathered together to celebrate Thanksgiving in the Lion’s Den. There were students from Penn State Berks, Schuylkill, and Lehigh Valley present.
Sharon Pitterson-Ogaldez, or as we call her, Ms. O, is the coordinator of Diversity & International programs on campus and organized the event. Chancellor Hillkirk made a small speech on what Thanksgiving personally meant to him and his family. Dr. Esqueda, Senior Associate Dean, also made a speech but touched more on how the tradition itself started and how he himself adjusted to it, being from Venezuela.
It was a great feeling to know I was a part of some students’ first Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday celebrated nationally in our country and it felt nice to be able to share that experience with them. There are times where you truly feel like you are part of a family on campus and this was one of them. It was heartwarming, especially after Tuesday’s election results. Dr. Hillkirk mentioned the situation briefly, but only to encourage anyone who was feeling a sense of anxiety or any kind of overwhelming emotion to find someone on campus that they are comfortable with and talk about it, including himself.
It was everything you expect to see on Thanksgiving. Great food, music, and company was provided. Food Services made sure there were authentic Thanksgiving dishes; there was everything from turkey with cranberry sauce to stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy. There was a musician playing some relaxing music on his guitar. Fresh apple cider and coffee for everyone; the cutest turkey centerpieces for each table and at least seven pumpkin and apple pies!
The Thanksgiving Dinner sponsored by the Intercultural Office was a pleasure to be a part of. It was just another reminder that no matter what race, ethnicity, or background you come from; you are always welcome at our campus. With that, although the holiday is a little more than a week away, I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and if you don’t celebrate it, I hope you have a great week!
If for any reason you would like to visit the Intercultural Office, it is located in Gaige 311A.