Unionites of all countries get the chance to represent their homeland during IC’s world cup tournament PC: IMC

Union’s campus offers many unique clubs for students to join that cover nearly every interest, but one club that stands out is the one striving to not just be a club, but a home. This is Union’s International Club. Although the club is smaller this year, in the past it’s been one of the larger clubs with well over a hundred students. Even with decreased numbers, it still has an active presence on campus.

Boss Sirisatit, a sophomore IRR major, is president of Union’s International Club. Sirisatit says that the International Club’s goal is to “make sure international students here feel like they are home.” As an international student from Thailand, Sirisatit had heard about the club his freshman year and is now actively involved as an officer. The club is important on campus, he says, because it helps many to feel welcome and feel as if they have another home here in Union.

“We sometimes have a Thanksgiving potluck for international students and make sure that they are feeling invited,” Sirisatt says. These meals help to provide a place for students to get together and share good food and fellowship when many other students have gone home over break.

“If you are a student from the United States, you have family, you have cousins, you have, you know, grandpa and grandpa to support you. For international [students], [you] fly over the sea. You have no one here,” Sirisatt says. The club is there to say “we are here to support you, we are here for you.”

Several of the activities that the International Club hosts are open to the entire campus and allow many cultures to be included. One of these is the soccer tournament taking place in the fall. The different teams are encouraged to don the colors of their countries and some students even perform dances from their countries.

Another event, the World Pageant, is a favorite of the student body, The World Pageant allows students to showcase parts of their culture and experience others as well. The event will take place on March 24th this year and the International Club encourages all to come. There will also be free food available to the students from different areas of the world and lots of entertainment, making for a memorable evening.

The International Club makes a difference for many students on campus and it’s the club’s accepting nature and friendly attitude that really make it stand out. Everyone brings something into it and everyone has something they can learn from it. “It’s not the club that is important,” Sirisatt emphasizes, “It’s making people feel welcome that’s important.”

Amanda McCarter is a junior studying biomedical science.