CHSP to host its annual Thanksgiving feast for international students (VIDEO)
Photographer: Liz MoughonSelena Baker, the nutrition counselor for WellWorks, helps to serve a holiday feast to the international students in the College of Health Sciences and Professions during last year鈥檚 International Student Thanksgiving Dinner.
In the spirit of family gatherings, cultural exchange and giving thanks, staff at 91探花鈥檚 College of Health Sciences and Professions are busy planning the feast and festivities for this year鈥檚 International Student Thanksgiving Dinner.
The sixth annual event is scheduled for 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, in Grover Center鈥檚 Atrium Caf茅. It is free and open to international students enrolled in the College of Health Sciences and Professions and their families.
Francis McFadden, assistant professor of nutrition and food sciences and chef and coordinator of the Atrium Caf茅, started the college鈥檚 International Student Thanksgiving Dinner six years ago after returning from a two-year assignment teaching in London, England. He noted that the tradition facilitates cultural understanding and conversation between faculty and staff and the college鈥檚 international student body.
鈥淣ew international students going to school at 91探花 may not have had the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving and may not understand what may be our most-celebrated holiday,鈥 McFadden said. 鈥淢y goal for this truly food-focused holiday is to help them understand what the Thanksgiving meal represents and why it is celebrated.鈥
Assisting McFadden in organizing the past two International Student Thanksgiving Dinners is Kristen Twining, a 2015 graduate of the college鈥檚 Food and Nutrition Sciences Program who is employed as the business manager at the Atrium Caf茅.
Twining noted that the event also provides the College of Health Sciences and Professions an opportunity to show appreciation to the international students who add to the diverse fabric of the college鈥檚 community and to get to know those students a little better.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful event and a chance to interact with our international students and get to know more about them, their families, their homes countries and some of their traditions,鈥 Twining said.
It鈥檚 also an opportunity for camaraderie among the college鈥檚 faculty and staff who volunteer to cook and serve the feast that this year will include roasted turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry relish, and apple and pumpkin pie.
In addition to the traditional Thanksgiving feast, this year鈥檚 event also will include several children鈥檚 activities, including Thanksgiving-themed crafts, games and the showing of 鈥淎 Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.鈥
Twining noted that to better prepare for this annual tradition, this year the College of Health Sciences and Professions is asking international students who plan on attending the dinner to register for the event. Online registration is , and the deadline to register is Sunday, Nov. 19.
鈥淭he event is held for our international students and their families, and if they don鈥檛 have family here, they can bring a friend because no one eats Thanksgiving dinner alone,鈥 Twining said.
For more information about this year鈥檚 event, contact Twining at twining@ohio.edu.
Photographer: Lauren DickeyInternational students in the College of Health Sciences and Professions enjoy a Thanksgiving meal during the 2015 International Student Thanksgiving Dinner.
Photographer: Lauren DickeyA family-friendly event, the 2015 International Student Thanksgiving Dinner included a turkey pi帽ata.