International Coffee Hour provides insight into the cultures of international students at Alcorn

International Coffee Hour provides insight into the cultures of international students at Alcorn

International Coffee Hour is an event hosted in the Global Programs Building every Friday from 10 until 11 a.m. The event is open to all Alcorn State University faculty, staff and students to enhance their knowledge on international history and issues.

Because there are over 100 international students on campus, International Coffee Hour was created to help domestic and international students build relationships and gain knowledge about each other’s home. During International Coffee Hour, there is a presentation given by one of the students that is centered around a general or specific topic about their country. Domestic students who are well traveled also give presentations. Students can explore the differences between their home country and the United States. When there aren’t presenters, a popular topic in the news is discussed.

Peggy Wolfe, global classroom, video and graphics/ Global Programs Specialist, explained why the initiative was created.

“Dr. Alipoe wanted to find a casual platform where the international and domestic students could get together and learn each other’s culture. We use international coffee hour to get rid of stereotypes that some students may have about other countries,” said Wolfe.

There are normally about 10-15 students at International Coffee Hour, but depending on the interest of the topic, more students may attend. Students can choose from a variety of refreshments to enjoy while listening to the information.

Students around campus are encouraged to attend and learn new information about different countries and cultures.