Banquet and recognition mark Radford international community’s Class of 2017

ISAC Banquet action
Mahdi Torebinejad was one of many international students to take to the stage at the ISAC Banquet.

The international community at Radford University celebrated its Class of 2017 with regalia and a banquet. 

Themed “Flavors of the World” and hosted by the International Student Affairs Council of the Student Government Association and the International Education Center (IEC), the 26th annual International Banquet, featured food, music and camaraderie on April 8 in the Muse Banquet Room. 

“The night was better than we could have ever dreamt,” said Bismark Amofah, a senior chemistry major from London and ISAC president. “The performances were great and the food was delicious.”

Several of the Radford international students joined the Chartwell’s staff the night before to prepare a global board of fare for more than 300 international students and their Radford friends.

The guests of Radford’s 2016-2017 international students sampled an 18-dish menu that included cream cheese and crab wonton from China, Ethiopian tikel gomen, Irish fish and chips, Swedish chokladbollar and chicken tteokbokki from South Korea. 

ISAC Banquet action

Radford's community of international students went into the Muse kitchen to prepare the menu for the ISAC banquet.

ISAC Honors dinner action
Interim Provost Joseph Scartelli (left) and IEC Director Paul Currant (right) flank Kirk Scholar Nick Diaz after he received his graduation stoll.

The banquet entertainment line up featured 15 performances, including the Iranian Donya, the Bachata from the Dominican Republic, South Koran K-pop and the African Tendaji.

On April 12, Radford’s international community again convened for the IEC’s International Highlanders Awards ceremony in the Muse Banquet Room to honor the members of Radford’s graduating class of 2017 who have taken part in an international education or study abroad experience

Interim Provost Joseph Scartelli joined IEC director Paul Currant to acknowledge more than 150 students with commemorative cords.

During his keynote address, Scartelli highlighted the rich value of the international education experience.

“When exposing one’s self to environments that are out of our comfort zone, we reveal to ourselves how much we don’t know. That takes courage. The payoffs are exponentially more beneficial than the risks or the costs. For those who truly love learning, and growing, these exposures are deeply rewarding and gratifying,” said Scartelli to the more than 100 students and guests.

Among those honored were the 12-person class of McGlothlin Scholarship recipients, three Kirk Scholars and 102 other Radford students who had included international education and study abroad in their Radford educational experience. 

Currant also recognized and thanked the 200-strong “matrix or network of those in the Radford community who do everything from picking up students at the airport to hosting holiday dinners.”  

Apr 21, 2017
Don Bowman
(540) 831-5182
dbowman@radford.edu