Students attended a series of cultural presentations by Marshall’s Undergraduate Pathway Program on Oct. 13 in the Arthur Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex. 

“For this event, students are asked to choose a topic that they know and care about from their home culture and share that with the university community,” said Lindsey Anderson, an instructor who organized this event. “The topics change semester to semester depending on the students and where they are from.” 

Lindsey Anderson has been working with international students and has organized these presentations for years. 

This semester, students from China, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were presented. 

Anderson said the program’s goal for these presentations is to give students the experience of presenting to a wider audience than just their own classmates.  

“It’s a great way to push these students outside their normal bubble of classmates and friends,” said Anderson. “Our students always go into this extremely nervous, but afterwards, you can just see how proud of themselves they are, and as their instructor, I love that. I also think it’s just a great way for our audience to learn something new about a culture other than their own.” 

COVID-19 has impacted the Cultural Series since it started. 

“We are extremely excited to be meeting in person this semester for these presentations. We did the Cultural Series virtually for two or three semesters and although it was still fun, it just wasn’t the same,” said Anderson.  

The Cultural Series had reserved a classroom large enough that audience members could social distance.

Masks were required at this event. 

“We definitely hope to bring back the Cultural Series next semester and beyond because it’s such a wonderful experience for everyone involved. Some of our students may be participating in the International Festival that’s coming up next month as well,” said Anderson. 

For more information on the Cultural Series, other events or how to join if interested, contact Lindsay Anderson at [email protected].