The Scott D. Morris International Food and Cultural Festival will return to UNK in November. The event, hosted by the International Student Association, is free and open to the public, bringing in more than 1,000 attendees annually.
The student organization needs volunteers to cook up a successful event.
“This would be a really good opportunity for both international and national students from Kearney or anywhere here to make friends, stay connected and get to know different cultures while being in Kearney,” said Aayusha Neupane, an international student from Nepal and student adviser for ISA.
With more than five countries represented, including India, Japan, Korea, Nepal and the Philippines, it takes about 50 volunteers to cook enough food to feed the entire crowd.
Not only are international cuisines featured at the festival, but performances, activities and games are also offered, giving guests an opportunity to experience the world’s cultures from a Midwest college town.
UNK has 263 international students enrolled this fall semester, with students representing 56 different countries. Neupane said the organization is hoping to get more cultures represented at the food festival.
“We want to see if we can have more continents or varieties so that we can showcase it,” Neupane said.
The international food festival is an opportunity for students from all backgrounds to get involved and interact with the cultures of the countries represented at UNK.
Neupane, now a senior, was the organization’s president last year and has volunteered for the event since she was a freshman. Being involved in the event during her first year led her to join ISA and introduced her to other international students from different countries.
Muskan Muskan, a sophomore from India, also found connection and friendship through the international food festival. Muskan said she met some of her closest friends when attending the event as a freshman.
“This is the best opportunity for freshmen to hang out with a lot of people, make friends and explore other cultures,” Muskan said.
Aayush Thapa also has a history with the international food festival and has helped with the cooking since his freshman year. Thapa is a junior international student from Nepal and is the president of ISA.
“As a president for the first time, I’m just ready to face the challenges,” Thapa said. “I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Going into her last year, Neupane said she is excited to see the rewards of all the work she has put into the organization and event.
“I feel like it’s really connected to me,” Neupane said. “It takes like a whole semester to plan for the event, but it’s fruitful.”
The event is set for November 2 in the Ponderosa Room of the Nebraskan Student Union, but Thapa said the date and location for the event are still being finalized.
Students from any background who are interested in volunteering or want to represent their country at the festival can reach out to ISA’s Instagram page @unk_isa_official.
Click the link below to sign up to help with the festival.
