On Friday, the Center for Adult and Veteran Services, the Office of International Student Affairs and the Women’s Center collaborated on their very first event called “International Parenting Student Potluck” at the Williamson House.
The event gave an opportunity to international student parents and students to bring and share their traditional food.
“I brought samosa because it is a traditional Indian snack, has potato, good balance of flavor and spicy, and everyone loves it,” said Aditya Ghatpande from India, who graduated from the University of Akron Law School in 2019.
This event brings together international parenting students at Kent State, said Ashton Leigh, director of the Office of International Student Affairs.
“I joined this event because I can reach out to the international parenting student population,” said April Ghatpande, a graduate student in the higher education program. “Also, everyone can get the opportunity to connect and talk to each other.”
The purpose of this event is to build community, especially for international parenting students, said Amber Thomas, a graduate student in the counseling program and a graduate assistant at the Center for Adult and Veteran Services.
“Being a parenting student on campus is difficult as is, but when you add the element of being an international student as well, it can add even more obstacles,” Thomas said. “Ensuring that our international parenting student population knows that we see them and want to support them is important to us.”
There are a lot of support systems for international parenting students at the Center for Adult and Veteran Services, Ghatpande said.
For example, to help connect to other resources and students, the office carries various supplies, including free school supplies for parents, Thomas said. The Women’s Center, in addition to the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Career Exploration and Development buildings, has a career closet with free clothing for professional interviews.
“We hope that students can learn more about our parenting student resources and possibly make some personal connections as well,” Thomas said. “Many international students do not have any family here, so they report feeling isolated or lonely. Therefore, building a sense of community through programs such as this is imperative.”
Leigh said they hope to collaborate more with the Center for Adult and Veteran Services in future events.
“I think this event is important because the international parenting student community at Kent State is bigger than I think most people would expect,” Leigh said. “But it is a group of students that has not had events and support made specific for them. I am excited to be working with the Center for Adult and Veteran Services to provide the best experience we can for these students.”
Yui Kaichi is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
