Before 1999, the International Coordinating Council was the organization that all international student organizations went through to receive funding. The funds were allocated to the ICC by the Student Governing Association, the ICC essentially playing middle man to the international student organizations.
Nowadays, the ICC is no longer a part of the allocation process. It has taken on a new campus role, holding to the purpose of helping integrate international students into the culture of, and promote diversity on, campus.
Not a lot of history has been recorded about this particular group. Maria Beebe, associate director of international programs, was the adviser for the group in 1999. Beebe said she was in charge of helping the group get through the time where the student organizations no longer went through ICC for funding. Currently, ICC does not have a faculty adviser.
“When I started, one of my jobs was to get this group running again,” Beebe said.
During the fall semester, ICC sponsors events like International Championships and the International Food Festival. In the spring, ICC is involved with planning International Week and the events corresponding to it. Beebe said the group’s goal is to highlight and promote K-State as a diverse campus.
“Students who are involved with ICC or any of their events will be encouraged to study abroad,” Beebe said. “They are motivated to learn about the culture and language, because they have met international students.”
Yichao Zhang, president of ICC and junior in chemical engineering, said ICC offers
the opportunity to get familiar with the international community before
studying abroad.
“One of our objectives is to promote diversity
on the KSU campus,” Zhang said.”[Students] can get involved with us
before studying abroad.”
Zhang said ICC helps her feel like she is at home at K-State, because it offers a comforting environment.
“ICC makes me feel like I’m at a second home when I’m not at home [in China],” Zhang said.
Zach Bomberger, treasurer of ICC and sophomore in secondary education and international studies, said ICC gives him a chance to create a home for international students while they are studying in America.
“I got involved with ICC because I found that I have a passion for the international community,” Bomberger said. “I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives through a positive impact. I realized my freshman year that with me having lots of international friends that I wanted to do what I could to make things better for them and make KSU feel more like a home away from home.”
Bomberger also said that ICC connects and further develops the international community on campus.
“When people look at the international community one of the first
things they see, if not the first thing, is us,” Bomberger said. “I
whole heartily believe that ICC brings a sense of togetherness and also
that we are wanting to make a difference here in the international
community.”
Bomberger said that ICC’s events are open to the public and that American student attendance is highly encouraged.
“Everyone is invited to these events,” Bomberger said. “We love it when domestic students come because that just adds to the
experience of coming to the United States … to
meet actual American college students that they will be sharing the
university with.”
