Students discuss "Coming to America" for International Education Week

Panelists (L-R) included: Pasang Sherpa (panel organizer), Sonam Sherpa, Dr. Aakriti Tandon (Assistant Professor of Political Science), Elvira Zaykova, Johanes (Jacob) Tacastacas, Tsering Choedon, Carla Hernandez (front), Kimberley Maende, Zahra Nayyeri, Amie Dukuray, and Sophia Ng (Global Programs Office). (Photo courtesy of Pasang Sherpa)

By: Dr. Aakriti Tandon

The Offices of Global Programs and Housing & Residence Life jointly sponsored a student panel on Coming to America on November 19, 2013, to honor International Education Week at Daemen College. The panel was moderated by Dr. Aakriti Tandon, Assistant Professor of Political Science in the History & Political Science Department, and organized by Daemen student Pasang Sherpa. A wide range of countries were represented by the panelists, who included Carla Hernandez (Mexico), Zahra Nayyeri (Iran), Sonam Sherpa (Nepal), Elvira Zaykova (Ukraine), Amie Dukuray (Zimbabwe), Kimberley Maende (Kenya), Tsering Choedon (Tibet), and Johanes Tacastacas (Philippines).

Panelists Elvira Zaykova, Amie Dukuray, Sonan Sherpa, and Kimberley Maende, with Dr. Aakriti Tandon. (Photo courtesy of Pasang Sherpa.)

Several students shared their experiences of culture shock they experienced when they first settled in the United States. The perceived cultural differences ranged from food choices to holiday celebrations to dating and the education system. Some common themes emerged in spite of the very diverse experience of the panelists. Almost all of them felt they had been stereotyped at some point in their stay in America. The students felt that there was a lack of awareness regarding their home countries and some had taken it upon themselves to educate their classmates about their culture and traditions, thereby discouraging certain stereotypes. Kimberley said that she had been questioned if she grew up in the vicinity of lions and lived in a hut back in Africa. Tsering explained that she was constantly asked if she was from China, Japan or Korea. She has often had to show Tibet on a map to her classmates and frequently attempts to share the history and culture of Tibet with her friends. Amie has adopted a similar approach, trying to debunk the myth that Africa is one giant country.

Panelists & some of the audience members at the "Coming to America" event

Almost all the panelists concurred that their family, relatives and friends back home felt that they were rich because they lived in America. Sitcoms and Hollywood movies had led them all to believe that America was the land of the rich where "money grows on trees," to use an old cliche. The panelists had often been asked to bring back expensive gifts, symbols of American capitalism. Carla Hernandez, a History major and Pre-law minor, explained that she always brought back keychains from the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State building for her family and friends in Mexico. She also stressed that people in Mexico don't all "wear sombreros" or "eat tacos." The country has a rich variety of food and people, and she would like to share these experiences with her classmates. Opportunities like this enable students to enhance their college experience. The panelists expressed concern about how many Americans know very little about many countries in the world and stressed the need for education in global history and geography.






(For more information about study abroad opportunities, please contact the Global Programs Office.)

Dr. Tandon to Moderate Student Panel Discussion as Part of the Global Programs Office International Education Week

Coming to America   

The Global Programs Office is organizing a Student Panel, 'Coming to America,' to celebrate International Education Week at Daemen College. The panel will include international students from a diverse range of countries, who will talk about the culture shock and perceived cultural differences when they initially settled in the United States. Dr. Aakriti Tandon, Assistant Professor of Political Science in the History & Political Science Department will serve as the faculty moderator for this event. The event is coordinate by Daemen student Pasang Sherpa.

International Education Week will be celebrated from November 18-22 at Daemen College. The 'Coming to America' panel will be held on Tuesday, November 19 at 11:30 in RIC 101.

H&P Department Sponsors World Refugee Day! By Dr. Joseph Sankoh

June 20^th is World Refugee Day.  This year, Daemen College was among many organizations around the world that participated in the celebration of this important occasion.  With funding from the New York Council for the Humanities and sponsored by the faculty of the History & Political Science Department, various local refugees (including some History & Political Science students) shared their sad stories and experiences about their displaced countries to their new found country of the United States.  It was a very good and successful event with over 68 people in attendance; including faculty, students and staff from Daemen; people from community organizations and the community-at-large; students from Saudi Arabia; a representative from the Office of the Mayor of Buffalo; and collaboration with BIREC (Buffalo Immigrant and Refugee Coalition).

Among the speakers were two student speakers:  Saladi Shebule, a native of Kenya and a 2013 Daemen graduate (Political Science major); and Maryann Jamale, also from Kenya, who just finished her first year at Daemen.  Saladi and Maryann talked about the experience of being refugees and how that had shaped their experiences as American college students.   

We plan to undertake another refugee event this coming academic year, focusing mostly on refugees from the Middle East, Asia, and Southeast Asia; with a keynote speaker from the University of Toronto. These programs are all part of our new Refugee Studies program initiated by the faculty of the History & Political Science Department.  For more information about the Refugee Studies program, please contact Dr. Joseph Sankoh, Associate Professor of Political Science, at jsankoh@daemen.edu.