The moment international students set foot on the Stanford campus, they are immediately warmly welcomed into the community. While the community tries to remove any boundaries between the international students and the locals, they also make sure that the students are comfortable enough in the new environment.
Hence, there are cultural groups like the Hong Kong Students Association, the Vietnamese group, the Chinese students group and the Filipino students group (that I joined as soon as I came to Stanford in 2007).
I think the most important part of an international student’s integration into Stanford community is their cultural group. I’ve seen a lot of Thai students take leadership roles in the Thai student group, and a lot of Korean students become the co-chairs of the Korean Students Association.
By far, the most popular events for international students and local students alike are the cultural shows that are held by some of the bigger, more prominent groups. The Filipino group has an annual dance showcase which is a huge production of 12 or so dances with short skits and modern dances tying it all together.
Other student groups have employed the same strategy for their annual showcases. It is these types of activities that bring the Stanford community together and raise cultural awareness.
Another big hit are events that have tons of food. The Thai Student Group and the Taiwanese Student Group love holding ‘night markets’ showcasing the best of their cuisine. These also bring in tons of students, regardless of ethnicity or nationality.
Evidently, these cultural groups have proven to be a very vital part of student life. Local students and international students alike are heavily engaged in this constantly coming up with cultural events to raise awareness within the community. It gives students a chance to embrace their own culture and learn about a new one in a safe community.
Aside from Bechtel and the cultural groups that are prominent in all parts of campus, international students are free to join interest groups, and there is wide and abundant range to choose from.
You can find more information about the Stanford programs here: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/student/organizations
Here is a list of the student groups: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/student/diversity/student_organizations_list.html
