Written by Clara Ziane
The School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) is the home of many International students from around the globe: Korea, Mexico, the United States, Switzerland, Argentina, and many more. These International students enrich our faculty in many ways, and it is one of AMPD’s top priorities to make these students’ experiences at York University memorable.
This year, AMPD launched the International Student Engagement Program with the mission of giving equal opportunities to International students, as well as facilitating their inclusion in Canada and connection with domestic students.
Our first event, the World Cabaret, was held on October 21st, 2015. International students were invited to audition, and were selected by our faculty’s Student Ambassadors and Mentors to perform for an audience composed of both Canadian and International students. They could audition with anything: original music, spoken word, dance, street art, and even bubble tricks! Each artist selected to perform at the Cabaret was also awarded a $50 Bookstore gift card.
In the confines of the Junior Common Room at Winters College, a stage was set, the lights were dimmed, and people started to mingle. The evening began with icebreakers and ended with performances, complete with an International buffet and wine served throughout. The event was free and attracted many. It was a very successful night!
It was important for us to showcase the many International talents that we have within our faculty, and especially important – as students of AMPD and Winters – to show our appreciation for the cultures of our peers. More events will be taking place this semester as part of the International Student Engagement Program, and the next World Cabaret will be held on March 1st!
Below are some photos from the night…
Photos courtesy of Kateryna Vatsyk