Under dim lights, former Cal Poly president Warren Baker told stories about the effects international education had on students in the past and how being global can help Cal Poly in the future. Baker was elected to speak at the event, hosted by an honor society known as Phi Beta Delta, for his involvement in the international community and for being a member of Phi Beta Delta himself.
Phi Beta Delta sponsored the event, held at Sage Restaurant, to raise awareness for International Education Week, which was Nov. 14 to Nov. 18. Phi Beta Delta is an honor society recognizing faculty, staff and students for their achievements in international activities.
Baker discussed previous experiences of students who studied abroad, as well as the importance of student involvement in international activities.
“International students can enrich the culture and diversity on campus by bringing their perspectives to our conversations and creating relationships across cultural lines and opening our minds and enhance our understandings,” Baker said. “It works both ways, just as we benefit from exposure to their ideas and beliefs, they understand better our values, our history and our aspirations.”
Baker also spoke about the importance of student housing and how providing more housing opportunities for international students at Cal Poly would help to bring a larger focus to international involvement on campus.
“It’s important to recognize there are other responsibilities and obligations that a university today has, and part of that is related to how international programs develop and flourish on a university’s campus,” Baker said.
Those who attended were invited to find out more about Phi Beta Delta, as well as to see what the honor society plans to do to raise awareness for international education.
“I was invited by my professor Michael Geringer,” business administration senior Susan Trip said. “I work for international business education and am mostly here to support the department.”
Others, such as Cal Poly Dean of Students Jean DeCosta, attended to support the program itself.
“This is International Education Week, and we want to look at the value and benefit of international education for Cal Poly and students as we prepare them to be global citizens, so being here is a part of supporting that,” DeCosta said.
The other two events held by Phi Beta Delta during International Education Week were a Cooking in the Canyon event and a student lecture on Nov. 17.
“The student lecture (had) six students that (were) invited to talk about their involvement in various exchange programs,” said India D’Avignon, the vice-president of programs for Phi Beta Delta. “An international student (spoke) to get people more aware of international education.”
Phi Beta Delta looks for students who have studied abroad and made contributions to other countries, such as working with Engineers Without Borders, said Raymond Zeuschner, the International Education and Programs interim director.
As well as looking for members, the honor society is looking into starting a scholarship that can help students who want to study abroad but need financial help. It also plans to hold a photo competition, where people can submit pictures they have taken from around the world and talk about their accompanying stories, D’Avignon said.
Phi Beta Delta is planning events to bring attention to the honor society since it was re-started in Spring 2011.
Although there was a chapter on campus in the early 90s, it was discontinued because the president and vice president of the honor society left for personal reasons, Zeuscher said. It was revived as a chapter on campus last spring and is welcoming new members of students, faculty and staff who have made a contribution to international education.