Global Village unites world on campus

When the 53 students on the first two floors of Foster-Martin began the year, they did something in the first few weeks that most people take years to do. They met people from all over the world. \nWednesday night, members of the Foster Global Village -- the thematic community that houses students from Japan, to Kuwait and the United States, among others-- along with the College of Arts and Sciences and Residential Program Services joined to celebrate the village's inaugural year and Grand Opening in a spectacular fashion. The event saw music, food and guest speakers who helped embrace the new community. The honored guests ranged from IU-B Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Kumble Subbaswamy and about 75 others.\nThe Village offers many opportunities from getting a new point of view on world politics to exposure to new foods. What makes the Global Village different from Collins Living-Learning Center is the international aspect the community brings. Subbaswamy said because is great learning centers, he would like to include areas for a Village concept in all new buildings.\n"In the new Ashton Center complex that will be built, the design calls for a 'get-together' place that will help bring students together," Subbaswamy said. "This Village concept will be continued with all projects that occur in the future, since the College of Arts and Sciences has an impact on what can be built in conjunction with RPS."\nWhat makes this area unique is that many people are brought together from so many different views and beliefs. This makes the program interesting for students such as junior and village resident Mark Dawson.\n"We all have a world agenda, although it may be different among us, some of it remains the same," Dawson said. "Subjects such as the tsunami are at the top of our agendas while politics is near the bottom."\nThat spirit began with the late IU President Herman B Wells who believed building a diverse community was essential, The University has made it a priority to make a large student body smaller through these communities.\n"The success of both communities was essentially provided by the leadership of (Wells)," said Herb Terry, director of the Global Village and associate professor of telecommunications.\nTerry hopes there will not be another 34-year gap, such as the case between Collins and the Global Village, until another Living-Learning Center is created. Although it takes a group effort to get these communities developed, he has great faith another will be created in the near future, Terry said. \nThe community has weeks devoted to certain programs including learning about a country, trying ethnic food, watching videos and getting to know one another.\n"One of the most important concepts is that they can talk about international matters, languages and cultures and they can live with a roommate that speaks the same language," said Assistant Director of the Global Village Sean McGuire.\nGros Louis said the Global Village is another example of the University's growing partnership with international students.\n"Indiana has long been known for international students," Gros Louis said. "The international nature of campus makes everyone want to know more about the world, to interact with those people and get to know new cultures."\nIn his speech at the event, Subbaswamy said he believed there was "no doubt it will become a national model for other universities."\nThe president of the students at the Global Village, freshman Melissa Pflug, believes it makes the transition to college easier and it brings a good image to the IU campus.\n"The conversations that we have and the interests and goals that we all share are amazing," Pflug said.\nComing from an overseas adventure in Chile, senior Ryota Kashiwa believes this community is ideal for people who have just returned from their semester away.\n"The people are very friendly and sociable and it didn't take me very long to get used to the environment," Kashiwa, a Japan native, said.\nIt's that community environment that entices the residents to stay. The one item they have in common is the majority of them have been out of the states and continue to enjoy learning about new cultures.\n"It's a great community environment, it's socially active and everyone has different perspectives," said freshman Firas Alayyoubi. "It's a great place to live."\nOnline applications to live in the Global Village are available at www.indiana.edu/~college/global/apply.shtml.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Ryne Shadday at rshadday@indiana.edu.