Fairmont State University celebrates diversity, culture during International Education Week

Fairmont State University International Office is celebrating International Education Week by bringing awareness to the opportunities available to students. 

Amanda Stinemetz, director of Educational Pathways for International Centers and Students (EPICS) said they are working to acknowledge, celebrate, recognize and promote international education this week. 

“The main objective is to have activities or gatherings on campus for domestic students to realize there is an international presence and a lot of them just never realized it,” she said. “There are people who’ve come by our table and didn’t know we had so many international students or that we had international partnerships.” 

Raising awareness for international education is the goal for the week, Stinemetz said. She wants to get across to the students the idea and understanding that the University has international partnerships, connections and opportunities. 

“Whether it’s study abroad, international exchanges or just curriculum that focuses on international components, we wanted to participate and help recognize, celebrate international education,” she said. 

International students participated in information tables on Main Street in the Falcon Center Monday and Tuesday afternoons. 

"The international students so far have been excited about being present, being heard, being seen, and they seem to be most excited about talking with students at the tables about their country, their culture,” she said. “They are also really enjoying graffitiing my windows and they’re really getting into that.”

Students are encouraged to visit Stinemetz in 311 Turley Center to “graffiti” the windows about countries they’d like to visit and explore as well as international dream destinations. They can do so from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday or by contacting Stinemetz at Amanda.stinemetz@fairmontstate.edu. 

International Education WeekEPICSAmanda Stinemetz