Community Friends of International Students
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Community Friends of International Students International Place of The Claremont Colleges, 390 East 9th Street, Claremont, CA 91711 -5905 Spring 2015 http://iplace.claremont.edu Vol. 38, No. 2 International Festival—April 11, 2015 President’s Message International Festival is Saturday, April 11, 2015, 12:00-4:00 p.m. For around three decades, one of the most popular events in Claremont has been the International Festival. Each year in the spring hundreds of people attend this event held on the CMC campus and sponsored by I-Place with support from Community Friends. The attendees come for the wonderful food provided by the international students, great entertainment, and a variety of other booths where they can purchase home-made bakery products, trinkets and treasures, and drinks, or where kids can listen to stories, have their faces painted, dress up in international costumes, etc. This event provides a wonderful opportunity to bring together: international students, American students, and people from Claremont and surrounding communities. From the very beginning Community Friends of International Students has been an integral part of this event. There are several members of our organization who have worked at the Festival for over 20 years. Some have been helping since the inception of this event. Members of Community Friends have maintained their involvement over the years because it is such a rewarding experience to be a part of an event that brings the colleges and community together in such a joyous way. Community Friends would very much like to continue our traditional involvement with the Festival. However, if we want to maintain a vibrant Festival for the future, it is going to be very important for our organization, and for the Festival itself, to recruit new volunteers to help. We need a new generation of Community Friends who will lend a hand once a year and become part of the Festival. We need people to sell tickets, help operate booths and take on other Festival responsibilities that have been the domain of Community Friends for so many years. Many of you have experienced how wonderful it is to be a host family for an international student. You will see what a rewarding experience it can also be to help once a year as part of the team that makes the Festival such a wonderful event. This year’s Festival is Saturday, April 11, 2015, from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m., with set-up beginning at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine. If you can’t be there that day, please offer to bake in advance, freeze the goodies, and deliver them to one of our members. If you would like to help out or get more information, contact Donald Delgado, I-Place Director, at 909-607-7868, email at: [email protected] David Bedell President, Community Friends of International Students Page 1 Members of the Board 2014-2015 CFIS / UPS Officers COMPUTER GRANTS President: David Bedell Co-Vice-Presidents: Maureen McCluney & Neva Barker Do You Know a Student Who Could Secretary: Renuka Balakrishnan Benefit from our Grant Program? Treasurer: Susan Brinkama Nominating Chair: Claudia Lennear Community Friends of International Directors & Coordinators Students, with support from the UPS Foundation, have re-opened the grant Host Family: John Tarin application process for 2014-15. Funds Co-Membership: Linda Scott, Tamara Lindvall Newsletter Co-Editors: from the UPS Foundation, combined with Barbara Rugeley, Helen Young an allocation from the CFIS Board, have allowed this Special Events: worthwhile endeavor to continue. These grants will Joan Gerard, Linda Heilpern, Mitra Nag continue to be need-based and are designed for degree Support Council: Neil Gerard candidates. The computer/peripheral grants are limited Conversation Partners: to $400 and the Cultural Enrichment grants to $250. Katya Fairbanks This year’s application process will be made simpler Electronic Communications: for students using on-line technology. Applications Catherine & Frank D’Emilio will be received and reviewed so long as we have Members-at-Large funds available. For additional information, please contact Prof. Peter Saeta at [email protected]. Aleta Wenger, Rita Wodinsky Community Support Council SAVE THE DATE Sandra Baldonado, Donna Bedell, Norma Blissett- Jacoob, Laura Bollinger, Virginia Bower, Tina CFIS ANNUAL MEETING Brooks, Deb and John Corey, Barbara and Vasu Dev, and DINNER John Faranda, Emily and Michael Fay, Sandra Flores, Carol Gil, Helaine and Steve Goldwater, Betty with Hagelbarger, Brenda & John Hill, Anita Hughes, Sue Honored Speaker Keith, Pat Lightfoot, John Mark Lindvall, Susan Lominska, Charlene Martin, Marc Massoud, Dean McHenry, Swapan Nag, Deede and Larry Olson, Hiram E. Chodosh, President Claire Oxtoby, Dee Pawley, Lissa Petersen, Diann Claremont McKenna College Ring, Marguerite Royse, Linda and Peter Saeta, Herb Scott, Greg Shapton, Judith and David Tanenbaum, SUNDAY, MAY 31st, 2015, 5:30 p.m. Ellen and Marshall Taylor, Cindy Walkenbach, Edie Location to be announced Young International Place Staff Director: Donald Delgado Electronic News Assistant Director: Marsha Habib Administrative Assistant: Sue Kerns You may view the CFIS newsletter on the Program Coordinator: Chrystal Orozco I-Place website at http://iplace.claremont.edu. Click on the link for "Community Friends of Contact Information International Students.” I-Place Office: (909) 607-4571 If you want to receive the newsletter in print, Website: iplace.claremont.edu or prefer not to receive the newsletter at all, please E-mail: [email protected] let us know by sending a message to Fax: (909) 621-8549 [email protected] or phone us at 909-607-4571. Page 2 International Festival 2015 Volunteer Opportunities Your help is needed! Saturday, April 11, 2015, 12-4. Set up begins at 8am, rain or shine. Join other Community Friends and spend 1-2 hours on Saturday, April 11, 2015, between 12:00 and 4:00, at the International Festival, a major Claremont event. The Festival is located on the CMC quad, between 8th St. and 9th St. at Amherst. To volunteer for activities below, contact Donald Delgado, I-Place Director, at 909-607-7868, or [email protected]. Leader Activity Donald Delgado General help; teen and other volun- teers; publicity; setup and cleanup; paper goods. Donna Bedell & Baked Goods: bake in advance and Joan Gerard freeze! Rita Wodinsky International Crafts: face-painting, origami Jessica Alampay Ticket Sales Jayne Sjodin Trinkets and Treasures: donate or sell used items Edie Young Used Books: donate or sell used items TO VOLUNTEER at the International Festival contact Donald Delgado, I-Place Director at 909-607-7868, or [email protected]. Page 3 Holiday Party at President Freund’s Home This year’s Holiday Party was a festive celebration with a terrific turnout! Many students, their families, and Community Friends mem- bers enjoyed an afternoon of holiday music, refreshments, and a visit from Santa on Sunday, December 7, 2014. The children were delighted to meet Santa and received holiday gifts while the adults enjoyed refreshments and good conversation. Our thanks go to President Freund who opened her home to our international community and hosted a wonderful Holiday Party. We also thank the Claremont Shades, a five-college a cappella group who entertained us, sharing holiday music and current selections. As always, we are indebted to the many Community Friends who provided food and helped to organize this event. International Gala—November 2014 The Gala at Big Bridges on November 22, 2014, replaced the traditional International Banquet and allowed an expanded audience of 557 people. It showcased 15 student performances of talent in music, dance, and song. The audience included 362 students, 127 community members, 24 staff, and 44 “others.” Perhaps this will become the new traditional fall event? Page 4 Host Families Needed for Coming Year As readers know, our organization, Community Host Host Students Friends of International Students (CFIS), regularly Fall Families Families Not Placed provides family hosting for international students who Requested Found arrive in Claremont before the colleges or dorms open. These stays can last up to 5 nights, while 2010 120 120 0 students attend Orientation, sign up for bank accounts 2011 131 131 0 etc., or if graduate students, search for housing. The 2012 139 139 0 visits can be informal, where the student is provided 2013 133 133 0 meals but is gone most of the day – or they can be 2014 152 122 30 more time-intensive on the host family’s part, when transportation is provided, or the student is included in meals out or in family events. These student-family relationships can continue on From Host to Hosted into the semester or even after graduation. Having a In 2005 Karen and Michael Rosenthal hosted Sandra host family can give a student a break before plunging Burckhardt, a student from the University of Landau into campus life, and also a feeling that he or she has in Germany, who was studying at Pitzer for a an off-campus friend to call on if needed. semester. Sandra returned to Claremont two years Statistics show that this past year – for the first time later on her honeymoon with Ingo Willoh. Sandra in years – there were more students requesting a host and Ingo have lived and worked in Berlin since then. family than there were families to host: 30 students Michael and Sandra have skyped frequently were not placed. Having a host family has become especially after Sandra’s son, Julius, was born two a feature in I-Place’s program for entering students, years ago. In October 2014, the Rosenthals spent ten and CFIS members have heard from students over the days in Berlin visiting Sandra and her family with a years (who were not able to be placed with a family) three-day side trip to Prague.