Operating under the Intensive English Program at Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, VA), the SELAM program aimed at enhancing the exchange experience of international college and high school students through cross-cultural activities, workshops, and field trips.
As the Activities Coordinator, I planned and led interactive programming and educational initiatives for a group of 20 international high school and college students. This involved researching, developing, and leading curriculum that inspired conversation about diversity while fostering a culturally-sensitive environment. To produce meaningful programs, I collaborated with university staff and departments; community members and organizational representatives; and field experts in music, arts, crafts, history, and rural and urban studies.
Featured activities included personal biography development; discussions about cultural differences in regards to schooling, dating norms, trade and commerce, and societal traditions; guest speakers from the African American and American Indian communities; a visit to a Mennonite farm; exploration of local attractions and Virginia Main Street historic downtown districts; community service projects; learning about American history through traditional American games; an initiatives ropes course; a poetry slam workshop; a guest lecture on American art; a glass-blowing demonstration; and a photography exhibition of students’ work as a final project and closing event.
