Taste of OSU to bring more interactive cultural diversity this year

Emily Hetterscheidt
Thu, 16 Feb 2017 21:09:41 +0000
Arts & Life, Dining, cultural student organization, dance workshop, henna, henna tattoos, malaysian student organization, Office of International Affairs, ohio union, taste of osu

SU Oriental Dance Troupe performs a traditional Chinese dance at Taste of OSU 2015 at the Ohio Union. Credit: Lantern File Photo

Hungry and adventurous students have an opportunity to experience different cultures and see live performances at Taste of OSU.

The Office of International Affairs hosts the event, which is set for Friday at 5 p.m. throughout the Ohio Union. Taste of OSU is a historically large event with more than 4,000 attendees in recent years. The annual event will feature 30 student organizations and 27 performances this year.

This year’s student chair, Saufi Mohd Nor, a fourth-year in logistics said the event is a great opportunity for students to experience cultures that are new to them.

“I would say what I like most about the event is just the cultural diversity aspect of it. I think that’s what makes it fun,” he said.

He said the event is intended to be more interactive than previous years, with several student organizations hosting a dance workshop and others hosting henna booths and writing workshops.

“It’s not only about performing,” Mohd Nor said of the dance workshops. “People can actually kind of try it out.”

Mohd Nor said the application process for Taste of OSU can get competitive for the student organizations that want to participate, but it results in several new groups each year and different food options and performances.

Sofia Ihsan, a third-year in international business and the talent development director for the Malaysian Students Association, said she is excited for the event to promote cultural diversity. The organization prepared a modern dessert dish last year, but this year it will be preparing a more traditional main course.

She said she likes the event because it gathers people from the many parts of the world together in one place and allows them to celebrate each other.

In addition to bringing food, the Malaysian Student Association will perform two dances, which will include costumes that Ihsan brought from Malaysia when she went home for winter break.

Admission is free, but food tickets must be purchased for $1 each.

Armenian Students Association at their table from Taste of OSU 2015.
Credit: Courtesy of Armenian Students Association.