Multicultural Programs: Travel around the globe simply by attending a multicultural program. Our coordinators plan cultural and educational events that encompass the diverse cultures within the Tiffin community and around the world. Expand your knowledge of different cultures through food, lectures, panel discussions and excursions. In addition, our multicultural programming encourages students to explore a variety of relevant topics and issues.
Tiffin University International Student Services is continuously working to provide more and better programming for students to help ease the transition into Tiffin University and surrounding community. Please join us!
Do you have an idea for a new program or a suggestion for a change in a current program?
Please let the current program director know of any suggestions you may have.
Tiffin University's Annual International Dinner
Tiffin University's International Student Services hosts the International Dinner to celebrate the rich cultural heritage on campus every Spring semester.
More than 30 different nations and cultures are represented on campus by students attending TU. International Week and the International Dinner provide students and the community with the opportunity to increase global awareness and interest.
Tiffin University's Annual Flag Ceremony
Every year international students new to Tiffin University will present their countries' flags to President Marion and returning international students will celebrate their reunion to campus. The Flag ceremony will feature the rededication of our past and present flags, introduce any new countries to our vast collection of flags, and celebrate unity all over the world. Cultural exchange between all students, faculty, staff and the community at large continues to flourish through the activities of the World Student Association.
Spring Festival 2009 -THE YEAR OF THE OX
Spring Festival, is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th. February 11th is the 5th day of the holiday and in northern China people eat Jiao Zi (dumplings) on the morning of Po Wu. This is also the birthday of the Chinese god of wealth.
A reunion dinner is held on New Year's Eve where members of the family, near and far away, get together for the celebration. The venue will usually be in or near the home of the most senior member of the family. The New Year's Eve dinner is very sumptuous and traditionally includes chicken and fish. In some areas, fish is included, but not eaten completely (and the remainder is stored overnight), as the Chinese phrase "may there be surpluses every year" sounds the same as "may there be fish every year. In mainland China, many families will banter while watching the CCTV New Year's Gala in the hours before midnight.
Red packets for the immediate family are sometimes distributed during the reunion dinner. These packets often contain money in certain numbers that reflect good luck and honorability. Several foods are consumed to usher in wealth, happiness, and good fortune. Several of the Chinese food names are homophones for words that also mean good things.
Celebrations: Dragon dances/Lion dances fireworks, family gathering, family meal, visiting friends and relatives, giving red envelopes, decorating with duilian.
Moon Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival also known as the Moon Festival, is a popular East Asian celebration of abundance and togetherness, dating back over 3,000 years to China's Zhou Dynasty. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or "Mooncake Festival."
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar (the other being the Chinese Lunar New Year), and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid ¨Cautumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomeloes together(Chinese grapefruit, pummelo, pommelo, jabong, boongon, shaddock, jeruk Bali, or suha). Accompanying the celebration, there are additional cultural or regional customs,
Such as:
- Eating moon cakes outside under the moon
- Putting pomelo rinds on one's head
- Carrying brightly lit lanterns
- Burning incense in reverence to dailies including Changs
- Planting Mid-Autumn trees
- Collecting dandelion leaves and distributing them evenly among family members
- Lighting lanterns on towers
- Fire Dragon Dances
International Friendship Program
Tiffin University has a host program for incoming international students called the TU International Friendship Program. As a participant in the program you will be paired with a University faculty/staff member or community representative with whom you may visit, enjoy an occasional meal, celebrate holidays, participate in community sports and cultural events, or just relax in conversation. This will be an opportunity for you to experience American life in a non-university setting and learn firsthand about our culture.
If you are interested in participating in the TU International Friendship Program, applications will be distributed during the International Student Orientation or you can pick up an application at TU International Student Services. Your obligations as a participant are to accept your "Friend's" invitations whenever possible and to be willing to share your culture and enjoy the differences and similarities of the two countries. We encourage all international students to participate in this program. It will be a valuable experience in helping you to better understand American culture and in helping Americans to better understand your culture.
Variety of cultural events and celebrations
Such as Indian Diwali and Mexican Day of the Dead
Plays and presentations (International Student)