Pittsburg State University blog

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication.

The older I get, the more I love Thanksgiving. I think it might be because the memories it evokes become much more vibrant with age.

Mom’s kitchen (let’s be honest … Mom owned the kitchen … Dad’s domain was limited to the garage and the television. Now that I think of it, he got the better part of the deal) was always filled with the warm smells of roast turkey, buttery mashed potatoes and hand-made (never store bought) apple pie.

Grandma and Grandpa, who lived four houses down, would arrive early and depending upon the year, they would be followed by aunts, uncles, cousins and of course, great-grandma.

My parents made certain the focus was on family. They also made certain their boys took the time to talk to their grandparents and great-grandparents. (For the record, there’s nothing quite as uncomfortable as talking to your great-grandmother about who you’re dating … or even worse … why you’re not dating)

My experiences are not unique. In fact, most students on the Pittsburg State campus have experienced similar Thanksgivings. But that’s not the case for our international students … until now.

Thanks to Cathy Lee Arcuino, interim director of the Office of International Programs and Services, more than 100 international students will share in a traditional American Thanksgiving.

Cathy Lee, and her boyfriend, Bill Daneke, will host a Thanksgiving dinner for international students and a growing number of American friends.

This is the fourth year they’ve hosted such a dinner and it’s grown each year. Cathy and Bill’s dinner will be a bit different than the normal Thanksgiving meal. In addition to the traditional turkey and stuffing, there will also be food from the students’ home countries.

It’s a wonderful way for our international students to experience the joy that comes from a day filled with delicious food, great conversation and most importantly, wonderful people who care about you. (No awkward great-grandma conversations required!)

** Here’s a special video about what our faculty and students are thankful for this Thanksgiving. **