The International Student Association (ISA) of UW will be presenting their very own talent show April 15 in the Arts & Sciences Auditorium.
“I am really excited,” Akriti Subedi, ISA president, said. “We usually get like eight to 10 performances and we have 18 performances [this year].”
Subedi is a junior studying computer science. She is from Nepal and has been actively involved with the ISA since her freshman year when she started as a secretary. Since then she became the vice president and is now finishing her term as president of the RSO. She said ISA helped her meet people and learn interesting things about many different places around the world.
“For international students that are new to the U.S. and Wyoming it’s a good place to come and just meet new people and get to know the university and all the local students,” Jael Chapeton, head of public relations, said.
Chapeton is from El Salvador and is studying physiology. Though she said she doe not have any special talents herself, she is also excited for the upcoming show.
Every year the ISA talent show features some cultural dances and songs performed by international students, as well as local performances. This year it will also include magic, stand-up and drag queen performances.
“Our talent show gives people a stage and platform to come out and show what they can do,” Subedi said. “We encourage them, like ‘it’s not a big deal’ and ‘you can do it’ and we also give out prizes that encourage people to participate.”
There will be three prizes for the winners of the talent show. First place will receive $300, second place $200 and third place $100. There will also be smaller prizes for audience members who participate in a trivia game.
The event will also present a fashion show and a pie smashing activity at the very end.
“We will be doing a fashion show after the talent show so that the judges will have time to decide,” Subedi said. “And because they [the judges] complained that they never get to see us dressed up [for the fashion show] so now we’re doing pie smashing as well.”
The fashion show has 15 participants so far and everyone will wear their traditional cultural dress. After the fashion show four volunteers from the ISA will be bid on by people to have a pie thrown in their face. Subedi said it should be a good time.
For every international student that comes to America they are automatically welcomed as a member to ISA. Currently UW has about 800 students who are members. But local students are always invited to attend events and take part in the learning experiences the organization offers.
“Coffee hour is the most popular event because it’s every Friday and people from all over the school are welcome, not just international,” Subedi said.
Another event that the organization puts on is International Education Week which provides cultural learning opportunities every day for a whole week.
“[The talent show] brings diversity and teaches people,” Chapeton said. “I think it’s really cool and brings diversity and shows how diverse the university really is.”
The show will start at 6:00 p.m. and will go until 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. It is free and everyone in the community is welcome to come and see all of the talents and learn about other cultures.
“We are the medium that brings international and local students together,” Subedi said. “We promote diversity and create awareness about all the other countries that people might not even know about.”
