Eckerd College Students Celebrate Global Cultures Through Food

Eckerd College transformed the GO Pavilion into a marketplace of global cuisine on April 24 as students shared foods and customs from their home countries.

Representatives from China, Brazil, France, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Scotland, and India set up tables alongside the Eckerd College Afro-American Society. Each group served traditional dishes and explained their cultural significance to visitors.

Jorge A. Angulo-Valdes, a visiting assistant professor of marine science from Cuba, said the festival demonstrates Eckerd's commitment to cultural respect. "The most important thing our students get to keep is human connection, tolerance, and acceptance of different values and beliefs," he said. Angulo-Valdes also leads Winter Term trips to Cuba where students conduct marine research and stay with local families.

Avery Schlattman, a junior from O'Fallon, Missouri, said she tried new foods and discovered campus clubs she hadn't known about. "Everyone at all of the tables were friendly and open to speak about their culture," she said.