Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner Planned for International Students

There are more than 350 international students attending SUNY Plattsburgh, many of whom will remain in the Plattsburgh area during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. To help these students celebrate this great American holiday, the Partners in Cross-Cultural Learning (PICL) Program will host a potluck dinner on Saturday, Nov. 25, at 3:30 p.m. in the John XXIII Newman Center, 90 Broad Street, Plattsburgh.

Dishes will be prepared by the program's community partners. The PICL Program, sponsored by the International Student Service Office at SUNY Plattsburgh, is a friendship program that matches international students with volunteers from the community. The students are provided an authentic experience of life in the United States, and local residents have the opportunity to glimpse into different cultures through interaction with the students.

Through this social exchange, international students establish a friendly and supportive link to the community. Each semester, students are matched with community residents and meet about once a month for informal activities such as family dinners. PICL also coordinates various social activities throughout the semester such as bowling outings and sledding parties. There are currently more than 25 volunteer and international student partnerships through the PICL Program.

For those interested in becoming a volunteer, a community partner informational meeting and orientation will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 3 p.m. in the John XXIII Newman Center. Applications for community PICL volunteers will be accepted through December for partnership matching in January, 2007.

For more information, contact Michelle St. Onge, PICL coordinator at SUNY Plattsburgh, at 518-564-3270, via email at [email protected] or visit the Website at www.plattsburgh.edu/admissions/international/picl.php
     
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