On Friday, October 21st the International Student Peer Network hosted their second Coffee Break & Book Club. Copies of the book “Caste” were provided, as well as some light snacks. It was not long before every seat was filled, as attendance had increased since the last session. Attendees included doctoral/master’s students from three departments, faculty members Dr. McClure, Dr. Delgado, and 3 visiting scholars.
The event planner, Terrance Zhang, introduced Chapter Two as the focus for the meeting, and first, paused to allow everyone some time to read through the section. After a period of silence, Terrance led the discussion, asking members to share what reactions they had to the reading. The conversation was lively as many students expressed their thoughts and feelings, drawing from their own experiences. The topic of personal identity soon came to the forefront, as members spoke about the hardships they have encountered upon moving to Pittsburgh.
ISPN president, Yuan Gao, invited students to bring forth their interests to be included and centered in future meetings. Quickly the discussion evolved into one focused on ideas for diversifying membership within and beyond the group. Many members had intriguing suggestions for future events and the group greatly appreciated everyone’s input. The ISPN is excited by the expansion of the group, encourages members to provide feedback, and hopes to see everyone (virtually) on November 11th in the OPT/CPT seminar.
By Jackie Spiezia & Yue Geng