More than 1,000 people gathered for a celebration of cultures from around the world during the 29th Annual International Bazaar Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Florida State University Student Union.

Hosted by the Center for Global Engagement (CGE), the annual International Bazaar is an opportunity for campus cultural groups to share their history and heritage with each other and attendees from FSU and the greater Tallahassee community. This was the first full-scale International Bazaar since 2020 due to the pandemic and Student Union construction.

The afternoon was filled with performances from various groups like Seoula System, a Tallahassee-based K-pop dance group, the FSU Belly Dancers and Indak, the FSU Filipino Student Association’s (FSA) traditional dance troupe. The entertainment also included a Festivals of India showcase by the Indian Student Association of Tallahassee and a fashion show by the Middle East Center at FSU.

Between performances, 28 student groups showcased their cultures and organizations through table displays and interactive presentations. The family-friendly event also featured a kids’ corner where children completed games and crafts with an international focus.

Junior Odezza Campos tabled at the 29th Annual International Bazaar for the FSA. As FSA’s historian, she highlighted the importance of events like this in promoting cultural exchange.

“It’s valuable to have spaces like this where you can experience other cultures,” Campos said. “That’s why the FSA is always willing to come out because we love spreading Filipino culture to the Tallahassee community.”

Sophomore Ian Javelosa serves as FSA’s cultural chair and was at the event with Campos. He performed with Indak.

“Indak is the cultural dance team under FSA, so normally we do traditional dances like tinikling, sayaw sa bangko, and pandanggo sa ilaw,” Javelosa said. “We perform for banquets and Asian Student Union events, so it was really fun to get to perform at the International Bazaar.”

Marie Bea, a graduate student in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, represented the African Graduate Students Association (AGSA) at the event. As president of the AGSA, she expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to participate.

“It’s been an honor for the AGSA to participate in the 29th edition of the International Bazaar at Florida State University,” Bea said. “We were able to mingle with other registered student organizations and discover cultures, and we hope to come back next year.”

Jordan Wilson, a senior majoring in criminology, represents the Multicultural Greek Council, which serves as the governing body for eight culturally based fraternities and sororities on campus. She emphasized the significance of the event giving those in attendance a chance to learn more about other cultures.

“I’m happy this event is open to the public because I feel like representation matters,” Wilson said. “Just to see all these faces here from different backgrounds, it’s so heartwarming that this is a campus-hosted event. It just shows that the campus cares.”

Daniel Nieto, a senior majoring in international affairs, serves as vice president of the Venezuelan Student Association. He highlighted the association’s goals in participating in the event.

“We wanted to come out to this event just to put the word out that there’s a Venezuelan association on campus and to attract as many members as possible and also to meet and network with other cultural organizations that exist on campus,” Nieto said.

Chandler Gadea-Guidicelli, the CGE’s intercultural programs manager, planned and coordinated the bazaar. Gadea-Guidicelli coordinates several events and programs throughout the year, such as the Global Ambassador and the Global Noles programs, International Coffee Hour and Global Café.

“The International Bazaar had a great energy throughout the entirety of the event,” Gadea-Guidicelli said. “From the coordination point of view, we provided a framework, but it was all the incredible table displays and performances from the university RSOs and community that really shined that afternoon. I’m excited to see what future International Bazaars will hold.”

The international sampling of food featured falafel with tahini sauce, steamed dumplings with soy dipping sauce, samosas and cilantro chutney, tamales de elote with crema salsa, mini quiche and a hibiscus ginger drink. Jesse O’Reilly, CGE’s in-house professional chef, and his team worked for two days to prepare the food.

To learn more about the CGE at FSU and the International Bazaar, visit cge.fsu.edu.

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Florida State University doctoral student Bodunrin Akinrinmade’s passion for educational policy, led him from his home country of Nigeria to Tallahassee, where he is expanding his knowledge of how to improve basic education in developing countries, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“If you want to make a difference, you have to start from your home country, and that’s what I am doing,” Akinrinmade said.

Inspired by the United Nations Millenium Development Goals, which outline measurable objectives to improve the lives of the world’s poorest people, Akinrinmade’s mission is to strengthen communities in developing countries by advancing their education systems.

During his time at FSU, Akinrinmade’s professors in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies have prepared him academically and taught him how to be a respected leader in his field.

Akinrinmade credits FSU’s Learning Systems Institute (LSI) for providing him with hands-on experience conducting and analyzing research data. For example, his collaboration with LSI researchers at the Nigeria Centre for Reading Research and Development (NCRRD) in Kano State, Nigeria, culminated in a research project that helped primary school teachers improve teaching practices to increase early-grade reading outcomes.

Akinrinmade continued his research experience through the 2022 College of Education International Travel Scholarship, a scholarship that provides students with cultural experiences to enhance their degree in the College of Education. He traveled to Nigeria to collect interview data regarding the academic impact of private tutors on children, which he is now using to finalize his dissertation.

While at FSU, he has also met with international students from The Center for Global Engagement and the African Student Association (ASA), which has been instrumental in helping him find a supportive community on campus and transition from Nigeria to the United States.

As a doctoral candidate in education policy and evaluation, Akinrinmade hopes that through his research, policies and programs, he will improve educational access, learning outcomes and school completion rates for children regardless of demographic classification.

How has Florida State University prepared you to help improve education systems worldwide?

Florida State has prepared me to be an outstanding policy analyst, program evaluator and educational researcher to provide evidence-based solutions to educational issues in the K-12 education systems around the world. My professors at Florida State University and my experience as a graduate researcher taught me how to conduct and analyze data from research studies. I will utilize these research skills to design evidence-based policies and programs to improve children’s access to education and foundational learning skills worldwide. 

How has the Learning Systems Institute provided you with valuable experience as a graduate research assistant?

I worked with LSI researchers to train NCRRD faculty members for six months at Florida State on the science of reading research. When they returned to Nigeria, they were able to conduct independent reading research to improve the teaching of early-grade reading. I have been able to collaborate with LSI on such impactful projects, and I look forward to doing more to improve the foundational skills of children and the teaching of reading not only in Nigeria but around the whole world. 

How do you feel Florida State supports international students?

FSU values international students and provides a lot of scholarships and funding to help students transition to the United States. One major factor that affected my decision to attend FSU was that they gave me full funding. This shows how much Florida State supports international students and how they want them to progress and make a difference not only in their home country but in their immediate environment in the U.S. 

How have your professors assisted in your transition to FSU?

My professors have been very supportive during my time at FSU and always checked in on me to make sure I was adapting to the lifestyle of the U.S. To be honest, when I first started, I was very overwhelmed by my readings. When I talked to Stephanie Zuilkowski, a professor of international and multicultural education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, she encouraged me to keep working hard and, through time, I was able to adapt. Professor Zuilkowski continues to inspire me to be a hardworking and committed educational researcher. Overall, my professors were very accommodating, ready to listen to my problems and sincerely wanted to support me. 

What programs at FSU have been beneficial to your transition from life in Nigeria to the United States?

Along with my professors, I found support at FSU through The Center for Global Engagement and the African Student Association. The Center for Global Engagement allowed me to interact with other international students, which made it easier for me to adapt to life in the United States. The ASA allowed me to get to know students whose backgrounds are similar to mine, which has created a sense of community for me on the FSU campus. Programs like these make sure we, as African students, come together to have fun — because everything is not just about education! 

What did you do to take advantage of your 2022 College of Education International Travel Scholarship?

I had the opportunity to interview parents from low, middle and high economic status on why they invested in private tutors for their children. Specifically, I gathered data on how parents perceive the academic impacts of private tutors assisting their children and why, despite the financial burden it creates, parents continue to hire private tutors to guide their children. I appreciate that the scholarship allowed me to conduct my own primary research and to hear opinions and views from the parents. I am working on finalizing my discussion of findings and conclusion to complete my dissertation. 

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