UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Manohar Singh supported the International Students Association (ISA) in hosting Desi Night, a celebration of South Asian culture, at the Culver Family Welcome Center on April 3. Even the severe rain couldn’t dampen the mood as students and faculty from UWO, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, Ripon College and Fox Valley Technical College arrived for a night of desi fun.The DJ played a mixture of desi music and Western pop music while attendees enjoyed a complimentary dinner featuring traditional Indian cuisine and dessert. ISA president Hiba Seraj addressed guests and welcomed them to the event by encouraging them to participate in the henna and bangles station that was set up to showcase elements of desi fashion.
“Desi night is all about bringing together the vibrant cultures of South Asia, which is Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and other countries,” Seraj said. “It’s all about sharing our traditions, our energy, our culture and our joy with you.”
ISA members contributed to the evening’s entertainment by sharing humorous stories from their lives and then discussing their experiences coming to the U.S., with member Zafeer Rahim saying he was hesitant to pursue his education so far from home.
“I said no because I didn’t have any motivation to go,” Rahim said, “What is my purpose if I come here?”
Rahim spoke to the audience in both his first language and English, emphasizing the importance of expanding your goals as a student in the U.S.
“This is what I’ve learned throughout my college life,” Rahim said. “If you really desire something, the whole universe comes together just so you can meet your destination.”
Singh shared that he had similar feelings of indecision before deciding to leave India and said many international students struggle to find a sense of belonging.
“I’ve been an international student myself, and many of your staff or colleagues might have already been in those shoes that you are in today,” Singh said. “That is the uncertainty about destinations that you may go to if you are international, and even if you’re not.”
While Singh acknowledged the struggles that international students face, he also said their determination in spite of those struggles is one of their greatest strengths.
“This is an age where people are unsure of ourselves, unsure of the support mechanisms, unsure of the world around us in general,” Singh said. “But still feeling powerful enough, optimistic enough, supported enough, and loved enough to say, ‘We can.’”
Singh said he was moved to participate in the event when a member of his staff came to him with the idea to showcase their culture and asked if he would like to perform as well.
“When I see these kids trying to showcase their upbringing, proudly, and then trying to make sure they are seen as being completely assimilated within the culture, there’s a balance you have struck here,” Singh said.
Following his speech, Singh stepped aside and gave a soulful performance that energized the crowd, who clapped along as he sang a classic desi song.
Vibrant draped fabric backdrops and string lights framed the stage as ISA club members performed choreography that showed off Bollywood-style situational comedy and the vibrant dance culture often seen at desi functions.
Singh took time to praise the ISA organizers for their ambitious planning and execution of the event, remaining adamant that the students should take full credit for its success.
“I’m getting this credit, and I really want to say that the boldness, the purity of their love and the passion for what they do, their love for life as students is just unbelievable,” Singh said.
Seeing students thrive in the environments that they help build is one of the more rewarding parts of his job, Singh said.
“That’s a privilege,” Singh said. “That’s an honor to be serving as a chancellor of such a wonderful generation of students.”
UWO freshman Kacie Stamm said she has had more opportunities to widen her perspective and experience cultures that differ from her own by attending events like Desi Night.
“I grew up without a lot of cultural influence,” Stamm said. “So I feel like it’s really nice to get out there and learn about stuff that I didn’t know about before. I feel like I see people and I didn’t realize how many different diversities and cultures we really had at the school, so that’s something that’s been interesting for me to experience.”
Seraj emphasized that the ISA is always open to everyone who wishes to participate and members are provided with resources to host events that highlight their culture.
“It’s not only for me,” Seraj said. “Whoever wants to can use ISA to represent their culture and feel at home. We are there to provide groceries, find transportation, provide them with space, music, whatever they need so that they can enjoy and feel at home in this different world.”
The ISA is a student-led organization open to anyone interested in exploring diverse cultures and global perspectives. ISA continuously organizes programs that enrich student life while fostering international understanding, friendships, and awareness of the international student community at UWO. For more information on upcoming culture nights visit ISA on its social media pages.
