D I C K I N S O N
S TAT E
U N I V E R S I T Y
April 2018 TRAVEL THE WORLD THROUGH FOOD: DICKINSON STATE’S INTERNATIONAL CLUB TO HOLD ANNUAL TASTE OF NATIONS
By: Salena Loveland
THEODORE ROOSEVELT CENTER AT DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY REACHES IMPRESSIVE MILESTONE
By: Salena Loveland
The Theodore Roosevelt Center was launched in 2009 with the goal of creating a digital presidential library. Because a wide variety of Roosevelt collections are located across the country, the TR Center is endeavoring to create an all-encompassing digital collection so that all the material connected to TR can be found in one place allowing everyone to have access to all the collections. Items in the digital library include correspondence to and from Roosevelt, diary entries, notes, political cartoons, scrapbooks, newspaper columns and magazine articles by and about Roosevelt, speeches and photographs. Users can also view film clips and listen to audio recordings.
One of the best parts about traveling is tasting local cuisine. On Friday, April 20, the International Club at Dickinson State University (DSU) will be giving the campus and community the opportunity to enjoy local cuisine from eight countries without the expense of traveling. Those attending will be able to explore South Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Honduras, Switzerland, Tunisia and Nigeria through food at this year’s Taste of Nations international food festival. This event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, located in the lower level of the Student Center on the Dickinson State campus. This year’s event is all about the food. Attendees will enjoy Indian biryani, Jamaican jerk chicken, South Korean short ribs and Tunisian lemonade. Additionally, the International Club will be serving Swiss desserts and Central and Latin American delicacies. The menu will also offer vegetarian and vegan options. The Center for Multicultural Affairs started Taste of Nations in 2005, with the International Club running the event in celebration of International Education week. Over the years, the event continued under the International Club and then became a successful fundraiser for the Business Club. In 2016, the Office of International Programs, in conjunction with the International Club and Sodexo, revived the event after a 3-year hiatus. Over the last 15 years, Taste of Nations has evolved from a talent show of cultural performances which featured a few international dishes to a more foodfocused event where participants can enjoy a full meal rather than a small sampling.
According to Pamla Kukla, office and outreach coordinator for the TR Center, the additions that helped the digital library reach 50,000 included a letter to Vice President Roosevelt concerning a man using Army and Secret Service documents to acquire room and board and then not paying, a letter from President Roosevelt before an upcoming election in which he refers to a political rival’s letter as a “Mr. Facing-both-ways performance,” and a letter from someone who is working to see that Roosevelt receives the Medal of Honor for his service with the Rough Riders. The impressive collection housed in the digital library is helping to fulfil the TR Center’s mission to “facilitate research for scholars, students, Roosevelt enthusiasts and the public.” Its 50,000-plus item inventory makes for quite a comprehensive resource and a wide variety of interested parties are taking advantage of having access to these materials. Kukla shared that the TR Center receives research requests from authors writing new books on Roosevelt and his era, undergraduate students working on term papers, and grade school students looking for help on history projects. In addition to the expected academic requests, the TR Center has also served as a resource for the outdoor retailer Cabela’s, TNT’s “The Alienist,” and The Hall of Presidents in Disney World. After Dave Chapelle mentioned Roosevelt’s dinner with Booker T. Washington on “Saturday Night Live” in 2016, Kukla noted, “We received many requests from news outlets.” Most recently, Business Insider referenced the TR Center as its source for their segment on Roosevelt’s Masonic activities. Their Feb. 11, 2018, article discussed Freemasonry and the 14 U.S. presidents who were members.
Taste of Nations does more than just provide a wonderful experience for the community. “It boosts student morale as they get an opportunity to make food from their home country and most importantly share it with others,” stated Perzen Akolawala, director of International Programs at Dickinson State. Even with the additional responsibilities to their schedules, Akolawala said that the students look forward to sharing ethnic food from their home country at this event every year. And the international students are not the only ones who look forward to the event. Many in the community also make it a goal to attend. Mark Billings, program coordinator for Best Friends Mentoring in Dickinson, tries to make the event with his family every year. “We try to attend as a family because we enjoy sampling the ethnic food. We have hosted several youth exchange students in our home, and sharing in native cooking has always been a highlight of our time together. There is no other event in the region like Taste of Nations. It is also good to see the enthusiasm of our international students as they are serving the food and talking about it.” Taste of Nations provides a rare opportunity to experience not just the food, but also the culture connected with each dish from many countries. Additionally, this event is the biggest fundraiser for the International Club. The proceeds from ticket sales are used to plan subsidized recreational and educational trips for students, so everyone attending is helping enrich the experience of the international students who chose to pursue their education in Dickinson. The cost to attend the April 20 event is $12 if pre-purchased or $14 at the door for adults, $10 for children ages seven-12 and free for children ages six and under. The event is $10 for DSU students, but free for those with a meal plan. Tickets can be purchased prior to the event from the International Programs Office by calling 701-483-2340 or stopping by May Hall room 205. For more information, contact Perzen Akolawala at perzen.akolawala@dickinsonstate.edu or 701-483-2340.
THURSDAY APRIL 12, 2018 AT 7 P.M. DSU Campus Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
L to R: Pamela Pierce, Pamla Kukla, Sharon Kilzer
Although it is a great source for research, it is important to the TR Center to also interact with the community. It holds an annual Theodore Roosevelt Symposium hosted by Dickinson State University which even takes participants to Medora, North Dakota. It also hosts scholarly lectures, author appearances and book signings. Additionally, the TR Center participates in the Presidential Primary Sources Project, a live interactive exploration of American history in which students in grades six through 12 are able to ask questions of staff at the participating sites. It is also possible for the community to get involved with the TR Center by donating their time as a volunteer, donating funds or becoming an intern. Visit www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org to learn more about the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University.
all class reunion June 28-30, 2018
www.dickinsonstate.edu/centennial