Global Cuisine events promote campus diversity at Lehigh

Mike Buzalka

The Global Cuisine program at Lehigh University highlights different nationalities each night it is held, promoting both the various cultures being showcased as well as the diversity of the Lehigh community as the featured themes are each nominated by students from those countries. Most recently, a Guatemalan-inspired dinner celebrated South American flavors through a special menu created by two Lehigh students, Cristina Fuertes and Fernanda Monzon.

The program began when a Nigerian student,Ovie Ojeni, was craving authentic tastes of home, so he requested a popular Nigerian dish be made by the Sodexo dining hall chefs, which they did, and a tradition was born.

Taking place in two campus dining halls, Lower Cort and Rathbone, the events not only feature popular dishes from a specific country, but also local music, a display of the national flag and a small biography of the student hosting the event.

“Students, faculty and staff that swipe into these dining halls on Global Cuisine nights are fully immersed in a new culture, with the goal of incorporating every possible aspect of the country culture into the meal,” recently reported the school’s Brown and White campus paper.

Students interested in having their culture featured apply on the Dining Services website.

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]