With the intention to educate, prepare, and inspire the community to experience the world, the Honors Program, the Office of International Students and Scholars, the Intensive English Language Center, the University Studies Abroad Consortium and several other University units have partnered up to put on the 14th annual International Education Week. The Honors Program provides students who are both academically talented and highly motivated with an elite undergraduate education and the USAC gives students the resources to study abroad The International Education Week is a nationwide event encouraged by the U.S. Department of State. It begins Monday, Nov. 16, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 21. The week is packed with events to show how international the campus is by celebrating the different cultures and backgrounds of students, staff and faculty.

"International Education Week is an opportunity for the entire campus to get involved whether it be to learn about different cultures or get more information about studying abroad," Alyssa Yocom, a junior Honors Program student who studied abroad in Bilbao, Spain, said.

Open to the community, International Education Week's most notable events include the Parade of Nations and the 33rd Annual Night of All Nations. Seventy different cultures will be represented in the The Parade of Nations The 33rd Night of all Nations will give the community the opportunity to experience the culture of more than 20 countries, where many exhibitors will be serving food and presenting their traditions. There will be dancers and musicians who will entertain the crowd and attendees will be able to participate in craft-making at various booths.  

Students are also involved in the planning and execution of various events throughout the week, including Honors Students Discover the World nights and presentations. During these events, Honors students who studied abroad in different countries will present their experiences and offer food inspired by the cultures and places they visited.

New to International Education Week is the Student World Water Forum. The keynote speaker is Sudeep Chandra, associate professor of Biology in the University's College of Science. Attendees will learn about water quality conservation and species, followed by a social.  

"We always encourage students to go abroad to learn about the different cultures and languages of various countries," Daniel Villanueva, professor and assistant director of the University's Honors Program, said. "Programming such as this, and study abroad itself, give students an opportunity to educate themselves about world issues and to learn more about themselves. They become more self-reliant and gain more perspective on the United States, cultures and political systems as well." Villanueva is also the current President of the Western Regional Honors Council.

For more information about International Education Week events, dates and times. To learn more about studying abroad, go to www.usac.unr.edu.