SE: Global Cats Helping K-State’s International Student-Athletes Adjust
Nov 26, 2018 | Sports Extra, Evans Student-Athlete Success Program
By Corbin McGuire
The scene said it all.
A group of K-State student-athletes surrounded a square table, playing "What Do You Meme?," a popular card game. One Wildcat was from France. Another hailed from Argentina. There were a few Italians, a Greek and an Australian involved as well. Laughter, a language that needs no translation, filled the room.
Their differences — mostly where they grew up — are what brought them together. This gathering was for the second-annual Global Cats Thanksgiving last week. K-State's international student-athletes came together for it at a time when the majority of their American teammates and friends went home for the native holiday.
"I like it because you're here alone this week when everybody goes home, and you feel kind of lonely," Konstantina Romaiou, a junior triple jumper from Greece, said. "It's nice that everybody got together, and we played games. It's so nice to feel like somebody's here for you."
"It's good for us, especially on these days, because you feel pretty bored and lonely, but with Global Cats we all stay together, and we actually do something," K-State tennis sophomore Anna Turco, from Italy, added. "It's pretty cool to spend time together and share stories about our celebrations or our cultures. I really like it."
Global Cats was created about a year ago in an effort to, among a number of things, make the K-State's international student-athletes "feel like they are included," K-State academic counselor Maryclare Wheeler said.
The transition to college, a new country and, often, a new language can be a lot to handle alone. Who's better to help ease the stress from it than a group of people who have gone through the same process?
"It's nice because we are going through some situations that Americans can't understand. If they are homesick, they are in their home country and their travel isn't as far away. We don't have the opportunity to go back home for a long time," Romaiou said. "To be around other people that know what's going with you feels good.
"When I came here, I couldn't speak English really well; I still try," she continued, with a laugh. "But it was nice when they started the (Global Cats) program. It helped me because I didn't know anybody. Nobody else is from my country here, so it's hard for somebody like that to be part of a group. It's nice because you meet other people and you learn how to be part of the group, and the family here just (takes you in)."
Global Cats gets together many times throughout the school year.
Last spring, they took part in the men's basketball diversity and inclusion game, carrying their flags onto the court during halftime. They also got to face off in laser tag, a popular get-together. "It was very fun," Turco said, with a big smile.
This semester, the group started with a welcome back pizza party. There was another meeting for first-year international student-athletes, where K-State Director of Mental Wellness/Sport Psychology Anne Weese addressed the group on handling home sickness. Every month, there is an international night at the performance table where a different country's cuisine is served.
More recently, the group hosted a panel discussion with four Wildcats — Tejaswin Shankar, a national champion high jumper from India; Niamh McSherry, a women's golfer from Northern Ireland; Rhizlane Siba, a recently graduated high jumper from Morocco, and Turco. They talked about the challenges they faced adjusting to college and a new culture and offered advice on how best to handle them.
"I think it was very useful," Turco said, "especially for the freshmen because they have to get used to what it's like, being away from home, and having other people that can help you and give you suggestions about to handle all of it, it's pretty useful"
Wheeler, who led the charge in creating the Global Cats program at K-State, said its impact has already gone beyond its initial goals.
"Since we started this group about a year ago, we've really seen that they've gotten to know each other from different sports instead of just staying within their sport and mingling," Wheeler said. "Also, they've gotten to know their resources as a staff and they're willing to reach out to not just their academic counselor or their learning specialist that they work with but then they're getting to see the full K-State experience."
The scene said it all.
A group of K-State student-athletes surrounded a square table, playing "What Do You Meme?," a popular card game. One Wildcat was from France. Another hailed from Argentina. There were a few Italians, a Greek and an Australian involved as well. Laughter, a language that needs no translation, filled the room.
Their differences — mostly where they grew up — are what brought them together. This gathering was for the second-annual Global Cats Thanksgiving last week. K-State's international student-athletes came together for it at a time when the majority of their American teammates and friends went home for the native holiday.
"I like it because you're here alone this week when everybody goes home, and you feel kind of lonely," Konstantina Romaiou, a junior triple jumper from Greece, said. "It's nice that everybody got together, and we played games. It's so nice to feel like somebody's here for you."
"It's good for us, especially on these days, because you feel pretty bored and lonely, but with Global Cats we all stay together, and we actually do something," K-State tennis sophomore Anna Turco, from Italy, added. "It's pretty cool to spend time together and share stories about our celebrations or our cultures. I really like it."
Global Cats was created about a year ago in an effort to, among a number of things, make the K-State's international student-athletes "feel like they are included," K-State academic counselor Maryclare Wheeler said.
The transition to college, a new country and, often, a new language can be a lot to handle alone. Who's better to help ease the stress from it than a group of people who have gone through the same process?
"It's nice because we are going through some situations that Americans can't understand. If they are homesick, they are in their home country and their travel isn't as far away. We don't have the opportunity to go back home for a long time," Romaiou said. "To be around other people that know what's going with you feels good.
"When I came here, I couldn't speak English really well; I still try," she continued, with a laugh. "But it was nice when they started the (Global Cats) program. It helped me because I didn't know anybody. Nobody else is from my country here, so it's hard for somebody like that to be part of a group. It's nice because you meet other people and you learn how to be part of the group, and the family here just (takes you in)."
Global Cats gets together many times throughout the school year.
Last spring, they took part in the men's basketball diversity and inclusion game, carrying their flags onto the court during halftime. They also got to face off in laser tag, a popular get-together. "It was very fun," Turco said, with a big smile.
This semester, the group started with a welcome back pizza party. There was another meeting for first-year international student-athletes, where K-State Director of Mental Wellness/Sport Psychology Anne Weese addressed the group on handling home sickness. Every month, there is an international night at the performance table where a different country's cuisine is served.
More recently, the group hosted a panel discussion with four Wildcats — Tejaswin Shankar, a national champion high jumper from India; Niamh McSherry, a women's golfer from Northern Ireland; Rhizlane Siba, a recently graduated high jumper from Morocco, and Turco. They talked about the challenges they faced adjusting to college and a new culture and offered advice on how best to handle them.
"I think it was very useful," Turco said, "especially for the freshmen because they have to get used to what it's like, being away from home, and having other people that can help you and give you suggestions about to handle all of it, it's pretty useful"
Wheeler, who led the charge in creating the Global Cats program at K-State, said its impact has already gone beyond its initial goals.
"Since we started this group about a year ago, we've really seen that they've gotten to know each other from different sports instead of just staying within their sport and mingling," Wheeler said. "Also, they've gotten to know their resources as a staff and they're willing to reach out to not just their academic counselor or their learning specialist that they work with but then they're getting to see the full K-State experience."
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