Attending a university can allow students to submerge themselves into a diverse environment; the Melting Pot Student Organization is an example of this. The Melting Pot enables students to meet others of many cultures nestled within NC State’s community. 

The Melting Pot was recognized this year as an official student organization, but initially functioned as a Facebook group. Students Lisa Kremer and Evi Ugrinsky head the organization. 

“The first event was a potluck in an apartment,” Kremer said. “International and American students gathered to mingle, share dishes and play instruments. It was a huge success and grew exponentially from there.”

Kremer, a senior studying international business communication and public relations, is originally from Munich, Germany.

“I’ve travelled to thirty-six countries and lived in seven,” Kremer said. “Even though I’m German, I still connect with other nationalities. The ability to socialize in this network of people with similar experiences is a blessing. It’s an attractive option for students with global interests.”

The club is especially beneficial for international students because they can meet other students and build relationships, according to Kremer. 

Sriram Ranga, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering first found out about the Melting Pot through its Facebook page. Ranga said the group appealed to him so he could be more involved around campus.

“In my freshman year, I just wanted to be involved in as many activities and events as possible, so I joined all possible Facebook groups to be updated about the events happening in and around campus,” Ranga said. “The Melting Pot Facebook group is like an information center.” 

Kremer said the organization  gives international students an opportunity to reach out, especially those with language barriers.

“Oftentimes, international students are interested in meeting other cultures, but are hesitant at first,” Kremer said. “It’s easy to feel isolated on such a large campus. The Melting Pot provides an engaging platform for students to widen their social circle and meet with people from various backgrounds. In a way, it feels like home.”

The club is free for anyone to join, with its first event occurring on Sept. 4 for downtown Raleigh’s First Friday. 

“It’s a wonderful event for students to explore what downtown Raleigh has to offer,” Kremer said. “There will be ethnic cuisine, live music, galleries and several other events. We’ll be having a ‘Welcome Back Bash’ barbecue in September as well.” 

Kremer and Ugrinsky plan on continuing the potlucks, which have proved to be student favorites. 

“Last year, we had a tremendous success with the Halloween potluck,” Kremer said. “We rented a clubhouse and everyone brought a dish from his or her respective culture. The decorations were phenomenal.” 

However, beyond the scope of potlucks, the organization is also planning other events this year. 

“We’ve also been considering showing movies from various cultures and dining in international restaurants in the Raleigh area,” Kremer said. “It truly gives students a chance to dive into different ethnicities and cultures. From Indian to Ethiopian, Raleigh has an abundance of foreign cuisine.”

The club is also ideal for students from the United States who have previously studied abroad and want to maintain interaction with a certain culture, according to Kremer. Providing a space for diverse backgrounds, the Melting Pot allows students to get to know one another and even practice their foreign language skills. 

“Although it’s still in the planning stage, we are considering it a service that connects people with similar language interests and want to improve their conversational speaking,” Kremer said. 

The Melting Pot is unique in the respect that it offers students the experience of cultural exploration and the opportunity to enhance global proficiency. Essentially, it opens the door to diverse cultures, traditions and perspectives in this increasingly interrelated world.

Ahmed Mashal, a junior studying chemistry became part of the group in order to make connections with students from other cultures. 

“I joined the Melting Pot because it’s a club for students from diverse backgrounds,” Mashal said. “It’s good to interact with people from different backgrounds. Usually the students are minorities like me and you don’t usually have a good chance to interact with them in your daily life, so the club makes this more possible.”

To find out more about the Melting Pot Student Organization, access https://getinvolved.ncsu.edu/organization/meltingpot.