OU Cousins hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner
by Pam Stockwell
One of the most anticipated OU Cousins events, the OU Cousins Thanksgiving dinner, took place on Thursday, Nov. 20, with free turkey, dressing, and other traditional foods for the 100 student guests. The Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Governor’s, Regents, and Associates rooms were opened to make one large room in which Cousins mingled and met other students to form new friendships and bond across a multitude of cultures.
The OU Cousins were asked to invite their Cousins along for a night of festivities to learn about the history of Thanksgiving, as well as to simply enjoy themselves. The doors opened at 6 p.m. and immediately international students began to embrace the American holiday and the message behind it.
American students, including OU Cousins Advisory Board member Michael Nash, embraced the opportunity to show international students such an integral part of America’s culture. Many students were pleased to see how much fun students were having from both near and far. “I thought the dinner went really well and provided a great chance for the Cousins to bond while enjoying some great food,” Nash said.
The Center for Student Life’s Quy Nguyen, Kristen Partridge, and others spoke as well, giving a heartwarming account of the history of Thanksgiving in front of many international students who had no previous exposure to the tradition.
Coincidentally, students also had the chance to hear a guest speaker in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom, next door to the Cousins’ festivities. The Delta Gamma Foundation and the University of Oklahoma brought Linda Cohn, ESPN Sportscenter anchor, to speak. Many students headed next door after their dinner to listen to Cohn’s speech while enjoying their Thanksgiving food.
The OU Cousins Advisory Board is currently planning even more fun and exciting activities to finish the year, including a visit to the Festival of Lights in Chickasha.
The OU Cousins program was created in 1996 by President and Mrs. David Boren as a way of developing understanding, friendship, and unity among U.S., International, and exchange students at the University of Oklahoma.
Through this program, students are matched according to hobbies, majors, and countries of special interest. Each International or exchange student is matched with one or two American students and invited to participate in monthly programs that are free of charge. In addition, students are encouraged to get together outside of official Cousins events and share their respective cultures with one another through normal daily life. To learn more about the OU Cousins program, go to http://oucousins.ou.edu.