“Trip Around the World” allows students to sample international cuisine
Photo courtesy of Kate Helmstetter
By Benjamin Pontz, News Editor
When Brooke Gutschick decided she wanted to host an event in The Attic, she struggled to conceive of a theme. One of her roommates mentioned how much they enjoyed BurgBurst and Servo’s International Food Festival, and an idea was borne.
Gutschick, the senior class president, set to work orchestrating a “Trip Around the World” that was held last Friday and featured 13 tables at which various clubs set out food for students to sample.
Approximately 500 students did just that; the free event also welcomed faculty, staff and administrators for what Gutschick called “a casual Friday evening celebration of our campus’s diversity.”
Part of the college’s ongoing “Year of Food,” the “Trip Around the World” invited students to engage with the theme using their tastebuds, always an attractive proposition.
“I really went into the event with minimal expectations since this was the first event ever of its kind to be offered. I was very impressed at the amount and variety of food and beverages offered,” said senior Julie Schuldt.
“My favorite food item was definitely a tie between the potato pancakes and the baklava. I think this event was fairly helpful in engaging students in the year of food. I wish the clubs that prepared the food had handouts or signs behind the tables that talked about the cultural significance or history of each dish served,” she said.
For her part, Gutschick was “blown away” at the number of students who attended.
“The event absolutely exceeded my expectations. I saw people from all spheres of campus: students, professors, administrators and staff members, which is exactly what I was hoping for,” she said.
Participating organizations included Asian Student Alliance, BBQ Club, CAB (Polish food), China Club, Greece, Italian House, Gettysburg African Student Association, Hillel House, International Affairs Association, International Club, Latin American Student Association, Women’s Rugby (UK food) and Vietnamese Student Association.
Ultimately, the event aimed to help students participate in the Year of Food in a non-lecture format.
“This was an opportunity for people to come and eat some good food to finish off a long week, and I think we did just that,” said Gutschick.
