Over fifty different countries are represented on Bucknell’s campus. From China to Pakistan to Austria and Mexico, Bucknell’s student population originates from all regions of the globe. This incredibly vast diversity is a feature worth celebrating and on Saturday, Feb. 15, Bucknell students will do just that! For weeks, the Global Student Council and Student Language Council have been preparing tirelessly for Bucknell’s annual Global Gala, an event that displays the uniqueness and beauty of Bucknell’s diverse student cultures through the gala.
“The Bucknellian” caught up with students Omid Mohammadi ’25, Tessa Brizhik ’26 and Cheatra Chheang ’27 for an inside look into the planning process.
As president of the Global Student Council, Mohammadi has spearheaded the preparation for the Gala event. His favorite part of the process is “seeing passionate students come together, each bringing their unique ideas and energy.” This year, he says, the team has taken a “fresh approach,” aiming to share “a more balanced perspective on the world— both within our Bucknell community and beyond.”
Brizhik, a Presidential Fellow working for the Student Language Council, expressed the planning committee’s hope that the gala’s “energy will be palpable” as student performances, cultural foods and immersive decor transform Larison Dining into a wonderland of diverse heritage and international culture. She even hinted at a new feature— a student short film! “That’s all I will say,” she said, “but it is definitely worth coming and seeing!”
Chheang, one of the performance assistants who works to communicate with and organize all the registered performers, echoed Brizhik’s excitement for students to attend the gala. When asked what students can expect, he brought up “exciting and thrilling cultural performances and diverse dishes from all around the world” along with “bright and spirited rooms filled with nothing but bliss and joy.” Chheang himself will be performing Khmer royal ballet, a Cambodian tradition.
All three planners articulated how they intentionally designed this event to welcome Bucknell students of any cultural background. In the words of both Mohammadi and Brizhik, there is “something for everyone.” The key, according to Mohammadi, is to “come with an open mind.” The Gala serves the purpose of reminding the Bucknell community of just how much diversity exists within this University. Chheang similarly encourages students to “not take this amazing opportunity for granted,” as he believes the Gala will help Bucknell recognize how every distinct identity “contributes to the big picture of diversity on campus.”
Tickets are five dollars for students and can be purchased on the Box Office website. All students are invited to experience the Global Gala on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Larison Dining Hall.
