11th Annual International Festival

The things they don’t tell you: About international diversity at Florida Tech.

Saturday, February 18th, was the 11th annual International Festival at Florida Tech. The festival is a time for campus to celebrate the diversity that we have on campus.

According to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 “Best Colleges” rankings, FIT was ranked as having the most internationally diverse student population in the nation – and it shows.

In my past four years here, I feel this diversity has had a positive impact on my education. Some of the best friendships I’ve made are with people from all over the world. I also feel strongly that what you learn inside the classroom is as important as what you learn outside it.

At the international festival, there are booths set up by students and the community to share their home culture with others. Many offer samplings of traditional foods, clothing, and music. At the Panthereum different groups also put on performances of cultural dances.

I have gone to all four festivals since I started attending FIT. My freshman year it was pouring rain, and still the whole community came out to celebrate. My favorite part about going is being around so many people happy to connect with one another. Florida Tech allows for people to come out of their comfort zones and experience a piece of the world.

*All photos for this post were taken by Ashley Philbeck (Instagram: @ashleymichelle98).