“I want to come together and celebrate each other,” said Nidhi Dwivedi, third year graduate student in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology, who was elected as the 2022-23 global engagement liaison for student senate.
Dwivedi, who is from Pune, India and is also president of the International Student Association (ISA), has several goals she wants to accomplish in her new role.
“One of my goals is to increase cultural activities, including discussions about any issues that are happening in and around the world that may or may not directly affect UNMC students,” she explained.
Dwivedi gave examples of discussions including immigration, equality, racism, culture shock, job availability and career options in United States.
“I think UNMC students need a platform where they can interact with people they don’t have a lot in common as such, Dwivedi said. “I have noticed that there is a disconnect between people where they are reluctant to talk to people from other countries because of the possible things that are not common or the chance they may offend someone.
“Through the events or open discussion forums, I am trying to build a much bigger cultural community without the demarcations of me being from India or you being from China, or whatever those demarcations would be,” Dwivedi said. “I just want there to be no such demarcations and bring us together as a community and learn and grow together as a community.”
Engaging more students in study abroad programs is also a goal of Dwivedi’s.
“A lot of students who come to the U.S. and want to experience what it means to be in another country, and I think there are short term study abroad programs that help U.S. students to understand what is going on in other universities, in the U.S. or out of the U.S. that the students would be enthusiastic about,” Dwivedi explained.
“I want to make campus more vibrant in terms of the cultural diversity and have those conversations that might actually help you socialize, make friends and learn from them,” Dwivedi stated.
“I congratulate Nidhi on her new role with student senate. The Office of Global Engagement staff is happy to work with Nidhi on her goals,” said Jane Meza, PhD, associate vice chancellor for the office of global engagement.