International students at Temple are now coming together to share their cultural experiences from home and in America in a new way.
Freely Magazine is a brand new online publication run by international and domestic students at Temple University. With a staff of forty students, Freely Magazine is focusing on showcasing the cultural backgrounds of international students. Sylvia Dao, founder of the magazine, says their content right now is focusing mainly on presenting diverse cultures to students who have yet to be exposed to them.
“Our content is basically discovering cultures, sharing your opinions, and the purpose of debunking stereotypes.”
To launch their magazine, the Freely staff hosted a photo exhibit titled ‘A Piece from Home,’ showcasing the work of ten different photographers from all over the world. Students from Congo, China, Romania, Poland, and more displayed their photographs accompanied by short biographies about their experiences at home and coming to Temple.
Dr. Hai-Lung Dai, Vice President for International Affairs, and Nelson Diaz, Temple Board of Trustees Member, both praised the students involved for taking the initiative to popularize the international student’s perspective at such a large scale. Diaz is in full support of bridging the gap between international and domestic students.
“We have to figure out how we reach the rest of this institution so they realize how important international students are to the future not only of the university, but to the future of America.”
The staff writers and photographers hope to expand this intercultural initiative to impact as many students as possible, both in the Temple community and in the greater Philadelphia area.
“I think it’s like a really incredible idea just to bridge this culture gap between international students and domestic students,” stated Keilon Rachford-Hawkins, Vice Director for Freely Magazine Public Relations, and international student from Trinidad and Tobago.
Visit Freely Magazine’s website here for more information.
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