Juliana Nixon is a BSU international student from Nigeria, she is a third year studying Computer Information Systems and the President of International Student Organization (ISO). When she came to BSU, she came with memories and stories from her aunties, who have graduated BSU, about the Festival of Nations. This grand ISO celebration of different cultures brought the whole community out and together. She joined ISO under the leadership of then president Muhammad Hasnain, a graduate student in Environmental Studies in 2023, when the organization was just reactivated after being dormant for three years during the pandemic. They took time to rebuild the base and reconnect with campus partners. When Juliana took up the baton from Muhammad, she had the ambition to bringing back the beloved Festival of Nations for BSU and the community.

Fast forward to Spring 2024, ISO’s Festival of Nation’s planning committee was busy meeting and getting every details in place in preparation for the 50th Festival of Nation. With guidance from mentor Ashley Gomez, Interim Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Associate Campus Diversity Officer, ISO were sprinting forward with a huge undertaking of making and serving authentic food that represent the students’ culture, the taste of home and family tradition.

On April 12th, an early afternoon in Wally’s commercial kitchen, international students started chopping, marinating and preparing different ingredients for the big rush the next day, getting over 20 dishes ready for Festival of Nations. The next morning, the day of the event, students got up bright and early, and started at the kitchen by 8 o’clock. The spirit was high as they are passionate about sharing something they love. Some were calling home to ask for cooking advice, some were following a grandma’s recipe, and some were tag teaming with another student from the same region. At times, the kitchen was quiet as everyone is concentrating on their task in hand, other times, there were loud communication across the room as one shouts to another to turn down the heat or to flip the food. They all tried to stay calm and orderly, but they were also racing against the clock as the event would open its door at 4pm. The news about the return of the 50th Festival of Nation has already been sent out through local newspaper and radio; the stake was high and there was no room for mistake.

In the end, this team of amazing international students came through. When you walked into the door at 4pm, you would have no idea of the busy rush less than an hour ago. Attendees could pick up a passport, collect stamps of nation flags, enter a raffle ticket for lucky drawing and go through the line of amazing food from around the world, brought to you by the students that came to BSU from around the world. Total of thirty six food and beverages from East Asia, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and the Americas were served.

You may have heard the story afterwards from Bemidji Pioneer’s coverage of the event; the 50th Festival of Nations was an event full of smiles, laughers, music, lovely conversations and full bellies! DJ Micah was in the house, keeping up a global groove. Violinist and a graduate student in Music Education, Julia Anderson played some lovely Irish fiddles for the audience. Turns out Juliana Nixon is also a great singer, her sang with the band “Just in Time” with singer Maggie Kienetz , Faith Adedeji on the keyboard, Sam Kienetz on the guitar and Jonny Fraser on the drum. They performed song after song as attendees celebrated well into the night. Psychology professor John Gonzales as seen in the photo below shared a sweet story of how he and his wife originally met at the then “Feast of Nations” twenty years ago. 

Countries have borders, the world seems divided when you tune into the news these days, but BSU’s Festival of Nations brought people together as we celebrated diversity in culture and bridged our differences over a community meal.

Gabrielle Jacobson, a nursing major from Burtrum, Minn., performs a screening at a health fair during market day in Punta Gorda, Belize. Jacobson is part of a group of nursing students and faculty from both Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College who spent two weeks in Belize providing health care in Mayan jungle villages and hosting health fairs.