< Back | Home

Senior Chuan Wang catches a frisbee while attending the International Aggie Football Symposium at the Bright Football Complex Auditorium Monday evening.

International students learn about football

By: Kenny Ryan

Posted: 10/3/07

MSC Hospitality and the Student Government Association organized the third annual International Student Football Symposium to teach international Aggies about the sport of football and the traditions that come with it.

"The event started when a member of SGA and a member of Hospitality decided they wanted to do something to interact with foreign students," said Ross Lasley, a junior agricultural business major and the traditions chair for MSC Hospitality. "Every year it's sold out really well, it's one of our most successful programs."

The football symposium was Monday night. At least 200 international students attended.

"We sold out instantly," said Eunice Overton, a senior international student adviser for International Student Services. "I love it; it really sets us apart from the other universities that the Athletic Department reached out to get international students involved."

The opportunity to learn more about American football attracted students from around the world.

"In Brazil we are crazy about soccer and I want to see why they are so crazy about football here," said Paulo Silva, a doctorate student from Brazil.

Charley North, the director of football operations under Head Coach Dennis Franchione, made an appearance with four football players. Safety Kenny Brown, linebacker Anthony Lewis, center Cody Wallace and quarterback Jerrod Johnson were greeted with cheers from the audience as Coach North explained the role of each player on the team.

"Seeing the players and having North teach us football was very exciting," said Jongsoon Kim, a biological and agricultural engineering research assistant from South Korea.

After learning the football rules, the students were taught the traditions of A&M associated with football. A representative of the Traditions Council and A&M's two junior yell leaders were on hand to explain everything from Midnight Yell to how to "Beat the Hell."

"I think this is really important because it unites the campus as a whole," said Rachel Plugge, a junior psychology major and vice president of the MSC. "It gives people access to the information, and gives them a chance and a means to be a part of A&M,"

Plans are in the works to expand the symposium to other sports.

"We started a baseball one last year and this year we started a basketball one," Lasley said. "Both will be in the spring."

MSC Hospitality will take the students to Midnight Yell Friday night and Saturday they will join them in the stands for A&M's football game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The week-long event is focused on getting international students involved in A&M's culture.

"The purpose of the event is to bring international students into the fold, into the mix of what's going on in A&M," said Austin Kurth, a senior political science major. "[The students] come from China, Iran, Korea, all over the place. They are used to a different lifestyle than if you grew up in Dallas, so this is an experience to reach out to them and teach them about our culture. "

Kurth summed up the spirit of the evening in his closing address: "No matter where any of you are from, we are all Aggies."