Outstanding DEIB program/initiative/event

Here is what International Student Life’s nominator said about them:

“It is with excitement that I nominate International Student Life’s International Coffee Hour’s 50th Anniversary Celebration for the Outstanding DEIB Program of the Year. For the past 50 years, this program has demonstrated a commitment to raising campus awareness of diverse groups and cultures while fostering respect and friendships.

International Coffee Hour is the longest running program at UGA and has been a staple Friday event, providing a space for students and staff to come together and celebrate diversity. Through cultural performances and activities, food, dialogue, and coffee, the program has allowed individuals to connect and share their experiences and learn from one another. The event has been instrumental in creating an inclusive community on campus, where individuals from all backgrounds feel welcomed and valued. Through the sharing of cultural traditions and experiences, attendees have been able to experience and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of different perspectives.

Each week, International Coffee Hour is hosted by a different cultural organization or UGA department and attracts 200-300 UGA community members. The program has been intentional about including hosts from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives. By creating a space for individuals to come together, International Coffee Hour has helped build bridges across different communities while promoting social cohesion. Host organizations are able to gain visibility on campus and all participants become aware of UGA departmental resources, all of which foster a greater sense of belonging. By engaging with the broader UGA community, International Coffee Hour has helped to promote cross-cultural understanding to internationalize the student experience. In celebrating culture on campus, International Coffee Hour in turn raises campus awareness of diverse groups and cultures. Through this work, International Coffee Hour has helped to create a campus culture that values diversity and inclusion, by bringing hundreds of students, staff, and faculty together each week.

In August of 2023, International Student Life hosted the first International Coffee Hour of the year, the ICH 50 Kickoff. Here, 13 ISL-advised student organizations supplied cultural tastings and activities to engage the over 800 participants in celebrating 50 years of International Coffee Hour! ISL could not have done this without the help of campus and community partners, UGA staff, and our incredible 14 student volunteers. Additionally, Jittery Joe’s and ISL created a special blend of coffee to celebrate this anniversary and has been served at each coffee hour since its reveal. Bags of the Celebration Blend can be purchased through the end of the academic to support the International Student Emergency Fund, which provides financial assistance to UGA students on temporary visas who encounter financial hardship. 

For 50 years, the program has demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering respect across difference, provided educational information to promote DEIB, encouraged participation from underrepresented communities, and raised campus awareness of diverse groups and cultures. International Coffee Hour has been instrumental in creating an inclusive and welcoming community on campus for half a century, and we look forward to continuing the tradition for another 50 years. “