Masterminds behind on-campus events: The International Ambassadors at Seattle Central College

After the fabulous Halloween events at Seattle Central College, it is a must to know how these amazing events were organized and, most importantly, the masterminds behind them.

The International Ambassadors (IAs) are the masterminds behind these events. Their role involves organizing and coordinating events, assisting with orientation sessions, and being a resource for international students. It’s a mix of event planning, student support, and community-building. They also create flyers and posts for events hosted by the International Ambassadors and manage the college’s TikTok account. Currently, Seattle Central has three IAs.

Khondakar Arafat Hossain is an international student from Bangladesh studying network design and administration at Seattle Central College. With a background in journalism, he is passionate about connecting with people and helping them feel informed and supported. “Being an IA allows me to use my skills in communication, leadership, and cultural engagement to create a welcoming environment for new students. Plus, I love the idea of helping students find their place at Seattle Central, just as others helped me when I first arrived,” said Arafat.

“Being an IA has been an incredible experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to connect with students and support them on their journeys. I hope to keep creating spaces where everyone feels welcome, supported, and excited to be part of our campus community. And if you’re ever interested in joining an event or have ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out!” concluded Arafat.

Jen is an international student from Vietnam, and this is her second year at Seattle Central College, majoring in business. Her area of focus is public relations–outreach coordinator. “Besides working and studying, I’m also volunteering as a teacher assistant for the ACCT&201 class. Even though my schedule may be packed, I truly love every aspect of what I’m doing,” stated Jen.

“When I attended the orientation for Fall 2023–my first quarter as a student of Seattle Central College, I was impressed by Jesse and all the other IAs’ energy and how they handled challenges that happened on that day. Especially when I went to their events, I saw how they helped other students, opened up opportunities for them, fostered engagement, and enriched the student experience for everyone. I knew I wanted to be part of this dynamic team, and I finally got my chance to apply in Spring 2024. So, here I am, the rookie of the crew!” said Jen.

Kyle is an international student from Japan studying business technology management. He enjoys music, movies, and hanging out with his friends in Seattle. Kyle came to Seattle in December 2022 and fell in love with the city. He wanted more ways to be involved with the community, so he started as an International Ambassador at Seattle Central.

“The reason I was interested in becoming an international ambassador is to have the opportunity to engage with students from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Building cross-cultural understanding is a valuable experience for me, and it aligns with my professional goals. I aim to cultivate an international perspective and enhance my ability to communicate effectively with individuals from various cultural backgrounds,” stated Kyle.

The process of doing an event as an IA starts with brainstorming and identifying the needs of the student community. Ideas often come from the whole team during their weekly brainstorming meetings, with help from student feedback. Sometimes, students suggest event ideas based on what they feel would help them connect or learn. “We aim to create events that foster community, celebrate cultural diversity, and make students feel at home,” added Arafat.

Once they have a theme or idea, they plan logistics, such as location, timing, resources needed, event type, budget, scale, goals, and many other things. Then, they coordinate with other teams—like Project Baldwin, EDIC, or Student Leadership—depending on the event. Planning time for each event varies depending on its complexity. Smaller events can take a couple of weeks, while larger events might require a month or more. They go through stages of planning, coordination, and promotion to make sure everything is organized.

Finally, they promote the event, set up the day and time, and manage activities to ensure everything runs smoothly. While the main focus is on events at Central, the IAs are always around to help on other campuses as well.

When asked if non-ambassador students can also help, Arafat replied, “Absolutely! Students are always welcome to reach out if they have an idea for an event or want to collaborate. We love hearing from students directly, as it helps us create more meaningful and relevant experiences for everyone.”

One of the best events on campus was their Halloween event.

“For Halloween, we organized a variety of events on campus, including a costume contest, a DJ booth, game stations, and a food station. Each part added to the festive vibe, allowing everyone to enjoy music, games, delicious treats, and the fun of dressing up together. It was a great way to bring students together,” stated Kyle.

“We organized a series of Halloween-themed events across Seattle Central, North Seattle, and South Seattle campuses, including a pumpkin painting activity. It was a fantastic way for students to experience a bit of American Halloween culture, and we made it fun by using Q-tips for painting. Also, the Fright Fest was great – everybody enjoyed it. The events had a great turnout, and everyone enjoyed expressing their creativity,” concluded Arafat.

“I would say our Halloween events exceeded my expectations, especially with the help of almost 40 volunteers,” Jen said. “Their efforts made me feel like our event really helped them to engage together, as our main goal was to create a space for students to make friends and beautiful memories,” she added.

In case you missed it, “For November, we are planning to have a gaming event for students for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. After that, we will have ugly sweaters and cookie decorating for Christmas,” said Jen.

Arafat also later added, “We have several events in the pipeline to keep the momentum going. We’re working on a Cookie-Decorating and ugly Sweater Party, more seasonal activities, and possibly some collaborative events with others to provide more community-building experiences for students.”

“If you’re looking to make new friends, create unforgettable memories, and truly enjoy your student life as an international student at Seattle Central College, don’t hesitate to join our events! We’re here to support you and feel free to chat with us during our peer link sessions if you’d like someone to talk to or just want to share some fun stories or volunteer for our events. Keep an eye on the billboards. We can’t wait to see you there!” concluded Jen.