Wall of Flags Ceremony 2020
At St Thomas University (STU) 11% of the student body is international students, and STU is a place that prides itself on the diversity of its students. STU also strives to provide a place where international students feel welcome and thrive, and many do because of the small, close-knit, and supportive community environment St Thomas University creates among the international student body. One of the ways STU likes to show its support for the international students is through the Wall of Flags found in James Dunn Hall.
The Wall of Flags holds 41 different flags, each one representing over 184 of the international students at STU. But, to go even further, St Thomas University, STUISA (STU International Students Association), and the International Students Office have been hosting a flag ceremony. Sara Kohut, the Student Union President said, “We wanted to get involved with the wall of flags because it’s a visual reminder of how integral international students are to our community and how much they enrich student life at St. Thomas”.
Each year in early October St Thomas University switches out the flags on the wall to represent the school year’s current international student community. Carrie Monteith-Levesque, the International student Coordinator said, “It’s like a living representation of our international student community.”
This ceremony all began in 2018 and even though there is a pandemic, this didn’t stop STU from hosting its 3rd annual flag ceremony, however this year it was held online. This virtual ceremony included guest speakers, a slideshow, and a video highlighting the importance of the Wall of Flags at STU. St Thomas University could have canceled the ceremony altogether, but they felt it was important because it helps international students feel more at home and it helps everyone meet more people from all different parts of the world. Alexa Navas, the Campus Tour Ambassador and International Student said, “I know most of us are not on campus, or not even in town and we might not get a chance to see the actual Wall of Flags but we wanted to get that feeling of bringing it to you so we can all get the chance to see the flags on display even though it’s not the actual wall.”
Not only do the Flags have their importance during the ceremony, but also whenever anybody walks through James Dunn Hall. Many students feel delighted when they see the flag of where there from hanging in the school they go to. Sing Yi Chua, an international student from Malaysia said, “By seeing the wall of flags, I feel acknowledged on campus, even though we are just international students coming from a different country coming from a different culture but when we are on campus seeing the Wall of Flags, we feel like we are being appreciated and acknowledged on campus.” And Diana Chaves, an international student from Ecuador said, “I think about, huh, if I had not come to Canada and to St. Thomas, I wouldn’t have been able to meet as many people from such a diverse range of countries as I know now.”
Even though COVID has made it so we can’t have our normal day to day lives, the St Thomas University community made it so we could still celebrate something that means so much to the St Thomas University student body.
