International walkway opens outside CLA
Jazmine Johnson/ The Towerlight
University President Maravene Loeschke has officially opened the International Walkway, a sidewalk that features illuminated flagpoles and flags from the home countries of international students at Towson.
Although the walkway contains only 17 flagpoles, students from nearly 82 different countries attend Towson.
Each semester, the flags will rotate so each international student is represented at least once, Loeschke said.
“I want international students to look up at their flag and feel proud that they are represented here,” Loeschke said prior to the opening of the walkway.
Zhidong Yang, an international student from the People’s Republic of China, said that during his first semester two years ago, he struggled both academically and culturally.
“The opening of this walkway is a symbol of promoting the spirit of diversity which has long been upheld by Towson University,” he said.
Yang is one of the 646 international students enrolled at Towson as of fall 2011.
“It’s nice to see the diversity and be able to represent your own country confidently,” Omela Francis, an international student from Jamaica, said.
Leigh Anne Weaver, a student who studied abroad, spoke at the ceremony and discussed her experience abroad.
“Your eyes will be opened in ways you can never imagine and your view of the world will be forever changed,” Weaver said. “Anyone who has the opportunity to study abroad should take it.”
Both alumni and philanthropists purchased each flag for roughly $5,000. Half of the donation went towards purchasing the flag, the flagpole and a plaque attached to the pole, while the other half was donated to scholarship funds.
The countries currently represented on the walkway include the People’s Republic of China, Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Korea, India, Nigeria, Nepal, Vietnam, Germany, Senegal, Cameroon, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Brazil, Canada and Kenya.
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Answer me this, why is the Chinese flag twice as big as every other flag?
Huh… The Communist Chinese Flag. Only has the blood of over 50 million innocent chinese folks on it’s hands. Good to know we will raise the flag of one of the largest violators of human rights in the world for the sake of “diversity”
The international students from China are not responsible for their government. Did you think about that Dan G. or Pissed Off? Why shouldn’t these students be represented? They are part of the diverse culture of Towson University, even if you don’t agree with their government. If you want to talk about the largest violaters of human rights, look to religion and make your claim.
I’m not advocating for what the Chinese government has done, or is doing, but I am in ACCEPTANCE of all diversity…unlike your shallowminded self.
Ivan, what part of 50 million people don’t you understand? Atheist communists have killed more people in the twentieth century alone than all religious people combined in all of history.
@ James
Ha! That’s a good one sir. Keep going through life with your eyes shut tight! If you could actually read your comment back to yourself, use your brain (“think”) for at least one minute afterwards, and not laugh at what you’ve written, then I applaud you.
Sean, atheists like yourself have killed well over 100 million people in the twentieth century alone under the banner of communism. That is a fact. No religious group has killed so many people. Thanks for showing that atheists can only respond with mockery when faced with the facts.
@Ivan
I’m not upset that it is bigger or trying to make a statement, I am just legitimately curious why the Chinese flag is twice as big as all the other flags. Next time you walk by the flags you will see what I am talking about. I understand that we have a huge number of Chinese students here at Towson, which is great, it just seems a little odd to give them a bigger flag.
I agree with the second commenter. They should fly the ROC flag instead of the PRC one.
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