Saudi Club Finds Purpose in Connections and Service

STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD CHOOSE TO ATTEND CONCORDIA ST. PAUL TO PURSUE AN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

In fact, during the 2020-21 academic year, CSP’s student body included 100 students from 23 different countries. For the 25 students hailing from Saudi Arabia this past academic year, CSP’s Saudi Club fostered a sense of community and inspired service among its members. The club’s work and activities helped earn them the title of “Best Saudi Club” in Minnesota by the Saudi Clubs Union in Minnesota.

FINDING COMMUNITY

Discovering a sense of community is important for all students, but for international students, that happens in a new place and new culture. To create that sense of community, students from Saudi Arabia came together in 2015 to form CSP’s Saudi Club. CSP alum and current MBA student Ali Alshehri, BS’ 20 served as president in 2020. To Alshehri, Saudi Club is more than just a club organized around a common interest or identity. “The Saudi Club is an opportunity that opened doors for us to apply what we gained from our studies,” Alshehri explained. “We really wanted to add value and do something to build the bridge between students and strengthen social ties.”

INSPIRING SERVICE

Alshehri knew that to build bridges, their club would need to find ways to connect. After their first event, an orientation, the group found many ways to connect, one of which was serving in the community. For instance, the group has volunteered together with Feed My Starving Children and with Share the Warmth as a way to give back.

From there, the list has only grown. CSP’s Saudi Club has led and participated in activities including working with Waey Association for Community Health, a non-profit organization, to organize a seminar with a Saudi doctor talking about mental health during the COVID crisis; celebrated Eid Al Adha with patients at the Mayo Clinic by bringing patients flowers and cupcakes; and even observed the G20 Summit with inspirational materials like notebooks and sticky notes – little gifts to help students get through their finals.

RESILIENCE IN 2020

When COVID-19 took hold in the United States in early 2020, CSP moved all classes online. Along with this radical shift in the academic experience, clubs like the Saudi Club also had to pivot how they planned to stay connected.

“We wondered if we should give up,” said Alshehri. “Should we find another alternative? What are we going to do?”

Thankfully, they found a way to continue as a community, coming together to find ways to give back during such a challenging time. To gether, they created care packages to dis tribute.

“During that time, it was very hard to find [hand] sanitizer, masks, and gloves,” Alshehri explained. “In April, we gave out almost 45 bottles of sanitizer, masks, gloves, and more to students.”

As May approached, so did commencement. At CSP, all ceremonies shifted to a virtual format. With that news, Alshehri and the Saudi Club came together to discuss what else they could do to celebrate and honor the graduates.

“Most of the international students would leave the state and be uable to come back to the United States,” Alshehri shared. “We had to find an alternative way to celebrate the students’ accomplishments.”

That alternative was a drive-thru-style commencement ceremony. At first, the group planned to hold the ceremony in the parking lot of a hotel. With the help of CSP faculty and staff, they were able to hold it on campus in one of Concordia’s lots.

“We’re so proud of the drive-thru graduation,” said Alshehri. “These students worked so hard for their degree and I am glad we were able to celebrate their success and achievements.”

LASTING CONNECTIONS

For Alshehri, the Saudi Club has meant more than just an extracurricular activity to add to his resume. It’s impacted him on a deeper, more personal level.

“When I was elected president of the Saudi Club, I didn’t know most of the Saudi community here at CSP,” noted Alshehri. “Through Saudi Club, I had the opportunity to know all of them and establish a strong relationship between the club and the students.”

Alshehri is grateful to the entire CSP community for their support, giving particular thanks to the Director of International Student Services, Tiffanie Loeb Schneider, Professor Renata Mayrhofer, and Assistant Director of Student Activities and Leadership Kimberly Newton.

— Story by Danielle Sarim, BA ‘12 | Photos courtesy of Ali Alshehri