Gannon University’s International Student Office, in an attempt to narrow the gap between American and international students, kicked off the spring semester with its student-run Coffee Shop fundraiser in the Zurn Science Building.
Jason Steinberg, the associate director of the ISO, is responsible for overseeing development of this project.
“The coffee shop is a vehicle for the internationalization of our campus,” he said. “Everything about this project is geared toward integrating Americans and internationals.”
Steinberg also said that there will be 50 percent Americans and 50 percent international students volunteering at the shop.
He said the coffee shop is a student-run project.Currently, four students are receiving either independent study or internship credit for their leadership roles.
Vincent Bruce, a senior English major, serves as the publicity intern for the project.
Despite Monday being his first day on the job, Bruce said he finds it interesting working there. He said that one meets a lot of people from different backgrounds.
Two international students, Zaid Alhelal and Chen Cheng, are also volunteering their time to help with this project.
Alhelal is a freshman computer science major from Saudi Arabia and Cheng is a public administration graduate student from China.
Both said they are enthusiastic about this project and that it will be a way for them to work on their English.
The ISO Coffee Shop has a variety of things for sale. An 8-ounce of cup of coffee, tea or hot cocoa costs only 50 cents. A 16-ounce cup of any of those drinks is also available for $1.
Additionally, the ISO will sell a daily specialty item that is native to a specific country. Pastries also will be available. The ISO will keep the Coffee Shop open every weekday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Everything is reasonably priced,” Bruce said. “You could come here and get a decent lunch for about $2.50.”
For those students who are low on cash, the Coffee Shop does accept GU Gold payments.
The Coffee Shop will be used not only for internationalization purposes, but also as a fundraiser.
Steinberg said the coffee shop will use the revenue to subsidize programming for students who have financial needs.
The Coffee Shop will also have room for expansion, Steinberg said, since the student leaders are putting together a business plan under the guidance of professor Kurt Hersch.
“They together will be making the call on how to continually offer more and more internationalization – and international foods – to the Gannon community,” he said.
