Athenian Internationalism: A Cosmopolitan Insider’s Point of View

Athenian is a school known for its uniquely diverse community; however, according to some international students, it can sometimes seem like this nearby yet global student body is overlooked by the people within. “You can’t learn everything about the world through hearing about it [from secondary sources],” said Xavier Moreno ‘26, from Mexicali, Mexico. 

While Athenian offers its widely acclaimed International Exchange Program, students don’t have to go far to learn more about different cultures. Just looking at some of Athenian’s own international students on campus opens up a gateway to the globe.

The Athenian School has long valued educating its students on what it means to be a culturally competent citizen. Athenian is part of a program called Round Square, which is a coalition of more than 230 schools in 50 countries joined together to facilitate international student connection and communication. 

As one of Round Square’s founding members, Athenian is aligned with the idea of creating students with the “Spirit of Internationalism,” who “respect the need to preserve and celebrate national identity, cultures, traditions and heritage,” according to Round Square’s website.

Jai Velukuru ‘26, from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India, joined the school because he appreciated its dedication to internationalism and diversity. 

Velukuru said, “[I came to Athenian] mainly because my old school was a white majority school, and I wanted to meet others like me.”

Despite this focus on global influence, many of Athenian’s international students chose the school for different reasons. 

Catherine He ‘26, from Shenzhen, China, said, “[I joined the school because] all my friends were leaving to America, and my mom pointed out The Athenian School.” 

There are a variety of preconceptions about American culture from the international community.

“[Many] people in Mexico think people in America are racist, and all the news on immigration doesn’t help,” said Moreno. 

Alex Bennett ‘26, with familial ties to Spain, said, “My family thinks that Americans overwork and are all self-made millionaires. In Spain, we have a siesta which is around a 3-hour break, or nap, in the afternoon. It’s a much more chill work culture.” 

The one criticism all interviewees shared was that of Athenian’s supposedly global palate. 

When asked whether the food was at all representative of his cultural background, Moreno said, “It’s average. The ingredients are there, but the technique isn’t. With the restrictions they have [on meat, gluten, etc.] it’s at least understandable, though.”

According to both students of Asian background interviewed, the Asian food is not measuring up. 

Velukuru said, “I feel like they try, but they fail continuously, especially at Indian food. The tikka masala lacks flavor. It’s a good attempt, at least. I appreciate the effort.”

To add insult to injury, He said (regarding the Kung Pao chicken), “Marinated chicken is not Chinese food!” 

Concerning education from an international standpoint, Velukuru believes that it’s a work in progress. Athenian has long believed that cultural wisdom is a key factor in understanding the human experience and the world, as emphasized on DEIS Day of this year. Velukuru proposed a curriculum-based solution. 

He said, “In world history, they touched on the basics of world history, but I feel they had time to go at least a little bit deeper. Just a general knowledge and respect for other cultures goes a long way.”

Lea Hartog, the teacher of the International Relations and Food on Your Plate seminars at Athenian, believes her seminars provide new perspectives on different cultures. 

Hartog said, “Through the model UN conference [in International Relations] that all students participate in, they have to understand the perspective of a country that they’ve been assigned that’s not the United States, and therefore develop empathy and understanding by researching that country and serving as a delegate to represent their interests.”

Hartog also added that many international students, especially boarding students, seem to be drawn to the International Relations course compared to other seminars. 

“I wonder if it’s because there’s not a given US lens on interpreting current events or international politics,” said Hartog. 

Regarding the Food On Your Plate seminar, Hartog said, “Food is a unique lens [to view history and culture] because we all have to eat food. It’s a uniting force because it’s universal.”

She had a more conservative view on the Internationalism Pillar’s progression. While Athenian’s international presence is progressing, she said, “I don’t believe Athenian is international enough to hold up to the name of an international school. Even though it’s better than some places I’ve been, it still has a large group of “white” students from similar ethnic backgrounds.”

On a positive note, Bennett believes that Athenian is headed in the right direction. 

Bennett said, “[Athenian’s commitment to the Internationalism Pillar is] getting better. It’s not perfect, you could even say it’s far from it, but there are more and more opportunities to connect with international students, from affinity groups to Round Square. Every day, Athenian becomes more and more globally connected.”