For community member Cindy Inserra, the University’s International Thanksgiving Celebration for first-year undergraduate students is a family event.

Inserra’s family owns Syracuse Banana, a local distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables and a longtime donor to the celebration. Her in-laws began hosting a table at the very first celebration 41 years ago. Inserra and her husband then began hosting a table years ago with their young daughter.

Now, their 3-year-old twin granddaughters are asking when they can begin hosting a table.

Inserra says the the experience has been “monumental” to her family,  becoming their own favorite family event. Her daughter, Nicolette, made a lifelong friend while hosting a table with her grandfather many years ago, and they are still in touch.

“There is such a feeling of gratitude in teaching new students about our American Thanksgiving tradition,” Inserra says.

“I love when I get questioned about the stuffing ingredients and how the gravy goes over everything on your plate,” she adds. “By the time we get to the spray whipped cream and how that works, we are all laughing and we all feel like family. I love this tradition with my family and my SU family. It connects us in so many ways, and I am proud to be a part of this wonderful experience.”

This year’s celebration will be held on Thursday, Nov. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Miron Victory Court at the JMA Wireless Dome, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Email invitations have been sent to the University’s international student community; interested students must register in advance.

Started by the University in the 1980s by the late Rev. T.E. Koshy, the celebration is intended to introduce new international students to the American Thanksgiving experience. The celebration is sponsored by the Chancellor’s House and the Center for International Services.

“Each year, we look forward to extending the invitation to our international student community to come share a meal in gratitude and experience a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with friends old and new,” says Dr. Ruth Chen, professor of practice in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, who will co-host the celebration with the Center for International Services. “It is an important part of Syracuse University’s mission to be a university that is inclusive and welcoming to all—and this annual tradition is one example of how we meet that mission with renewed energy and enjoyment.”

The meal, provided by Campus Dining, is served family-style and will include such traditional Thanksgiving fare as turkey and dressing (also known as “stuffing”), cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Kosher and Halal turkey will be available, as well as a variety of vegetable dishes for vegans or vegetarians. Students can indicate their dietary preferences when they register. Table hosts—faculty, staff and community members—will engage attendees in conversation and answer questions about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving.

“The International Thanksgiving Celebration is such a wonderful event and definitely a personal favorite,” says Meriel Stokoe, director of events and activities at the Center for International Services. “It is so nice to see the University community come together to share the traditions of Thanksgiving with our international students, right down to how to get the whipped cream out of the can! I am very grateful to Dr. Chen for co-hosting this event with the Center for International Services.”

With questions or for more information, contact Kelley Champa at 315.443.4439 or kachampa@syr.edu.