Project Overview

As both Event Coordinator and Vice President of the Turkish Student Association at Michigan State University, I played an active role in strengthening community, celebrating cultural identity, and supporting a more inclusive international student environment on campus. My work involved both leadership and event planning responsibilities, from helping shape the organization’s direction to organizing programs that brought students together through shared cultural experiences.

Through this role, I collaborated closely with the executive board, coordinated events that highlighted Turkish heritage, and worked with other student organizations to encourage intercultural dialogue and connection across campus.

My Role

In my role as Vice President, I helped support the organization’s overall leadership, planning, and coordination efforts, working closely with the executive board to guide initiatives and strengthen the association’s presence on campus. As Event Coordinator, I focused on developing and organizing events that encouraged participation, celebrated culture, and created meaningful opportunities for students to connect.

Together, these roles allowed me to contribute both strategically and creatively by supporting the organization’s goals while also shaping the student experience through programming and collaboration.

Key Contributions

• collaborated with the executive board to support organizational planning and decision-making

• planned and executed cultural, social, and networking events for students

• helped strengthen community engagement through inclusive and welcoming programming

• partnered with student groups such as the Balkan Student Association to organize cross-cultural events

• supported initiatives that celebrated Turkish heritage while encouraging intercultural dialogue

• contributed to creating a stronger sense of belonging for international and multicultural student communities

Impact

This experience allowed me to contribute to student life in a way that combined leadership, cultural representation, and community-building. Through both executive and event-focused responsibilities, I helped create spaces where students could connect, celebrate their identities, and engage with a broader multicultural network on campus.

It also strengthened my ability to manage responsibilities across planning, communication, collaboration, and execution while working within a team-oriented leadership environment.

Reflection

Serving as both Vice President and Event Coordinator strengthened my leadership, organizational, and communication skills while deepening my appreciation for multicultural collaboration. It showed me the importance of creating inclusive spaces where students feel represented, welcomed, and connected.

More importantly, this experience taught me how student leadership can create meaningful impact by turning shared culture and community into opportunities for belonging and engagement.

Link to Instagram