Cigdem Elmas, left, Fatma Nur Başaran, H. Sinem Şanlı, Gamze and Elif Taninmis are among a group of visiting scholars from Turkey.
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Eighteen Turkish visiting scholars are living and learning at St. Cloud State for this semester while improving their English skills.
They gave the St. Cloud State community a taste of their own knowledge and artistry with a Visiting Scholar Showcase March 31.
The scholars are professors at Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey, where their specialties are in such fields as art, architecture, music, medicine, economics and more.
The presentations all had an academic focus and were open to the public.
The Visiting Artists Showcase was followed by a 3 p.m. reception featuring traditional Turkish music in the Atwood Memorial Center gallery for “Anatolian Woman” an exhibit that explores Anatolian women from the individual perspectives of three Turkish Artists.
In addition to studying English at St. Cloud State, the visiting scholars took a chance to head to warmer weather in California during spring break, where they swam with sea lions.
Visiting scholars Fatma Nur Başaran and H. Sinem Şanlı, and their colleagues, credit the students, faculty and staff at St. Cloud state with being kind, helpful and welcoming.
Participating in classes through the Intensive English Center, all the visiting scholars have improved their English skills, which will allow them to better communicate with foreign collegues and international students studying at their university in Ankara. They’ve also improved their English writing skills, Şanlı said.
“I never dreamed of coming here and showing my art,” Başaran said. “It is a nice experience for us.”
