ISO lights up the night

The Student Union Ballroom rumbled with the sounds of hip-hop, salsa and reggae music at the International Student Organization's Welcome Back Dance Party on Friday.

The crowd quickly grew from two dancers to more than 500 students.  

"This is the perfect time to de-stress and relax right after the first week of classes," said Shireen Hyrapiet, ISO president. "For these students, it is unwinding time, so it is very important."

Each ISO event requires months of planning, but the dance is casual, Hyrapiet said.

"We don't really do anything grand. This is not a big budget event. We just make sure that we advertise it to both the American and international students."

Americans, such as Adrienne O'Reilly, a graduate student and the ISO America liaison, know the importance of being absorbed in other cultures.

"I want to know how other countries view the United States," she said.