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As a graduate student in the Department of Sociology at the University of Illinois I have focused my attentions on the international community within American society and how they adapt to a new country with different traditions. Issues of cultural diversity have led to increasing awareness of the international community. It is becoming the accepted trend to embrace what is different and welcome a diversification of thought, ideas, and way of life. I recently had the opportunity to attend several Cosmopolitan Club coffee hours and was impressed by the efforts of this organization to welcome individuals with different backgrounds and provide them with an opportunity to spend time with others who share a common experience of traveling abroad or the common interest in other cultures and ideas. I am currently taking a Qualitative Methods course and was asked to use these methods to answer a sociological question. I chose to carry out my observations and interviews at the Cosmopolitan Club in order to discover how members of the international community, particularly students, strive to create networks within a particular organization on campus and how different students might use that organization differently. Through support of international exchange programs and development of a diverse and multicultural campus, the University of Illinois has opened its doors to international students and also to concerns and questions of their adjustment to their temporary home. My research allowed me to study the reasons students chose to participate in activities at the Cosmopolitan Club and I found that the students I interacted with come to this unique club to meet new people and enjoy an international atmosphere. As I have not finished developing the conclusions in my brief study, I must leave my comments as they stand. I sincerely thank the organizers of the wonderful international events for the wonderful opportunity to meet new people from around the world. I thank those students who participated in my interviews and also the executive director of the Cosmopolitan Club, Andrea Shields, for the wonderful information and reception she gave me when I approached her regarding my endeavor. |