Wichita State has a diverse student population with many cultures represented. It’s possible to meet people from all over the world here, and for international students, there are many opportunities to connect with people who share their native culture.

One such group that is on the rise at WSU is the Turkish Student Association.

“We try to help the Turkish Students who are newly arrived to Wichita,” said president Muhammet Ceylan, an engineering student in the Ph.D. program who regularly works with cancer cells.

Born and raised in Istanbul, Ceylan has been in America for the past eight years and has grown to love it with a passion.

“The first place I lived in America was Houston, and when people ask where I’m from, I tell them I’m a Texan,” he said.

When Ceylan moved to Wichita five years ago to pursue his Ph.D., the Turkish Student Association had a small presence on campus and his goal was to make it bigger.

“When I came here, it was kind of me only — maybe a couple others, but not much,” Ceylan said. “But now we have about 15,and while we still can’t compare to the size of the Indian Student Association, or any of the others, for us it’s a lot.”

Besides helping Turkish Students feel more at home, the group also aims to help Americans understand more about Turkish culture by offering things such as free Turkish classes. For next semester, they’re planning an event with the Music Department, something that Ceylan described as a “work in progress.”

While many details of the event still have yet to be worked out, member Esra Barut, a biological engineering student, gave a brief overview of what can be expected.

“It’s going to be European Music at the Ottoman Court conducted by a Turkish composer named Emre Araei; just a lot of traditional Turkish music,” Barut said.

Born in Istanbul, but raised in the United States, Barut travels back home every summer. She said she is proud the group has recently begun to take a more active role in promoting their culture on campus.

“We’ve had the Turkish Student Association for years but never did much with it,” Barut said. “But this year we’re doing more activities and trying to be more involved, and that’s what I like.”

The members of the group have certainly begun to branch out and spread awareness of its ideals. Eyyub Kibis, an engineering graduate student in the group, has been prolific in this effort.

He’s helped organize Turkish cooking classes, and this semester has banded together with some Turkish Colleagues to form the Young Educators Society, which “gives math and science courses to middle and high school students.”

Looking back on where the group was, where it is now and where it is headed in the future, Ceylan is proud of the work that’s been done.

“We are stronger now,” he said.

For more information about the Turkish Student Association, such as language and cooking classes, call (316)-804-0164, or email [email protected].