International Societies at Saint Mary’s University

Written by Carolee Avery

Thumbnail Photo by Andrew Butler on Unsplash

Saint Mary’s students have finally been allowed to return to campus and in person classes this semester, which can be an exciting time, but for many international students who started their schooling abroad in their home countries and are now living in Halifax, it can also be quite a bit adjustment. 

If they are looking to connect and make friends with fellow international students, they’re in luck, as a quarter of the Saint Mary’s University student population are international students, and with such a large part of the student body being international, a large portion of the student-led societies are focused on international students and culture. This article aims to give a brief overview of all the active international societies available to students and provide a starting point for new students looking to make connections. 

Saint Mary's University Muslim Society (SMUMS)

The Saint Mary’s University Muslim Society, or SMUMS, was created to be a representative voice of Muslims at the university. This society creates and maintains a safe space for all Saint Mary’s students through respect and understanding while also helping to create a bridge between Muslims and the wider Saint Mary’s University community. In order to create this on campus safe space the society is working with DalMSA to provide on-campus resources and new learning opportunities for Muslim and Non-muslin students alike. Additionally, the society aims to advocate for issues that are important to Muslims and are necessary for their sense of belonging.

While the society is fairly new, having only been established in August 2021, they have a clear vision for themselves, as well as support from the Muslim Student Association at Dalhousie University. Having support form Dal’s MSA means that SMUMS has a blueprint for success, Dal’s MSA has been hosting events and providing support to Muslim students from both Dal and SMU for the last five years.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Saint Mary’s University Muslim Society, you can reach out to them on Facebook or via email at saintmarys.msa@gmail.com.

Saint Mary's University Bangladeshi Students' Society (SMUBSS)

 Saint Mary's University Bangladeshi Students' Society, or SMUBSS, aims to promote and create awareness of Bangladeshi culture on campus and in the Halifax area. The society also wants to foster unity within the Bangladeshi student population at Saint Mary's University, promote cultural diversity at SMU through hosting events, and provide Bangladeshi students with resources to make their journey as students easier.

This past March, the society held an event celebrating Bangladesh’s 50th Anniversary of Independence Day. During the event, which was held on Zoom, society members were treated to performances of traditional dance and music from fellow society members, giveaways, and even a community Q&A. 

SMUBSS also participated in the Saint Mary’s University Fall Societies Expo, which took place on September 23rd, 2021 in the quad on campus. During the Expo, the society registered new members, connected with other societies, and promoted their upcoming events, which include their fall general meetings and trivia nights.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Saint Mary’s University Bangladeshi Students’ Society, they can be reached at their email smubss.smu@gmail.com or on their Facebook page SMU Bangladeshi Students’ Society.

Saint Mary's University African Student Society (SMASS)

Saint Mary’s University African Student Society, or SMASS, has three goals as a society. The first is to serve the academic, intellectual, cultural, and social activities, and promote the welfare of African and non-African students attending Saint Mary's University. 

The society’s second goal is to raise funds to be used for the purpose of effectively reaching and/or maintaining their primary objectives, and for the purpose of obtaining equipment deemed necessary and/or desirable by the members of the society.

The society’s third goal is to promote African cultures on campus through flags, food, entertainment, and more. In previous years, SMASS, alongside Dalhousie’s African Student Society, hosted Africa Night, a celebration of heritage and achievements. While SMASS hasn’t held an Africa Night since 2018, current executives hope that 2022 will bring back the long-missed tradition.  Besides their own events, SMASS collaborates with the Saint Mary’s University Caribbean Society, the Saint Mary’s African Nova Scotia Society, and SMUSA during Black History month to promote local Black-owned businesses and host events like Trivia Night.  

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Saint Mary’s University African Student Society, they can contact them at their email, safricanstudentsociety@gmail.com, join their Facebook page Saint Mary’s African Student Society, or fill out their membership application form here.

Saint Mary's University Caribbean Society (SMUCS)

The Saint Mary’s University Caribbean Society, or SMUCS, strives to provide a “welcoming environment through engagement and inclusion of students from all walks of life.” The society has collaborated with many organizations in the city, including Emra during Black History month, to promote the welfare of Saint Mary’s University students and further the academic, intellectual, cultural, and social experiences of the Caribbean students at Saint Mary's University. The society aims to be an outlet for expressing different types of creative talents through social events that highlight Caribbean dance, art, and literature.

The Caribbean Society is very active in the Saint Mary’s University community, often collaborating with SMUSA for Black History Month. The society also hosted several of their own events last year including a Caribbean Trivia Night that was hosted on Zoom.  

If you or someone you know would like to join the Saint Mary’s University Caribbean Society, they can be found on Facebook or they can be reached by email at smucaribbean@gmail.com.

This list isn't exhaustive, and there are many other societies and opportunities available to international students on campus. Societies like the ones included in the list are a great way for students to get involved and form a community, and if you or someone you know feels like Saint Mary’s University is lacking a society you could always create one!

If you'd like to suggest a society for a future SMU Journal article, feel free to reach out to me at carolee.avery@smu.ca.

Claire Keenan