By Ryan Lasley

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International students gathered in the Student Center Ballroom Tuesday night for the annual Multicultural Student Thanksgiving Dinner.

The ninth dinner, which drew a crowd of 400 this year, is a time for students to get together and celebrate, said Alumni Association program coordinator Meg Phillips.

The first event, years ago, was held in the Alumni Building, said International Student and Scholar Services assistant director Karen Slaymaker.

For chemical engineering graduate student Kwabena Darkwah, who is from Ghana, the event was a way to celebrate with others, as returning home for the holiday wasn’t a viable option.

“For me, it’s my Thanksgiving because I probably won’t have another one,” Darkwah said.

For some students, it is a tradition to come to the Multicultural Student Thanksgiving Dinner. Human nutrition senior Chinelo Udechukwu said she attends the event regularly with her sisters.

“We’ve been coming here since my freshman year,” Udechukwu said.

UK Catering supplied turkey, mashed potatoes and a vegetarian dish. For dessert, students finished with pecan, chocolate and key lime pies.

Two new additions to the Multicultural Student Thanksgiving Dinner were a photo booth and a student performance by Henry Hohtulag.

There was a Thanksgiving quiz for students with the top scores put into a drawing for door prizes.

Phillips said the size of the ballroom relative to the increased attendance could affect next year’s celebration.

“We’re going to have to look at our space,” Phillips said.