It’s time for international students to party.

For more than five years, University President Julio León and his wife Vivian, director of the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition, have been hosting an international party.

This year’s party will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on the third floor of Billingsly Student Center. The invitations have already been sent, and the final preparations are underway.

Vivian León said she is expecting between 300-350 people to show up at the event.

There are about 100 international students on campus. The Leóns went out into the community, contacting all the schools and companies in the area, to get a hold of every international student, family, or faculty member available. They did not just look at the Joplin area, either. Vivian León said she and her husband contacted schools such as Seneca and Lamar high schools and Crowder College. She said the event offers all area international students a chance to meet people from their own country, as well as other countries.

“It’s just good for them to meet people from different places, as well as people from their home,” Vivian León said.

Robert Tole, senior general business major, is an international student from Kenya. He has been to the party the last two years.

“It’s fun because you get to meet a lot of different people,” Tole said.

He plans on going to this year’s event also. He enjoys it because of the activities and the food.

“It’s always something interesting they have to do,” Tole said. “The food’s great, too.”

Vivian León said there are numerous activities planned for the event. When people start showing up, they will be divided into the different continents that they are from. Everyone is invited to come in their native dress, and this is when people meet other people from their homeland.

“A lot of hollering is going on at that time,” she said. “You hear all kinds of languages going on.”

Throughout the evening, there will be African music by the faculty band Kufara Marimba. The attendees also will eat a dinner from a buffet line from Sodexho. Contests include who can name the most flags from the different countries and a talent show.

“We do a lot of research to make sure everyone is represented by a flag,” Vivian León said.

To offer a little American flavor to the evening, line dancing will be offered as well.

Tole said he is especially looking forward to the performances of the evening. He said the last couple years he and his group sang an East African welcoming song during the talent show. He said he was “surprised” at how many people were there from his own country. Vivian León also said the event helps to get the attendees interested in Missouri Southern.

“A lot of times they become very valuable resources for us,” she said.

Anyone who received an invitation to the party can reserve their spot by calling the University president’s office.