Students enter the University Club, grabbing food provided for the event on the way in, and make their way to their named tables. Some look nervous while others casually converse and show no signs of worry. As 5:30 p.m. rolls around, professor Jennifer Pope begins to announce the event. Things soon picked up, leading into strained, thoughtful faces and ending in high-fives, claps and shouts of victory.

On Thursday, the Padnos International Center and Seidman International Business Program held Grand Valley State University’s very first GVSU World Quiz Game Competition at the University Club on the Pew Campus.

Multicultural groups on campus were first invited to this event via email. Other groups on campus were also included and the event was advertised on both Allendale and Pew Campuses.

“Because this is the first time we’ve had this, it’s a small turnout,” International Business Study Adviser Alexandra Schmid said. Schmid generated the idea of this event and thought it was a great opportunity for student organizations to get together, network, show off their world knowledge and perhaps even get them interested in study abroad programs. Schmid hopes that in the future, the event will grow.

Five groups participated: International Students Organization, American Marketing Association, African Student Council, Italian Club, and Les Francophiles (French Club). The groups were competing to find out which group was the smartest, most cultured group on campus, said the event planners.

After brief introductions from each student involved, the game kicked into high gear.

There were six categories of questions including political and current events, foreign countries, international sports, cross-cultural blunders, business etiquette and GVSU Study Abroad. Although they were only allowed to reference their other team members during the first five categories, groups were given the GVSU Study Abroad booklet to help them answer questions for the last.

Questions were projected on a PowerPoint presentation or read aloud to the students who circled the appropriate multiple choice response. After each category, GVSU student Liz Deller, who helped put on the event, scored each team and added the scores up in the end.

First, second, and third places received small prizes for winning including a GVSU sweatshirt to first place winners and GVSU gift items to second and third.

The International Students Organization won first place, while the African Student Council came in second and Italian Club followed closely behind in third, although there was only one student from the Italian Club representing the group.

“We’re really looking forward to the GVSU World Quiz Game,” Deller said before the event. “It should be a fun evening for all!”

Students who participated also shared the excitement for the event.

“We are happy to participate in the World Quiz Game this year,” president of AMA Lee Constantine said in anticipation for the event. “It will be challenging, but we are glad this event is taking place and look forward to testing our knowledge about International Business and Study Abroad programs.”

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Want to test your knowledge? Try out these questions from the GVSU World Quiz Game Competition!

1. Who is the current president of Egypt?

a) Nasser

b) Mubarak

c) No current president

d) Ben Gunion

2. Which country has the second largest oil reserve?

a) Saudi Arabia

b) Mexico

c) Canada

d) Brazil

3. When and where was the first Summer Olympic Games held in the U.S.A.?

a) 1896 in New York

b) 1900 in Washington, D.C.

c) 1904 in St. Louis

d) 1932 in Los Angeles

4. What is considered to be impolite in Colombia?

a) Winking.

b) Whispering

c) Sneezing

d) Yawning

Answers: 1) c 2) c 3) c 4) d