More than 250 international students are expected to attend the 16th annual Thanksgiving dinner at the NIU Newman Catholic Student Center today.

Most people have a place to go for Thanksgiving, but international students don’t, said Father Michael Black, pastor of the NIU Newman Center, 512 Normal Road.

Many other churches and groups besides the Newman Center helped organize the event.

NIU’s international student faculty office, Network of Nations and six different churches have worked together in this year’s event, said Ruth O’Donnell, director of Network of Nations.

The main idea behind holding the dinner is to show international students what Thanksgiving is, O’Donnell said.

“We don’t have any set agenda,” O’Donnell said. “It is an open time for students to experience an American, traditional Thanksgiving dinner.”

It also is a time when students can enjoy being together, she said.

The dinner’s purpose also is to give students from other countries a taste of America.

Many international students do not have the chance to celebrate the holiday, and the dinner gives them the opportunity to know what is it like to experience an American Thanksgiving, said Carrie Anderson, secretary for University Resources for Latinos and former NIU ISFO employee. Anderson helped to put together one of the first of these annual Thanksgiving dinners.

Several people from DeKalb and NIU are cooking the dinner to feed the couple hundred students, Black said.

“Last year we heard from students how thankful they were,” Black said. “We want to show them that they are important in this country.”

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner

Who: All NIU International students

Where: Newman Center

When: 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. tonight

Cost: Free