While Jennifer Parker, an associate professor of sociology at Penn State Lehigh Valley, has always been intrigued by labor markets and how the economy operates, her interest in immigrant entrepreneurship did not develop until her years as a graduate student at the City University of New York.
That's when Parker studied the dynamics of fast food restaurants in traditionally immigrant neighborhoods of the city by getting a job in one of these communities and fully immersing herself in this workforce environment.
Through this experience, Parker noticed a trend: As the modern fast food industry expanded, it was often immigrants who provided the labor, investment capital and management know-how that enabled multinational companies to adapt to local ethnic communities and draw in new consumers.
These findings led Parker to write a book on immigrant labor in fast food restaurants, “Fast Food, Fast Track: Immigrants, Big Business, and the American Dream," published in 2002. She went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship to study the specific ways in which immigrant entrepreneurs, through their own family economies, were re-shaping the industry’s global growth strategies.
In discussions at Penn State Lehigh Valley, Parker found that a number of faculty and staff members, as well as a variety of student-run groups, shared similar interests in studying and supporting immigrant communities, specifically in the Lehigh Valley area. It was these conversations that led a group of faculty members to develop the International Food and Entrepreneurship Series.
“We thought, what better way to bring the campus community together to learn about entrepreneurialism and culture than through food,” she explained. “Everyone loves food.”
Faculty and staff organizations, such as International Club and Teaching International, had an immediate interest in the series, but in order for this program to have the desired widespread impact, founding faculty members knew they would need the support of students.
Garnering student support and involvement for the International Food and Entrepreneurship Series was not a difficult task. Due to the campus’ large population of international students, there are a number of student organizations with an interest in this area — namely, the Business Society, State of the Valley (the student-run news outlet) and Club International.
Merve Demrigil, a sophomore supply chain management major and president of Club International at Penn State Lehigh Valley, was among the students contacted by Parker to contribute to the series.
“I was excited about the opportunity, and thought that other students would definitely be interested,” Demirgil said.
Demirgil has a special interest in the International Food and Entrepreneurship Series since her parents are from Turkey, and she was raised in the Netherlands until about five years ago when her family moved to the United States for her father’s job.
Her multicultural background strengthens her passion for informing students about international food and traditions.
“I think that it is very important for students to understand and support other cultures,” Demirgil said.
With widespread student support, the International Food and Entrepreneurship Series established a diverse committee of students, faculty and staff to help with developing goals, determining event and meeting specifics, and evaluating past events.
The series, which is slated to include two dinners a semester, is intended to bring the campus community and local community partners together to address issues such as immigration, small business development, entrepreneurship, local economic transformation, and cultural diversity, while also assisting with the growth of these businesses through patronage, media coverage and long-term relationships.
The International Food and Entrepreneurship Series held its first event on Sept. 23 at Aci-Halal, a Turkish meat market and restaurant in Allentown that has been in the Aci family for years. Attendees were educated on Turkish culture and told the story of immigration and adjustment to life in America, while enjoying a traditional dinner of delicacies like lamb, pilav, baklava and Turkish coffee.