You may wonder why a mid-sized Roman Catholic and Franciscan university in eastern Pennsylvania is devoting a day to celebrating all things Canadian; however, the reason is not as strange as you might think. Neumann University decided to set aside this day to acknowledge and honor all of its students that hail from their neighbor to the north. This year Neumann University celebrates its second Canada Day on April 27 from 1-3 p.m. in Bachmann lobby.

“We decided to set aside this day essentially to show thanks for all the tremendous contributions our Canadian students have made to Neumann University over the years,” says Dr. Lawrence DiPaolo, vice president for Academic Affairs and co-chaplain for the Men’s Club Ice Hockey Team. The day-long celebration will culminate in a party in the lobby of the university’s main academic building complete with Canadian rock music (The Bare Naked Ladies, Neil Young, The Band, and others) as well as authentic poutine and, of course, Tim Horton’s. Connor Annett, a third year nursing major from Toronto, thinks the event is great as “everybody appreciates some Timmy’s.”

Neumann University’s Canadian students make up the largest single group of foreign students to call Aston, Pennsylvania, their home for nine months of the year. With students from Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, Neumann’s Canadian students hail from across the country.