COLUMN: Take advantage of diversity on campus
Diversity. It seems to be the talk of the town lately. In a world where cultures seem to be merging, Utah State University seeks to bring it to a more personal level. This week, USU celebrates diversity through various activities – all sponsored by the ASUSU Campus Diversity Committee. The goal of the Diversity Committee is to educate and expose students to the fact that everyone is diverse – that no two people are the same.
The Diversity Committee is an organization, through ASUSU, which supports and works with five different organizations on campus: Disability Resource Center, Pride Alliance, Multicultural Student Center, International Student Council, and the Women’s Center. The main goal is to change the stigma of diversity, to show that it is more than just race, gender and nationality.
All activities this week are free to students with events varying from a religious-panel discussion between 10 Cache Valley religious leaders, the annual Miss Diversity Pageant and the fourth annual Diversity Carnival. Wednesday, at the annual Miss Diversity Pageant, 10 USU women, representing more than six nations, will compete for scholarship money. Hosting this year’s pageant are Dan Munch and Ragnar Hartzheim, the same emcees from Mr. USU. Come enjoy a night of cultural talent, wonderful judges and beautiful ladies in the ballroom at 7 p.m.
Thursday, at 12:30 in the Kent Concert Hall, USU welcomes Anna Deavere Smith. Smith will be speaking about issues of race, community and character in America. She is a Pulitzer Prize runner-up and has appeared on such movies as “Dave,” “The American President,” “Philadelphia” and such TV series as “The Practice” and “The West Wing.” Free tickets are available in the TSC Ticket Office. Also taking place Thursday night is the first ever Ping Pong Tournament, at the LDS Institute and co-sponsored by LDSSA. Think you got the skills to take on international students? Come at 7 p.m., and enjoy a night of ping pong and other fun games.
To end the week, the fourth annual Diversity carnival, which hosted more than 2,000 people last year, is something that both students and the community enjoy together. Full of performances, food and activities, various clubs that wish to promote and share diversity at Utah State will be on hand to answer questions and offer insight to their respective backgrounds. Performing that evening are: USU Bagpipe Club, Hispanic Student Union, USU Ballroom Dance Team, New Horizons, Native American Student Council, the Theta Nu Xi and Mountain Crest High School Step teams, the Polynesian Student Union, Genepool, Big Band Swing Team, and the African Drummers.
Diversity is what makes one’s differences unique and beautiful, and what makes our university a cultural melting pot. Diversity is one’s ideals and beliefs that requires barriers to be broken down by learning to embrace our brothers and sisters. Come celebrate the beauty of diversity on our campus this week, and see what diversity is in you. No two people are the same.