WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017
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THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Volume: 60 Issue: 20
MARCH 29, 2017
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International Night a world-class event Most attended annual event continues history of unifying campus
Students from all over the world gather to celebrate “International Night.” On left, Gaurav Gyawali plays an indiginous flute from Nepal. Top right, native Palestinians share their culture. Bottom right, students perform a traditional dance number. -Photos by Brennan Probst
BY CHRISTOPHER WALKER Editor-in-Chief The University of New Orleans hosted a cultural melting pot the night of March 25 as students, faculty and members of the New Orleans community piled into the Human Performance Center for International Night, an event sponsored by the International
Student Organization. During International Night, citizens from various countries represented their homelands in both table displays open to the public and song and/or dance performances. Rajan Poudel, the public relations officer for ISO said, “International night is the biggest student-run event on campus, by number of people, investment and
advertising. Students, faculty, and people from around the city come to this event, and it’s important to establish a cultural harmony between nations.” One side of the HPC was dedicated purely to cultural exhibitions from the countries that signed up for the events. Tables from India, Pakistan, Norway and Vietnam were just some of the cultural displays.
Some tables had relics from their countries of origin, others had pamphlets with information, and some had food and several featured a combination. “International night is important because it gives everyone a chance to see where we’re from,” said Nada Van Kempen, an international student who represented her heritage at the Australian table. “Australia and America
have many similarities, but also many differences. On the surface, our cultures look very similar, but we have a very rich indigenous culture. I think Australia has a very quintessential culture based around our connection to the land many Americans do not know about.” Although the environment at the cultural exhibitions was relaxed, there was a competition going on. At the end of the night, the ISO declared a winner from the displays. Ramadhi Briyadham, an Indian student at his country’s table said, “This is not about competition; it’s about displaying your culture from home for the student of UNO. Everything you see here is what we have back home. This event helps with UNO’s representation in the community as a diverse place.” While the cultural exhibits were going on, food was served on the other side of the HPC. Student volunteers served dishes donated from various restaurants around New Orleans, including orange chicken, plantains from Cuba and lo mein from Vietnam. Gage Cochrane, a sophomore interdisciplinary studies major, said, “I volunteered for this event because I feel like ISO and international students, in general, are a huge part of the campus and the campus life. I wanted to pay it back and volunteer.” Continued on page 6 ...
Diversity Engagement Center seeks to support marginalized students BY ANNA GOWIN Features & Entertainment Editor According to the “U.S. News and World Report,” the University New Orleans is ranked among the most diverse in the country. The university’s newly opened Diversity Engagement Center will further embrace and engage with its diverse communities by providing a physical space for students to meet. Peggy Gaffney, director of Diversity Affairs, said that the main goal of the center is to promote and empower the university’s groups and individuals. “The Diversity Cabinet has been around since before Katrina,” Gaffney said, “but it has also been one of the best-kept secrets on
campus.” The Diversity Engagement Center began as an idea generated during a recruitment retreat in 2015. The retreat itself was the idea of then-university Provost John Nicklow, who created a task force from the retreat group. Gaffney was a member of the original task force, which eventually evolved into the Diversity Engagement Center. The process included student involvement in naming the center – originally the Diversity and Inclusion Center. “I think that’s what our goal is,” Farley said, “is to engage the student body, to engage the community. And, personally, through talking with students, that’s what resonated…and when we brought it up to the [Diversity] cabinet, overall, that is the name that we
all liked the best,” said Gaffney’s co-worker, Matt Farley. While center’s the main priorities, right now, are to make sure students are aware of the presence of the Diversity Engagement Center as a resource, Gaffney said its future goals are still growing and evolving. She also said she hopes to hire additional staff so that someone can be in the office all day; currently, Gaffney and Farley are the only employees in the center. Continued on page 3 ...
President John Nicklow cuts the ribbon at the grand opening of the Diversity Employment Center. -Photo by Brennan Probst