The team behind Culture Night Student club leadership discusses Culture Night and their role in its organization BY CARLENE COOMBS
In preparing for Culture Night, members of the student club leadership shared the behind-thescenes of Culture Night and how their role as a leadership team was to work with clubs and individuals to help them feel more comfortable and get the most out of Culture Night. Hei Long Ip, a senior from Hong Kong majoring in business management, said he was excited for Culture Night because they get to see all the work that goes into the night. “To me, the exciting part is to see their efforts… their blood and tears… The audience doesn’t know. They just see that 8-minute performance, but they don’t know how much… planning and time they spent on it. But we, as a management team, we know.
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“What makes me excited is their smiles, their excitement, their attitude, their appreciation of their culture. The attitude from them makes me more excited to help them let their culture shine in front of the world.” Ip added he believes Culture Night is something BYUH students are blessed with and is something that sets the university apart from others. “I think Culture Night is a privilege the school provides to the students. Culture Night is very unique. None of the other BYU [schools] have it.” Talamonu Tupou, a junior from Tonga majoring in accounting, said, “If we recall Brother David O. McKay’s prophesy of Laie
being a gathering place for the people of … the Pacific, we have to integrate Culture Night into the fulfilling of that prophecy.” Mark Lois Eyo, a senior from the Philippines majoring in TESOL and political science, said Culture Night is about displaying the hard work put into the performances. “Culture Night is not a competition. I think we should try to clarify that. Culture Night is where you showcase your talent because you want to be united with the community.You want to showcase your talent because you want to be your best around people who are your friends and who are your loved ones.” Eyo also shared being part of the leadership team is more than being in charge.
