Students from all over the world will be engaging together through music, dance and food this fall at Taylor University.
The intercultural events have created student leaders through conversations and culture showcased in different affinity groups on campus.
When we get to heaven, there will be a great multitude of every tribe, people and language worshiping the Lord, and the Multicultural Student Association’s (MSA) goal is to create a little heaven on earth here at Taylor, Nate Chu, director of international student programs, said.
He added that throughout the activities and conversations, Taylor is seeking to develop servant leaders and be the training grounds before the blast-off.
Taylor’s Middle Eastern Collegiate Association (MECA) mint tea event will be held in the Office of Intercultural Programs (OIP) lounge in the LaRita Boren Campus Center on Sept. 17. The 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. open house will be a space to embrace hospitality, engage in supportive conversation and enjoy tea with students from all over the world.
“MECA’s main goal is hospitality, specifically a Middle Eastern kind of hospitality that I think is unlike any other on campus,” Hadleigh Brown, a sophomore and co-president of MECA, said.
MECA’s events aim to foster a welcoming environment for a diverse group of attendees, including professors, staff and students. Mint Tea with Meca provides time to sit and talk with people from around campus and the world, Brown said.
The Black Student Union (BSU) Block Party took place on Sept. 12 by the Bond Family Patio. The event aimed to create a welcoming space for minority groups to connect and have fun. It was open to everyone and provided music, dancing and cotton candy.
FRIceDAY was kicked off on Sept. 13. and will continue throughout the semester. The OIP lounge has planned on providing rice to share as a community every other Friday.
FRIceDAY has aimed to be a home away from home and a place to support one another’s cultures, Chu said. MSA strives to provide stability and give a fuller picture of the body of Christ.
MSA annually hosts an event known as Mosaic Night. This year, it will take place on Nov. 2. It will be a night filled with music, dancing, singing and food. Mosaic Night celebrates entertainment found all over the world.
“It’s kind of a big showcase of the cultures that are represented by your peers,” Chu said.
Hispanic Heritage Month starts Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15. As a way to learn and engage with different cultures, the Latino Student Union (LSU) will organize Hispanic-focused events throughout the month.
There are many opportunities to engage all over the campus. The MSA at Taylor focuses on building relationships with people worldwide and training leaders who keep God at the center, Chu said.
All campus events allow students to engage with different cultures worldwide.
Chu added that their ultimate goal has been to keep God first. They have celebrated the strengths of others through specific gifts they have for the Kingdom.
MSA engages in what is going on, he said. Campus is a busy place, and the organization seeks to pull students into participating in one another’s lives. They recognize others' struggles and strive to support each other through them.
MSA puts on multiple all-campus events throughout the school year, and their goal is to provide a place filled with hospitality, he said.
“What I love about Taylor is that you are able to engage with so many different cultures and backgrounds in the middle of nowhere, Indiana,” Chu said.
