The Office of Community Life at California Baptist University brought students together Sept. 20 to celebrate the diverse and rich heritage of the Hispanic culture.
Students gathered in Stamps Courtyard outside Wanda’s and Alumni Dining Commons to enjoy traditional Hispanic foods, participate in group dances to cultural music, play soccer on the grass field, have raffle opportunities, and have their photograph taken in a themed photo booth.
Sarah Hom, junior psychology major and cultural and commuter Office of Community Life student intern, led the event with her partner intern Danyella Wilder.
Hom said the main goal behind the event was to celebrate Hispanic heritage and give students a opportunity to experience Hispanic culture.
“There’s a large population of Hispanics on our campus,” Hom said. “We wanted them to feel acknowledged.”
Hom and the rest of Community Life staff said they were pleased with the turnout and participation at the event.
“Our goals were exceeded,” Hom said, “The engagement was great. Of the students who came, most stayed the majority of the time. CBU President Ronald L. Ellis came for a little bit and ate a churro.”
Many students appreciated the event because it highlighted not only diversity around the world but also the diversity on CBU’s campus specifically.
Kiani Margolis, sophomore film studies major, attended the event with her friends because she said she enjoys being a part of culturally diverse experiences.
“I love these kinds of CBU events where we experience different cultures,” Margolsis said. “All the students there loved it because of the interactive activities and free food.”
Margolis said she learned new things about Hispanic culture through the event, such as how to properly pronounce food items such as “horchata.”
“I saw students bonding with each other over their love for tacos and churros,” Margolis said. “But they were also interacting with each other by complimenting one another’s maracas, taking pictures of one another and dancing to the mariachi band.”
The Hispanic heritage event is one of the many cultural events the Office of Community Life hosts throughout the year that magnifies the importance of diversity.
These events fit into the goal of the CBU to be “globally minded,” directing students attention to experiences outside of themselves and into the cultural diversity of the world.
