Danielle Mason | dmason28@email.radford.edu
Radford Student Programming Events, other known as R-SPACE, works to provide events for on-campus students. Most of these events have some educational purpose behind them. Thursday night, R-SPACE held an event that had a theme of the Caribbean. This event was known as a “diversity education event.” When walking into the event, you were given a “passport,” got a chance to see all the amazing colors, and hear the music booming, making everyone want to dance. The entire room was full of colors, and it just gave off a happy vibe. Then, you stood in a line to receive some amazing Caribbean foods that the students in the club had made. These foods included barbequed chicken with pineapple, plantains, rice, some desserts, and some more things. Although I did not get the chance to try everything, the foods I did try, were incredible. The people who planned the event did a great job of making the students feel as if they were in a different place, experiencing a new culture. After getting food, people sat down and ate while enjoying the live band playing all kinds of different songs, from Bob Marley to Ed Sheeran. After eating, people were encouraged to go around the various tables and check out what they were doing. At each table was a different sponsor, these sponsors each represented a different country.
These foods included barbequed chicken with pineapple, plantains, rice, some desserts, and some more things. Although I did not get the chance to try everything, the foods I did try, were incredible. The people who planned the event did a great job of making the students feel as if they were in a different place, experiencing a new culture. After getting food, people sat down and ate while enjoying the live band playing all kinds of different songs, from Bob Marley to Ed Sheeran. After eating, people were encouraged to go around the different tables and check out what they were doing. At each table was a different sponsor, these sponsors each represented a different country.
The sponsors of the event were the Latino Student Alliance, Chi Upsilon Sigma, National Latin Sorority Incorporated, CDI, and the International Education Center. When arriving at the table, there was a short activity that students could complete. For example, one table had a spinner. The student spun it, and whatever number it landed on, that is the question that had to be answered. If the student responded to the question right, he or she also received a lollipop. Another table was also playing a game of Jenga. You answered a question, and if you got it right, you got to pull a block from the Jenga tower. At one point during the night, a girl knocked the entire tower over!
Each table had a little something for students participate in or something to learn about the Caribbean. The event also had the Wesley Foundation there to continue to help raise money for those who have suffered from the Hurricane Harvey. It was a fun event; it gave students the chance to sit back, relax, and learn something a little more fun than what is taught on a daily basis. Each sponsor that I spoke to was super excited and happy about the event. They all said the same thing; they were happy to get involved on campus and glad to be having another club. From what I saw, everyone enjoyed the event and looked forward to seeing more things like this on campus to participate in.