Minority Student Action Committee Seeks to Unify Students From Different Backgrounds In the fall of 1999, Butch Gardner, director of Minority Student Services, started a new committee designed to diversify the campus and bring students together. The Minority Student Action Committee worked to help Harding students from different backgrounds get acquainted. "Our main goal is to diversify the student body and bring students together and help to end ignorant opinions that people tend to form about others without even knowing them," said senior Ella Matthews, president: "I wanted to begin a group that would involve minority students in campus life," Gardner said. "Our committee allows them to stay involved and keep them interested in their cultural backgrounds." The committee's first big event was campus performancesofthe play"ARaisin in theSun" during the spring of2000. While the play was a success, it also allowed the committee to promote themselves on campus. During Black History Month, the Minority Student Action Committee promoted their efforts and sponsored activities. Committee members regularly displayed significant moments of black history and achievement on " We want to educate the university without being strictly a minority group. Ev- . eryone on campus IS welcome to participate in our activities. - Butch Gardner, sponsor of the Minority Student Action Committee " the Benson screens after chapel and performed a skit in chapel on Feb. 16. Most of their efforts were aimed toward the minority weekend held February 23-24. The Minority Student Action Committee, along with the admissions office, sponsored a visit Members of the Minority Student Action Committee act out a scene in "A Raisin in the Sun. ~ The play, which was periormed during the spring of 2000, was a success, members said. Photo by Butch Gardner. Junior Matt Phillips distributes words to a French song to be sung during the French devotional. The devotionals consisted of songs, prayers and scriptures, all spoken in French. Photo by Daniel DuboiS. weekend called GospelExplosion. Throughout the weekend, the committee hosted a barbecue, a fashion show and a concert starring Chapter 2, an acappella gospel group. In addition to the month of February, the committee organized a school-wide unity formal scheduled for April 6. Every member of the committee was encouraged to invite a date from a different cultural background. "This banquet isan opportunity for students who d6n't normally get involved in school activities to take part in something special," Matthews said. "I think that it will beespecially exciting for those who are not in a social club to get to attend a formal banquet with all of their friends." Other committee officers included junior Nicki Thompson, vice-president; freshman Teneisha Robinson, secretary and freshman Lonnie Smith, historian. Along with these officers, there were approximately 18 other students involved. "We want to educate the university without being strictly a minority group," Gardner said. "Everyone on campus is welcome to participate in our activities." - Jaren Page Minorities/Foreign Language Organizations 193
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==