Students are drawing attention this week to different cultures during Cultural Awareness Week, providing a way for students to experience and learn about the different cultures represented on campus.
This is the first time Cultural Awareness Week has been observed on campus, and Shanice Fuller, student director for Cultural Awareness Week, said she hopes it will become an annual event.
“The whole purpose of the week is to give students a different perspective of culture,” said Fuller, senior social work major from Santa Clarita, California. “We wanted to look at different aspects of culture that people may not talk about as often and then show subjects of culture that apply to all cultures.”
Cultural Awareness Week is a chance for student groups on campus to show what their culture is and inform students about where they come from.
“I really want people to become more open-minded and be culturally competent,” Fuller said, “because if people are more aware of where people come from and more understanding of their background, that would lessen issues such as discrimination and pre-judging people.”
There will be continuing sessions throughout the week focusing on different topics about culture including two spiritual formation events on Tuesday and Thursday night at 7 p.m. in Hart Auditorium and Chapel on the Hill, respectively.
Student groups on campus that focus on different cultures are participating in the week by setting up different tables in the Campus Center.
Third Culture Kids is selling necklaces and bracelets handmade by women in Kampala, Uganda.
Raquel Dottle, sophomore business management major from Ambato, Ecuador, is helping TCK sell the handmade jewelry.
“This is our service project,” Dottle said. “We thought instead of promoting ourselves, we figured we would concentrate on helping others, because culture is a lot more difficult than people make it out to be. I hope that through this week, students are aware of culture more and can embrace their own culture and be able to experience others.”
All proceeds received from the week will go to the nonprofit International Sport Connection Outreach in Uganda.
Additionally, International Students Association is selling early-bird tickets for ETHNOS, a showcase of cultures from around the world through different art forms, in the Campus Center.
Soo Hun Yoon, senior biochemistry major from Freetown, Sierra Leone, is the president of ISA and will host a preview of the show on Nov. 5.
“ISA is one organization for students from international backgrounds to celebrate their cultures and grow,” Yoon said. “If there is one thing that I hope students take away from Cultural Awareness Week is the realization and appreciation for God’s creativity expressed through different cultures from all around the world.”
For more information on how to get involved with ETHNOS, email Yoon at shy12a@acu.edu.
