Multicultural Center to hold first ever student block party

Attiyya Toure
Fri, 21 Sep 2018 02:11:14 +0000
Campus, News, featured, mcc, mcc ohio state, mcc student block party, multicultural center, multicultural center ohio state, ohio state, ohio state university, osu, Vietnamese Student Association, vietnamese student association ohio state, vsa, vsa ohio state

The Multicultural Center will host its first ever “block party” for students this Saturday at the Ohio Union. Credit: Attiyyah Tourre | Lantern Report

The Multicultural Center will host its first ever “block party” for students this Saturday at the Ohio Union.
The night will be filled with events including a resource fair, a silent disco and student performances throughout the Union.

Angie Wellman, associate director of the MCC, said the idea for the party was developed after receiving student feedback last year for a social event that would provide a fun opportunity for students to meet new people and connect with resources that support diversity and inclusion.

“Student leadership from student organizations that the MCC partners with had put forward the idea that the event was needed at the beginning of the academic year that would be high energy, providing a space for students to have an interactive opportunity to meet with people who might come from a different background or experience than them,” Wellman said.

The night will kick off with an intercultural student resource fair, featuring organizations centered around ethnic or cultural engagement, awareness and activism or community service, according to Wellman.

Elizabeth Dang, a third-year in public management, leadership and policy and the external vice president of Vietnamese Student Association will be performing a modern take on a traditional Vietnamese hat dance.

Dang said that she hopes to see people from all across campus come to the block party to have fun and learn more about the MCC.

“[The block party] is a way to promote the MCC,” Dang said. “It also brings more exposure to the student organizations that fall under it.”

The evening will then shift into an informal space with more entertainment.

“For a while, we weren’t sure of how to transition from the student organization showcase and performances into an opportunity for more informal and social space,” Wellman said. “As we talked with students about how to do this, the more excited everyone got about the idea of doing a silent disco.”

Wellman said the party will be a great way to build community for students across campus who are from diverse backgrounds.

“Campus is home to thousands of students,” she said. “The block party is an opportunity for us all to come together, and get to know our neighbors in a fun and inclusive way.”

The MCC Block Party will be held this Saturday from 7 p.m to 2 a.m at the Ohio Union. The event is free for all students.