Sonya Sexton
Staff Writer
The Center for Multicultural Services and the Black Student Union held a welcome back party on Aug. 28 in Sneaky Park to celebrate the beginning of the academic year, and introduce students to the Rise Together mentorship program.
The program connects current students and recent graduates with ULV alumni who are excelling in careers that match the students’ interests.
The on-campus event was designed to make students feel welcome and connected. Several sororities and fraternities were on hand.
The party also included food, music and giveaways, including barbecue and a shaved ice truck.
Skylar Patterson, a freshman criminology major, said she attended the event to learn more about the BSU and to connect with more black students on campus.
Jayla Spence, a freshman political science major, had a similar idea.
“Coming from a high school that doesn’t have a lot of black students, it’s nice to be around other black students,” Spence said.
Spence said she also wanted to put faces to the different clubs and names she hears about around campus each day. Spence said she hopes to get involved with BSU and may be interested in leadership in future.
There was a DJ playing music as the students arrived at Sneaky Park and throughout the event. Tables and chairs were placed across the park so attendees could sit and enjoy their barbecue and shaved ice, as well as the performances.
Students also learned more about the mentorship program, which is a collaboration between the Office of Alumni Engagement and The Center for Multicultural Services.
Mya McCain, a freshman psychology major, also came out to connect with BSU, as well as some of the other students on campus
Angel Oparah, a junior journalism major and academic relations chair for BSU said she has enjoyed seeing the growth of students from their freshman year until now.
“This year the goal was to build a bigger community of Black students,’ Oparah said. “Over the years, our rates of Black students has been up and down, but this year (we’re) doing good, and we want it to continue.”
Oparah said she was not very involved on campus freshman year. Then she found BSU and decided that it was something she really wanted to be a part of, so she ran for an officer position.
Oparah encourages others to run for office because it can be a great learning experience and it looks good on a resume.
“If you are an incoming student, make sure you are involved on campus,’ Oparah said. “Find where you fit in, find what suits you.”
Sonya Sexton can be reached at sonya.sexton@laverne.edu.
Sonya Sexton is a junior journalism major with a concentration in broadcast journalism, and a transfer from Chaffey College. She is a staff writer for the Campus Times.
Camille C.Nan is a senior photography major and art history minor who specializes in portraiture. She is a staff photographer for Campus Times and La Verne Magazine.
