Bradi Murphy | Arts & Life Editor
This will be the first year for the week-long Mosaic Mixer presented by the Department of Multicultural Affairs. Mosaic Week aims to celebrate the multicultural student organizations around campus and is sponsored partially by the Student Development team.
In previous years, the Department of Multicultural Affairs had a one-day event called the Mosaic Mixer, where multiple multicultural organizations around campus were able to have information booths as well as a variety of performances.
This year however, the Department of Multicultural Affairs tried something new and extended their mixer to a full week to give ethnic groups the opportunity to have their own spotlight. Each day, there will be a variety of organizations that fall under those specified ethnic groups.
“This is a great way for students to feel welcome, so by doing multiple nights, students get a chance to follow up with people they’ve met and make those connections that will be long lasting. Whereas Mosaic is such a big event, its a little harder to network,” said Sharyl Loeung, the coordinator for Student Outreach and Inclusion in the Department of Multicultural Affairs.
The first day of Mosaic Week previews all of the organizations. If students show an interest in a particular organization, they are welcome to come back for days dedicated to specific organizations.
Wednesday featured the Asian Mosaic Night. Earlier this week there was also the Mosaic Mixer, a Black Student Welcome, an MA Officer Mixer, a Hispanic Student Night, and the South Asian Night on Sept. 1.
The Mosaic Asian Night was held in the Barfield Drawing Room of the Student Union Building on Wednesday. This was the first time ever they had a multi-Asian night and the first time all 13 Asian organizations on campus were able to gather in one room and host this kind of event. An Asian Cabinet was also created for the first time this summer.
“We’re looking forward to all of the freshman and new students coming out and experiencing all different kinds of organizations,” said McAllen senior Yoonki Na, a member of the Asian Cabinet Chair. “We want Asian students to feel connected within our school. I feel like we have so much to provide and give them.” Na wants freshman students to find somewhere they can “love Baylor like how [he] love[s] Baylor.”
The cabinet is also looking forward to creating an Asian Heritage Month for the first time in Baylor history. Na will be working with the other 13 Asian organizations to create the event this month.
“We are the second largest minority [at Baylor], but we do not have our own month,” Na said. “We are very underrepresented by Baylor University, so we try to come out of our bubble and create a greater, more friendly and nice environment,” Na said.
Na is looking forward to holding Asian Heritage Month on Oct.16 to Nov. 16.
