By Rory Dulock | Staff Writer
Mosaic Mixer was held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at the Bill Daniel Student Center. The event kicks off Mosaic Week, during which different cultures are celebrated. The organization fair started at 5 p.m. while the showcase performances started at 6 p.m.
The event is a place for students to meet others and connect with cultural organizations on campus — with the added plus of free food, music and a cultural showcase. Throughout Mosaic Week, each ethnic group represented will have a night to put on a welcome fair and show off their campus coalition.
Tranquility Gordon, associate director of Multicultural Affairs, said Mosaic Mixer is the department’s welcome back event for all students, faculty, staff and the Baylor community as well as one of students’ first opportunities to connect one-on-one with different cultures on campus.
“Our mission is to essentially create opportunities for students to have a space where they feel like they belong,” Gordon said. “Mosaic Mixer is an opportunity for our student organizations to come out before they can get to Late Night. We have our [organizations] fair on the SUB front lawn from 5 to 6 p.m., and then our showcase in the Barfield Drawing Room starting at 6 p.m. … then after the showcase, there is the block party. So we get a chance to have food, fun and fellowship.”
Mosaic Mixer is a good event to kick off the year with because it allows students to identify or learn from others in their Baylor community, Gordon said. It showcases who the Baylor community is.
“[It’s] rooted in a lot of rich history and tradition — to be able to let our students know that we love that part about [them],” Gordon said. “You don’t have to hide that part of who [they] are. We want to share that. For all of our other students who haven’t found their culture yet or are still finding their identities, they get to see, hear and share stories with others and learn more about who they are.”
Glendora, Calif. senior Karly Shepherd said the event is a great starting point for students to get connected with others who share their background and interests.
“The Mosaic Mixer really showcases all of the different cultures that we have at Baylor, whether religious, whether racial or based on any type of interest,” Shepherd said.
Shepherd said her favorite aspect about the event was continuing to learn about the other organizations on campus and to see how many other students call Baylor home.
“Even as a senior, I think there are so many organizations that I’m not aware of on campus, so it’s a fun way to just visualize how many different types of people are here and represented,” Shepherd said.
Gordon also said with Mosaic Mixer kicking off the school year, it shows how much Baylor prioritizes the uniqueness of its community.
“Having the care and support and then being able to have different campus partners like the Counseling Center and Campus Recreation … shows our students that we are one big family,” Gordon said.