Multicultural Day

Millennium Leadership Conference

            As a freshman, I was highly impressed by my first leadership conference at Clark University. The main focus of the event was striving to become tomorrow’s leaders.  One of the workshops that I attended was “What you need to know to become tomorrow’s leader today!”  The session expressed that leaders are crazy enough to believe that they are able change the world despite what they do or accomplish.  Leaders must be able to adapt to their environments and the modifications of them.  Listening to consumers is a vital aspect of leadership because they need to be able to serve their desires.  Leaders use their emotions to move people and inspire them to strive to follow their example.  Leaders are more importantly, not afraid of failure.  If one fails once and decides not to try or pursue their goal again, then they will resign at the same position of life that they failed in and will never progress.

            There were a few wonderful motivational speakers who spoke at the conference.  Domingo Guyton, from Boston Ma, discussed his hardships growing up, to his success in popular music, to his success in gospel music and expressing that we must be positive role models.  Then Joshua Fredenburg, who is an entrepreneur and author, preached that leaders must evaluate themselves and their responsibilities.  I have met many new people and fellowshipped with the people I already knew in many ways.  I felt honored to attend my first conference.  The millennium leadership conference was an excellent and fulfilling experience, which is highly recommended.             

- Brandon Lee

OMA on the Importance of Reading

Like many 20-year-old college students, procrastination is an addiction, a hard habit to kick to the curb. In the midst of our procrastination high, Facebook may be a recurring side affect. 

As I was procrastinating and spending time on my Facebook page, I came across someone's bio that read, "I do not like to read." And although it wasn't a shock to me, I found myself thinking intently about the very notion of reading and it reminded me of a quote I read in Malcolm X's autobiography: "Where else but in prison could I have attacked my ignorance by being able to study intensely sometimes as much as fifteen hours a day?" 

Malcolm X studied by reading many books. He said that reading [books] was the best way to attack his own ignorance. In the college community, I found through experience that not many people are willing to pick up a book. 

Of course, many classes require students to read, but who does that anymore? It is a commonality for students to ignore required texts in favor of a much more addictive form of reading and writing, such as Facebook and Twitter. 

I'm not saying that these social media outlets aren't good resources, because as witnessed in Egypt, they were the main contributors to a revolution. I am more concerned with books and why students leave them to collect dust on unattended shelves.

I remember reading an article one day written by Marc Lamont Hill, an associate professor of education at Columbia University, in which he said, "Sadly, it seems that the next generation won't have...a lifelong connection tobooks...because books matter less and less in our society." He also went on to say, "The problem isn't the death of reading, it's the death of books. And book culture." 

This is exactly what I've witnessed as a college student. It seems as if reading books is a dying culture that is being taken over by a technology that is the Internet. 

Instead of waking up and reading a book, we wake up and check Facebook. As for me, I wake up and check my Twitter feed (which I find as a great source for information, opinions etc.). So, as I try and break away from this generational norm, I encourage others to do the same. 

Even if you don't want to read books for the sake of learning and knowledge, think about what my good friend Dr. Seuss once said: "The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." 

- Trae Alston-Swan

OMA Encourages Students To Branch Out!

As I was sitting in the Office of Multicultural Affairs thinking about what to write, it dawned on me that this is my first year being a student leader. I had a similar track record in high school; I only became involved on campus during my last two years there and here I am, following the same pattern. 

With the limited time I have left here at Assumption, I try the best I can to make the most of the opportunities I am presented. What if I had started becoming involved earlier? Would I have made a bigger impact on what happens on campus? Questions like these cross my mind every so often, but I do not let them rule me because what matters is what I can do now in order to bring about a better tomorrow. 

From my experience here at Assumption, I can use what I have learned to educate first-year students who are trying to find their niches on campus. What I would suggest is to find something you enjoy doing and figure out how you can tie it into campus life. If you enjoy what different cultures and ethnicities have to offer on campus or life in general and you want to promote awareness about the diverse cultures of the world, consider joining the African Latino Asian Native-American Network. If you loved participating in student government in high school or want to have a say in what the campus has to offer to students, consider joining the Student Government Association or the Campus Activities Board. If you enjoy helping others and making a difference in the lives of others, the Reach Out Center might just be the place for you. There are clubs and groups for just about anything you wish to pursue on campus and all you need to do is look for them. I know it is not the easiest thing to do, given that the period of adjustment varies with each student, but starting the process early will give you a head start on figuring out what you enjoy doing.

Being a student leader has so far been a rewarding experience. I have learned a great deal from interacting with my peers and interacting with other administrators on campus. This interaction amongst peers goes to another aspect of getting involved on campus: networking and connections. You never know how the people you interact with from different organizations can help you through the people they know. Networking is key in any kind of environment, whether it is work or academic. Collaboration between organizations is also a must if you want to be able to pull off large-scale events or promote your organization. That comes though once you actually begin participating in organizations on campus. In closing, the best way to make an impact on campus is to participate because the idle can only watch things happen, while those who act can make things happen.

_ Freymers Beaubrun

Multicultural Day a Celebration for All

            We are all defined by certain characteristics, which compose us, gender, personality, weight, height, ethnicity etc. These characteristics in turn make each and everyone of us an individual. Multicultural Day is a time to embrace these differences but yet to be aware, as well as open minded to learn about other cultures.

On February 1st you will have the chance to leave the Assumption Campus and travel the world, by simply visiting the offices in the Hagan Campus Center. Each office will become a different region in the world and specifically represent a few countries within that offices region. You will be able to attain adequate knowledge through facts regarding the randomly selected countries.

There will also be a showcase of various countries from six to eight in the Hagan Campus Center Hall. Tables will be set up with artifacts, photos, books, music, dishes and many other things that are being provided by Assumption College students. This experience only comes around once a year, and it is great to honor not only your culture but also other cultures being represented by the Assumption College community.

From the perspective of a bi-racial student, Multicultural Day is essential to have. It is a time in which everyone can feel special, because it encompasses every culture, therefore no one is secluded or marginalized by a certain aspect that makes them who they are. It is a day to celebrate our own uniqueness by being proud of what we are, to not be classified and bound to a particular category, but to embrace and appreciate all sides of who we are.

Being of Native American descent I would like to close with a quote from Chief Seattle, who was leader of the Duwamish tribe, which resided in Washington.  “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to acquire a better understanding of the world, in turn boosting your self-awareness. 

- Joanna Silva- Jones