Everyone has heard the saying “walk a mile in their shoes,” but sometimes it can be difficult to find opportunities to do so.
Taylor’s Multicultural Student Association can help with that, said Lena Varghese, a sophomore Political Science, Philosophy & Economics major and co-president of MSA.
Students do not need to be from a culture outside of the United States to engage in MSA events. Because they are spaces for diverse cultures to be expressed freely without judgement, these events are also spaces that invite learning, Varghese said.
Many students at Taylor get involved with the mission field in some capacity, even if it is just stepping into a new career. This often involves experiencing cultures different from one’s own. MSA events can be an outlet for learning how to engage with a variety of cultures in meaningful ways, said Sheena Chelimo, a junior special education major and co-president of MSA.
“We’re going to step up into a diverse world, and so MSA is also just a part of like, ‘Oh wait, we can also have that kind of diversity and celebrate it even here now, on campus,’” Chelimo said.
Part of why MSA is able to offer such diversity is because it is the “mother of all the other (culturally based) groups” on campus, said Jacqueline Santoyo, a sophomore global studies major. Several other groups exist on Taylor’s campus to cater to specific ethnic groups, but MSA is the umbrella these groups reside within, she said.
Under this umbrella, students from cultures all around the world are able to feel seen, appreciated and celebrated, Chelimo said. As an international student herself, Chelimo has benefitted from others taking the time to see her and experience her culture with her, she said.
“It has helped me grow in many ways,” Chelimo said, “so serving at MSA is just like a way I can also help other students in any ways, international or not, just to kind of feel that sense of belonging as I did.”
The biggest annual MSA events which make these opportunities possible are Mosaic Night and Global Market; Coffeehouse; and Boxes and Walls.
Mosaic Night and Global Market celebrate in tandem the unified “mosaic” crafted from individual members of the Taylor community. MSA members make and serve food from their countries before performing culturally representative dances onstage in Rediger Auditorium.
This year, Mosaic Night’s theme is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” sourced from Psalm 139:14. Chelimo and Varghese chose this theme to echo the reality that God made everyone in His image, and therefore everyone is special in His eyes, Chelimo said.
“We wanted to pick a theme that kind of encapsulates culture and how we all come from different backgrounds,” Varghese said. “God created us, and He created us with those backgrounds to honor and glorify Him.”
Coffeehouse is a night of live music, snacks, drinks and activities which give a taste of MSA members’ countries of origin.
Boxes and Walls is a simulation-based event in which students are invited to open their eyes and hearts to the struggles faced by international students across campus.
The MSA cabinet is working diligently to bring these and new experiences to the Taylor student body, Chelimo and Verghese said, so that anyone can have the opportunity to explore cultures different from their own while teaching others about their culture.
“Cultures are a very big part of our identity, and so I believe to celebrate one’s culture, it’s also celebrating yourself and where you’re from,” Chelimo said. “It also kind of helps you to just feel that sense of community and belonging, and it’s a space where we just get to, you know, celebrate each other.”
Anyone is welcome to step into MSA’s spaces for community and learning.
To stay up to date on upcoming events, keep your eyes peeled for posters around campus or follow MSA on its social media pages.
“I think you should just be excited to meet new people and to discover new perspectives. There’s always the chance that you’ll meet someone from a country that you probably have had no interaction with or maybe that you didn’t even know existed,” Santoyo said. “I always come excited for something new and always expecting to be surprised.”
