Each year the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences tries to make SU foreign student feel more at home at its annual Ethnic Day.
This year the department focused on Jamaica.
Guest speakers included Cheryl Atkinson, associate professor human nutrition and food, Kirkland Mellad, vice chancellor for research for Southern University Agricultural Center, Janet Gager, research associate for human nutrition and food and Patricia Meyinsse, professor agricultural economics.
All are natives of the island nation of Jamaica
The ethnic day celebration has many goals including encouraging faculty, staff, and students to remember their ethnic heritage.
“I learned a few things about my Jamaican roots, I didn’t know that Secretary of State Colin Powell was Jamaican,” said Christopher Wallace, a senior computer science major from Washington D.C.
Students had the opportunity to experience authentic Caribbean cuisine such as jerk chicken, rum punch and goat. Many students wore their own personally designed cultural outfits.
Pictures were also shown of the Jamaican coastline and other tourist attractions.
Every year a new country will be showcased. The department already has plans to feature Kenya and China.
“We are trying to represent for all our international students at Southern,” said Doze Butler, associate dean for family and consumer sciences.
Students that took the time out of their day and stopped to enjoy the cultural celebration left with a new appreciation for another culture.
“I was glad I came,” said Chasity Harris a senior from Winnfield. I was curious to see how they lived because I heard it was very different.”
