Augusta University
Jamison GuiceDrawing inspiration from music festivals, Culture Fest brought the campus to life with live performances by the African Student Association, AU Sharkara and Augusta Bhangra Crew, alongside cultural cuisines, student organization showcases and a foam party finale. In its third year, Culture Fest provides all Augusta University students the opportunity to expand relationships and build community to strengthen their sense of campus belonging in a vibrant, dynamic and inclusive environment.
“As student affairs practitioners, we know that belonging is both a predictor and an indicator of holistic student success,” said Shareen Clement, EdD, director of Mentorship and Student Engagement. “We also recognize that mattering, or feeling seen, valued, and needed, is a critical building block of belonging. Culture Fest provides our office with an opportunity to demonstrate that every student matters while celebrating belonging through the vibrant cultures that shape our campus and the surrounding community.”
With over 500 students in attendance, Culture Fest expanded upon its previous programming to include more interactive elements to provide consistent student engagement, including its first-ever foam party finale.
“Signature and unique memories play an important role in fostering belonging, shaping students’ experiences in school, and continuing to matter as they transition into alumni,” Clement said. “These moments give them something meaningful to look back on and share with future generations as something to anticipate and celebrate.”
Among the student organizations present, the Vietnamese Student Association provided a space for all students to learn and enjoy Vietnamese culture, offering cultural dishes such as pandan waffles which include a tapioca starch that creates a spongy texture.
“Culture Fest allows us to attract an audience that we wouldn’t be able to have access to, and here we were able to share some information about our culture,” said Calvin Tran, a second-year neuroscience major and VSA student president. “We have some food from our culture that people can eat while experiencing some things that they normally wouldn’t be exposed to.”
According to Tran, VSA promotes Vietnamese culture and friendships, and everyone is welcome to join. Soloman Amemasor, a second-year clinical laboratory science major and friend of Tran, joined the club to help spread awareness and grow membership.
“As a member of VSA who’s not Vietnamese, VSA represents a way for people to gain more insight on a different culture and step outside of our comfort zones,” Amemasor said.
He enjoys learning about other cultures, and Culture Fest gave him the chance to discover the Augusta Bhangra Crew, who performed on the outdoor stage and hosted a table for students to explore the dance.
While students engaged with new cultures and connections throughout the event, that experience was intentionally designed from the ground up
Tori Johnson, coordinator for co-curricular learning for MSE, led the planning and execution of Culture Fest. Her critical role in programming shaped this year’s event to incorporate a more rave-style ambience.
“Providing students with opportunities to showcase their unique talents and identities is important to our office because it is these identities that creates a vibrant campus environment,” said Johnson. “Next year we hope to feature bands and a variety of performances that celebrate both our student body and the broader Augusta community.”
Keep up with upcoming campus events by checking the AU Events Calendar and connecting with MSE by following @aug_mse.
