Music emanated from the Parade Ground on Saturday while students munched on crawfish at College Reunion, an Office of Multicultural Affairs event,
Along with the crawfish, about 300 attendees listened to live music, played games and watched fraternity and sorority members stroll off.
College Reunion normally ends the University’s Black History Month celebration, but bad weather forced two date changes.
The original date was March 3, but rain pushed it back to March 10, when again the event was canceled due to rain.
Miranda Nixon, African American Cultural Center graduate assistant, said the date change only affected the food, which was barbecue.
Some students were less than pleased about the shift.
Mychal Williams, sports administration junior, said he thought the change would discourage people from attending.
However, LaKeitha Poole, Office of Multicultural Affairs coordinator, said the date change would bring more people because spring weather is better than winter weather.
SPRINGFEST, an Office of Multicultural Affairs recruiting event, was scheduled at the same time as College Reunion, and participants were able to experience both events.
Nixon said the two events are a great way to tie in recruitment and retention.
“College Reunion gives African-American students on campus something to be proud of because it showcases student leadership,” she said.
Attendees also described the event as promoting togetherness.
Genesis Thibodeaux, English senior, said she decided to come because it was her last semester and she was interested in the free crawfish.
Thibodeaux said African-American students don’t have enough large events where they can come together on campus, but she would like to see more.
Live entertainment included six performers, a DJ and two masters of ceremony. Local bands and performers applied for the spots, and the masters of ceremony auditioned to host.
Mass communication freshman Seanil Reed, or “Nilly,” performed at the event, but it wasn’t his first time on stage. Nilly is about to go on tour, opening for Wale and Big Sean.
Reed said he volunteered after the DJ asked him to participate.
“This was great because a lot of people don’t know me as Seanil the rapper,” he said. “They know me as Seanil the student, or Seanil the guy who plays basketball at the rec.”
College Reunion didn’t host the stroll-off competition this year. Fraternities and sororities showcased strolls, but there was no official competition.
A stroll-off is a stylized, choreographed walk that expresses the individuality of an organization.
Kinesiology senior Herbert Dennis said he was disappointed because it seems like the University doesn’t have as many fraternity and sorority competitions.
Williams participated in the stoll-off with Omega Psi Phi.
He said strolling is important because each fraternity and sorority puts its own distinctive style in the stroll.
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Contact Marylee Williams at [email protected]