New and returning students chatted over house music in The Garden on Wednesday, Sept. 9, introducing themselves to club leaders and collaborating on chalk artwork during the second annual Reunion event.
Amy Hernandez, a senior film and television student, said it was like stepping into a portal when she arrived at the corner of South Wabash and East 11th Street.
“I was literally welcomed in with bubbles blowing in my face, and hearing the house music, it was like stepping into another world,” Hernandez said. “It’s been very chill.”
More than half of Columbia’s undergraduate students identify as students of color, according to the college, and 39% identify as LGBTQIA+. The Reunion began last year as a way for identity-based organizations at Columbia to have their own event to advertise themselves, as previously reported by the Chronicle.
Kristi Beltran, director of Student Engagement and Leadership, wanted to give clubs an opportunity to showcase themselves in a space specifically built for celebrating diversity.
“We understand the value of having a community around a shared experience and we want to highlight that uniquely because a lot of students are leaving their former communities and their homes to come to this new space,” Beltran said. “We want them to feel seen, celebrated and represented, and this is one way we try to do that.”
Clubs like Latino Alliance, Women in Audio and Mi Gente took the opportunity to showcase themselves during the picnic as a way to unite Columbia students.
Marcel Hondras, a junior music major, said the event gave him a way to socialize with peers outside of the typical classroom setting.
“I think a lot of the time we’re kind of limited to social interaction within the classroom, which isn’t a bad thing, but if we only get our social interactions through the classroom environment, there’s little nuance to explore,” Hondras said. “The Reunion is a lot different from the other events at Columbia, it’s more collaborative. There’s a lot more energy.”
McKenna Andrews, a junior sound design for media and stage major and president of the Women in Audio club, welcomed the opportunity to work with other organizations.
“I think The Reunion is super important because all of the identity-based orgs can come together in one place,” Andrews said. “It’s very clear that we’re all passionate about what we do and it’s a space where we can all meet each other and collaborate.”
Columbia President and CEO Shantay Bolton and Emmanuel Lalande, senior vice president of Enrollment Strategy and Student Success, chatted with students about the upcoming semester.
“I’m really excited to see the number of students that we were able to bring in this year, both those that are returning and choosing Columbia again and also the students who have made their first decision to come to our campus,” Bolton told the Chronicle. “I think it’s very important that we embrace them and let them know that they’re not alone in this.”
Bolton also emphasized the value of students finding their community, and reassured students that they’re never alone in their journey at Columbia, a message she also delivered at New Student Convocation last week.
“I think it’s important that students get connected as soon as possible to build their village around them,” she said. “They’ll have a higher rate of success through their journey when they have other friends that can cheer them on and lift them up.”
Hernandez expressed a similar sentiment, expressing her appreciation that The Reunion helped simplify this process.
“I think it gets rid of that middle stage for newer students trying to find a community where they belong or resources they need for their new college endeavors,” Hernandez said. “They won’t have to go searching so hard for what’s going to support them, but they can just come here and already have people welcoming them in.”
Copy edited by Venus Tapang
