The presence of various cultural events on TCU’s campus is essential for creating a diverse campus that is knowledgeable and aware of other ethnicities and heritages besides the majority.

TCU is not filled with diversity and some of the only ways for students to be introduced to different cultures is by bringing the cultures to the campus. Students can further develop their understanding of divergent traditions and have a more open mind with this exposure.

Recently, the United Latino Association sponsored their third annual Fiesta en Carnival on TCU’s campus, promoting diversity and bringing awareness to their culture. There was traditional dancing and food, which displayed a small part of their heritage to the campus.

First-year psychology major Meredith Trank said that bringing different cultural events to TCU would make her “more aware and open to accepting and understanding other cultures.”

“This can unite us more as a campus, and also give students a greater desire to study abroad and learn more about other cultures.”

The more students can appreciate and be knowledgeable about other lifestyles, the more background and overall intelligence they will have and be able to share with others.

Mackie Moreno, a sophomore communication studies and psychology double major, is a student of mixed descent but said that she never thought of herself as a minority before. After coming to TCU, she was seen as a minority, displaying the lack of diversity on the TCU campus.

Moreno said that although being a member of the minority does make her feel slightly different, “at the end of the day, we’re all people regardless of gender, race or ethnicity.”

Moreno said that it is important for the students to be more accepting and aware of the world that lies outside of the TCU boundaries, and by bringing cultural events to the campus, students are able to experience cultural diversity first-hand.

Students have to be willing to learn about other cultures and traditions by attending the events and showing interest in the different cultures. This will not only create and allow for a more diverse mentality in the students but will also provide an atmosphere that displays acceptance and encouragement of all cultural practices.

All cultures deserve to be represented and understood on TCU’s campus and by holding cultural events, students will be able to contribute to the growth in diversity that the campus needs.

Abbie Maynard is a freshman journalism and Spanish double major from Scottsdale, Arizona.