As the spring semester starts to wind down there are still many activities on campus for students to participate in.
One of the major events of the month that many students are looking forward to is the Black Music Fest 2003. The event is sponsored by Haraya and will include a performance by rapper Talib Kwelli.
“I think we need more things like this event. A lot of people have been talking about going,” freshman Shakira Bolden said. “It is a good way to bring people on campus together.”
The event is scheduled for April 11. Tickets are $5 for St. John’s students and $7 for non-St. John’s students.
“I’m very excited that they are bringing a new and exciting artist to St. John’s,” junior Dennis Awad said.
Another student that is looking forward to the event is senior Sal Casco. “I think it should be a really good event. There will be a lot of people from St. John’s as well as a lot of people from other campuses. I am really looking forward to going.”
Other events include Carifest Week, which started April 6 and will continue throughout this week. The CSA Dinner and Gala Awards Ceremony scheduled for April 7, was cancelled due to snow and was moved to April 26. The event takes place in Council Hall from 7 to 10 p.m. The Carnival on campus that was scheduled for April 8 has been moved to the 11th. It will take place in the University Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Caribbean Students Association will host their first fashion show April 10 in the Marillac Auditorium. Doors for the event open at 7 p.m. Admission for the event is $7.
“I think it will go really well,” Christine Foster, secretary of the Caribbean Students Association said. “Fashion shows always tend to go well. The students have put a lot of effort into the event and practices have been taking place twice a week.”
Funds raised during the week will be used to send supplies to the Caribbean and help the less fortunate in that country.
CSA will also host a Caribbean Food Fair April 10 during common hour in Marillac Cafeteria. Students are given the opportunity to taste authentic Caribbean food.
April also marks Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. There will be a showcase of various Asian dances on April 10 on the Marillac Terrace. Students from St. John’s as well as members of the community will celebrate by performing different Asian dances and showcasing their music.
On April 22, Dr. Jeffrey Kinkley, professor of history, will hold a lecture in Sun Yat-Sen Hall on the importance of Asian Studies in the 21st Century curriculum. The lecture will discuss the past, present and future of Asian Studies and the Asian Studies Department.
Several Asian groups on campus will host a film series throughout the month that deal with the different Asian cultures. The films include “American Desi” on April 15 in the 2nd floor lounge of Century Hall at 4 p.m. The film is sponsored by the Guyanese Student Association and is about an Indian-American teenager who adopts American ideals before falling in love with an Indian girl and taking more pride in his background.
“Becoming American” is another film about a farming family from Laos as they await resettlement in a refugee camp in Thailand. The film is a documentary of their journey from Thailand to the United States. This film gives insight into the problems faced by refugee immigrants in America. The film will be broadcasted on April 24 in the University Center at 4 p.m.
The Indian Fashion Show will take place April 26 in Marillac Terrace at 5:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Indian Sub-Continent Students Organization and Shanti, the Hindu Students Council. This event will showcase Indian culture through fashion and dance. The show will highlight traditional and contemporary outfits representative of specific parts of India.
The Student Programming Board has many other events going on for the remainder of the semester. They will host a Spring Formal, The Last Dance. Tickets for the dance are $45 per person, $80 per couple or $400 per table. The dance is at Terrace on the Park and will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Student Programming Board will also be hosting movies throughout the semester. They will also be hosting Spring Fling on May 2 in the UC parking lot.
“I really look forward to their events,” junior Diana Devaney said. “They have some good events for the students on campus.”
The Italian Cultural Center and Student Government will be sponsoring a trip to “La Boheme” on April 10. Tickets for the event are $25 and the price includes transportation to and from the New York City Metropolitan Opera House. Business attire is required for the event and all students must meet in front of Alumni Hall at 5 p.m. sharp.
