Amelia Kunko (amkunko@ursinus.edu)
Ursinus’s annual Celebration of Lights, an event that allows the campus community to celebrate different traditions across cultures, is quickly approaching. Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow has organized the celebration, which was started by alumna Lizzy DeWitt ’19. This year, Celebration of Lights will be held on Monday, November 7th at 7:00 p.m and will take place in Bomberger Auditorium.
The Celebration of Lights is a chance for the Ursinus community to unite, sharing traditional and cultural experiences. “Students are invited to tell a story, perform a song or dance, or share some memories with a goal to promote love and understanding for one another across campus,” says Aidan Nadell ‘25, chair of the Celebration of Lights program. STAT looks forward to featuring a variety of acts from students and organizations on campus, both those who have participated in the event in years prior and those who will be participating for the first time this year. “In the past, we have featured the Gospel Choir, Hillel, the TA’s, and Seismic Step,” Nadell says. “We look forward to hearing from them again and incorporating more organizations!” Each group’s act is about 3-5 minutes in length.
The Ursinus community not only can learn more about other cultural traditions during the Celebration of Lights, but can also find common ground with other students who may share traditions akin to their own. “It is a unifying event that helps students understand more about how we can live together,” says Isabella Villegas ‘23, Vice President of STAT. “It also helps individuals see that others may have similar traditions and they are never alone.”
According to Heidi Jensen ‘14, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, this year is the first time that alumni are officially being invited back for the event.
Celebration of Lights is a great way for the community to explore the core questions of “how should we live together” and “how can we understand the world,” as well as commemorate the way that diversity plays an important role here at Ursinus. If you would like to learn more about cultures and traditions celebrated across campus, make sure to stop by the Bomberger Auditorium on November 7th. In addition to organizing a variety of acts, STAT will be serving lots of hot chocolate for those who attend. “This year, the campus can expect a full line up of different demonstrations, presentations, and songs,” says Villegas. “Also, we doubled the amount of hot chocolate we are getting this year.” Be sure to grab a sweet treat, and don’t forget to check out the raffle. “We have a hot chocolate bar and treats, as well as a raffle for an Ursinus swag basket,” says Nadell. “We hope to see you there!” Groups and organizations interested in participating in the Celebration of Lights were asked to sign up by filling out a brief survey by October 25th. If you have any questions about this year’s Celebration of Lights event, contact Aidan Nadell at @ainadell@ursinus.edu.