Diversity Roundtable starts school year with music, food and fun at reception in MSC

The Diversity Roundtable is relatively new to UM-St. Louis and has the initiative of bringing all the different diverse student groups on campus together.

Started in 2005 by Davida Skannal, a then UM-St. Louis senior, the Diversity Roundtable has been encouraging communication between UM-St. Louis organizations since.

Last Thursday at lunchtime, the Diversity Roundtable sponsored their first event of the 2008-2009 school year. The event took place on the third floor of the Millennium Student Center.

Featured at the event were a multitude of diverse student organizations, and all students were invited.

As most UM-St. Louis events have, the Diversity Roundtable included free food, which featured a buffet line of deli meat to use in making sandwiches, cookies for desert and punch to wash it down. While students ate, a DJ played music for everyone's enjoyment.

At a table next to the food, Kelcy Siddall, senior, economics, encouraged everyone to sign in with him before eating and talking with the variety of student groups present.

"I think we had well over 80 people show up and pass through today," Siddall said. "That's not bad for any event, especially in the first week."

Although the event did not involve anything other than eating, listening to music and conversing over one's plate, Siddall believes that it served its purpose.

"This Diversity Roundtable reception was a way to bring different cultures and backgrounds together. Some music and free food is always a good way to do that," he said.

One organization featured at the event was, PRIZM.

PRIZM is UM-St. Louis' queer-straight student alliance. The organization has a goal of creating and maintaining "an inclusive, safe and accepting environment on our campus for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities," according to its Web site at http://www.umsl.edu/~prizm/.

"Prizm is an organization that we have here, but that is just one example of many," Siddall said.

The Diversity Roundtable is part of the Chancellor's Task Force on Diversity, which began in July 2004. Chaired by Malika Horne since its creation, the task force has put forth many recommendations that would increase diversity on the UM-St. Louis campus.

In its first year report, sent out on July 5, 2005, two of the task force's recommendations included "reinforcing the educational benefits of diversity" and "better coordination of diversity activities."

Since, the Chancellor's Task Force on Diversity has sponsored events focused on diversity, has established a diversity student radio show, and most recently has established a diversity website.

The task force was created with the intention of enhancing campus diversity, which is much like the Diversity Roundtable's initiative.

"Any organization associated with different cultures and backgrounds is welcome at the Diversity Roundtable," Siddal said. "We are just trying to bring everyone together."

Throughout the year, the Diversity Roundtable will continue to hold events for all students, faculty and staff to participate in and enjoy.

"This is not just a one time event," said Siddal. "The Diversity Roundtable is ongoing, look for more events throughout this school year."