Students share culture on campus

The Marion Star/Bill SindenLeakena Phou, Hilliard, center, talks during the Color of Conversation, a panel discussion on diversity, Monday in the Guthery Community Room on The Ohio State University at Marion campus. At left is Maly Khean of Columbus and at right Brittany Crawford of Warren.

Color of Conversation suggests stretch in awareness

By KURT MOORE

The Marion Star

MARION - Five Ohio State University at Marion students participated in a frank discussion on race and diversity during a panel presentation at the Marion Campus on Monday.
Students Todd Nicholas, Leakena Phou, Maly Khean, Samatar Alinor, Andre White and Brittany Crawford served as panelists during Color of Conversation, a talk organized by OSUM diversity coordinator Shawn Jackson as part of Black History Month.
Participants came from a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds and spoke about what it was like to bring their different backgrounds to the Marion campus, including what could be done to make the campus more welcoming. The student panelists said they feel appreciated on the Marion campus but added that they feel people are not always accepting or understanding of other cultures. They suggested to faculty present at the event that professors should split students up into discussion groups during class and take other steps to make sure students interact with people other than those from their own high school or group of friends.
"Everybody just needs to split up and meet some
one from a different background," said White, an African-American student from the Canton area. "When you meet more people there is more stuff to do."
Khean and Phou spoke about what it is like to be Cambodian students on the Marion campus. Khean said she finds many people are unaware of other cultures.
"I say I'm Cambodian, and they say, 'What is Cambodian?'" Khean said. She said she tries to share her beliefs and culture with others.
Fewer than 10 people attended the event, which Jackson said may be partly because of conflicts with other campus events during the day. He said the panel discussion was the first of many similar attempts at fostering diversity including an international festival that is tentatively planned for May.
A similar event featuring community members was scheduled to be held Monday evening.
The events stretched beyond African-Americans to include people of other cultures. Jackson said he went beyond only including African-Americans because he believes fostering diversity in general is important during Black History Month.
"Black history is everyone's history," he said.
Reporter Kurt Moore: 740-375-5151 or kdmoore@marionstar.com