Black Student Orientation helps kick start semester

In the spirit of welcoming new students to campus and the community, the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center will open its doors Friday for the Black Student Orientation.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. in the center’s Grand Hall and is open to the public.

In its fourth year, the event at the Center continues to offer innovative ways of orienting students to IU and Bloomington. This year, the event will begin with a series of speakers simulating the environment of a late-night talk show.

The “show” will be led by guest speaker Virginia Githiri, a graduate student in the School of Health, Physical Education
and Recreation.

“It’s set up to be like a David Letterman-type show, where students can learn about professors and IU in a different context,” said Muhammad Saahir, a graduate assistant at the Center. “Professor Toyah Miller will also be speaking, and she’ll give students the ‘inside scoop’ on what a professor expects in the classroom.”

In addition to Githiri and Miller, the event will also feature speaker Elizabeth Mitchell, a Bloomington historian who will share her knowledge of local history and links to the
black community.

Following the speakers, there will be several booths with local businesses, student organizations and faith-based groups providing information about their services and how students can get involved.

“This event really helps to acclimate new students to IU,” Saahir said. “It takes more than moving in to get settled. That’s only the beginning. There are cultural things you need to know, and this event will provide a lot of those resources.”

— Caitlin Ryan