MERCED, CA— UC Merced students and the
Office of Student Life are sponsoring two events to celebrate Black
History Month.
The first is a speech and spoken-word contest in which area high
school and college students can compete.
The competition is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23,
in the Lantern, in the Kolligian Library. There will be a reception
with free refreshments at 5:30p.m., and the public is welcome to
attend and stay to listen as young people speak on the theme, “From
the Civil Rights Era to the New Millennium: Values in the American Community.”
There are two contest levels - high school students and college
students, and all speeches or spoken-word presentations must be
between 5 and 7 minutes long. Topics can include race, gender,
class, religion, sexual orientation and ability, though contestants
are not limited to these options.
Applications for the competition are available online and must
be submitted by Friday, Feb. 16. Visit
studentlife.ucmerced.eduto sign up for a spot in the contest.
Questions can be addressed to
Jason Juarezat 209)228-5323.
The second event is an all-day leadership conference hosted by
the African American Student Association, the Office of Student
Life and the Admissions Office at UC Merced.
“The Spirit of Togetherness” conference will be held from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, on campus, and will expose students to
dynamic African American leaders from the community.
AASA’s mission is to foster and promote the appreciation and
awareness of the African American culture and history, while also
reaching out to the community to inform young people about the
opportunities that come with a college education.
The conference is free and open to high school juniors and
seniors, college students, UC Merced faculty and staff and various
community leaders. No reservations are required.
For more information, contact
Rodney Nickens Jr. or
(209) 261-8538.
