The new Indian Student Association (ISA) welcomed its first round of students interested in learning about Indian culture on Feb. 15.
“My vision is to create the Indian Student Association so that students from all different ethnic and racial backgrounds could come learn about what Indian culture is all about,” founder of ISA, freshman Kavya Patel, said. “I want the students of Lipscomb to grow in their love for other cultures and people.”
Patel brought her vision before the Lipscomb University Intercultural Department before getting the association approved.
“I love it when students take the initiative to start an organization as Kavya has done,” said Lisa Steele, Assistant Dean and Lipscomb Director of Intercultural Development. “She is organized, passionate and knowledgeable and wants to share her love of Indian culture with other students.”
The Office of Intercultural Development also sponsors Futuro, a professional organization for Latino students; Kappa Iota Theta, the Black Student Association; Lambda Iota Sigma, the international student organization; League of United Latin American Citizens; W.E.B. DuBois Intercultural Honor Society; REAP, an intercultural mentoring program; Multicultural Awareness Skills and Knowledge breakout chapels; and Welcome to our Worlds international leadership team.
According to Dean of Student Development Josh Roberts, the ISA’s vision was “marvelous, compelling and right.”
“They had identified a need at Lipscomb to raise awareness and appreciation and opportunities for interaction with Indian culture,” Roberts said. “They put together a constitution, a plan for meeting times, different ideas that they could entertain and draw students of interest to that don’t require lots of funds or money in the beginning so they’d be able to immediately jump right in.”
Students from various backgrounds were able to taste Indian food, listen to Indian music and receive more information about the new group at ISA’s first interest meeting.
“I’m not Indian, but I like learning about other cultures so I think this is a good way to bring people together and celebrate diversity,” freshman Khadija Karmani said.
During this first semester, ISA has plans to host movie nights, cultural information meetings and Henna tattoo parties.
“I want students to find themselves enjoying aspects of my culture that they may never have imagined themselves enjoying before,” Patel said. “I hope this organization opens the door for people to see a whole new world right here in Nashville.”