Long Beach City College offers a wide variety of events which showcase multiculturalism, however, such events are unmemorable, and students often miss out on the cultural gains from them.
LBCC is a proud host of many events, ranging from highlighting different clubs to cultures, which draw many students to the quad to celebrate.
These events are different in what they are trying to accomplish or highlight within the community, but they all have free food in common.
Many students find themselves at these events waiting in line for the free food provided either by clubs or a food truck that is brought on campus, rather than taking in the purpose of the event itself.
For this reason, the primary objective of the event is shadowed by the student’s hunger for a free hot dog, burger or taco, and once that food is acquired there is no longer an incentive for students to stay.
Anyone who attends these campus events sees that the line to the food offered is often the longest, which shows that more students come for the free food offered.
The Associated Student Body (ASB) which is responsible for planning and executing these events saw a 17% boost in its budget from the previous year and now has $1.3 million to enrich the student body.
In an attempt to get students to participate, ASB has started giving out cards that must be stamped by numerous clubs or organizations involved in the event to receive free food.
However, they have failed to retain these students once that food is in their hands.
A few ways the school can retain students at these events is to create a social space where students can get to know one another, rather than simply passing through a space where a performance is ongoing and the line for food is where most students find themselves.
Student-centered activities and engagement centered around socializing first should be the priority for these events which center around those who make up our college.
Social mixers that encourage students to stay at the event and meet their peers who they go to school with could be a good start.
This would allow for a more solid college community in which social groups can merge and form based on common interests outside of joining a club, which can be intimidating for some.
Regardless, there needs to be a complete overhaul in the structure of on campus events and how they are executed.