The notion of Unity Week was conceived during the Student Organization/Student Affairs Leadership retreat of 1997. The initial idea was to unite administrators, faculty, staff, and students in an effort to bring about diversity across Kean University. Every year Unity Weeks brings quality campus-wide programming in the spirit of community, and this tradition is being continued in 2015. This year’s slogan, “Embrace it. Share it. Celebrate it. Shared vision,” portrays the goal of Unity Week.

On March 23, 2015, the Student Organization launched their annual Unity Week in the University Center UC atrium. Amongst the usual students hustling and bustling was Kean University President Dawood Farahi. Farahi commenced the event by addressing exactly what makes Kean University a unique college experience. “What makes Kean unique? The diversity of this place; we have students from 72 different countries at this school,” states Farahi. “We are the only university in the state of New Jersey with the opportunity to [easily] go to China.”

After reminding everyone how exceptional the university is, Farahi handed the microphone over to Student Organization President Gerard Smithwrick. As a graduating senior majoring in history, this is Smithwrick’s last Unity Week, a bitter-sweet realization. He calls for action with a brief address, stating, “Let us all unify and share this vision!”

The kick-off housed an array of giveaways, activities, and interactive tabling that all dealt with strengthening the diverse campus community.  License plate making and a variety of multicultural foods offered new ways of recognizing diversity. A Relay For Life table was also featured, giving students the chance to donate money to a worthy cause. One of the main attractions was the Unity Week World Map, which asks students to “tell us where you’re from!”  The map will be held in the atrium all week for people to participate in sharing their origins.

The Asian Studies department presented a calligraphy writing table, which was not only hands-on but informative as well with Chinese character sheets that corresponded with the Chinese Zodiac calendar. Each sheet gave insight of a worldly view of different birth years and their characteristics. “We like to explore [other] departments and encourage people to learn about a culture other than their own,” says senior Asian studies major Justine Johnston.

Unity Week 2015 offered many on-campus events and programs. Starting off the week on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 with Taste of Kean, students were invited to New Freshman Resident Hall to enjoy food of different cultures. The following day United We Dance celebrated a variety of dance styles from around the world in the Whiteman Lounge. Keeping the spirit of Unity Week alive, on Thursday in the UC Little Theater was an International Student mixer, where students from all over the world had a chance to mingle amongst their peers.

Other major Unity Week events included Conversations with John Prendergast: A Springboard for Developing Artistic Experiences for Children and Adolescents about Social Justice, a free movie screening of Big Hero 6, The American Influence on the Easter Rising, the Freshman Pop-Up Breakfast, Haitian Student Association’s Score for Haiti basketball tournament, and much more.

The final day of the week, Friday, sent Unity Week out with a bang with Fusion Fest and Hands Up! Fusion Fest was a student art exhibit where patrons of the UC could also get a free custom airbrushed t-shirt. Hands Up! was featured throughout the residence halls and those participating were able to put their hand print on what unity means to them.

For more information regarding Unity Week, contact the Student Organization at stuorg@kean.edu.