UA Crossroads Center Invites Students to Discuss Culture on First Wednesdays

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — What is culture? This semester, The University of Alabama Crossroads Community Center seeks to find the answer to that question and to start an open dialogue with UA students through its new program “Wednesday’s at Crossroads.”

The program, which debuts on Wednesday, Sept. 3, is designed to help students make new friends and exchange ideas in a culturally rich environment. The first program will focus on understanding culture, and will provide examples for students of what is and what is not culture. The program will also utilize “Mix-It-Up” style conversations to help initiate conversations between students about their cultures.

All members of the UA community are invited attend. The events will start at 11 a.m. and last until 1 p.m. and be held in the Crossroads Community Center Lounge.

Other programs are scheduled on the first Wednesdays of each month during the fall. The Oct. 1 program will encourage students to fill out cultural questionnaires by approaching other students participating in the program and asking about their cultural backgrounds. The four questionnaires with the most answers will receive a prize. Then during the Nov. 5 program, Crossroads will facilitate an open discussion about cultural “truths and untruths” in the media. Students will view various media clips to begin the dialogue.

The Crossroads Lounge, which is also known as the TV lounge, is located in the Ferguson Center. Enter Ferguson Center through the door closest to the Crimson Promenade and Crossroads Community Center door will be on the right.

UA’s Crossroads Community Center provides leadership in the areas of cultural programming and intercultural education; seeks to build relationships across cultures through innovative programs and initiatives; seeks to prepare students for demographic shifts in the global society; and also serves as a resource for organizations regarding cross-cultural issues.

For more information about Crossroads, contact Dr. Beverly Hawk, director, Beverly.Hawk@ua.edu or Brice Miller, assistant director, Brice.Miller@ua.edu. Also go online to their Web site www.crossroads.ua.edu.