By Olivia Rizzo
Staff Writer
Students can look forward to experiencing a variety of different perspectives in the next few months as the Student Finance Board funded several speakers at its weekly meeting on Wednesday, March 22.
College Union Board received $2,440.03 for its previously tabled food truck and lawn games request as part of CUB’s Block Party. The organization had already been approved for $6,901.48 in funding for the event, the addition of new funds brings the full price of CUB’s Block Party to $9.341.51.
The event will feature an ice cream truck, live music, lawn games and the College’s flea market. It will take place on April 20 on Green Lawn at 6 p.m.
“The events barbecue theme can only be enhanced through the addition of a barbecue food truck,” said Stephanie DiPietrantonio, CUB STUD event coordinator. “The lawn games are also being presented again because upon reaching out to other organizations for them, we found that no other organizations had the games we plan for.”
Funding will cover the costs of barbecue food trucks and lawn games.
The American Medical Student Association was funded $699.95 for its Hippocrates Luncheon, which will take place on Sunday, April 2, in room 212 of the Education Building.
“We invite a panel of TCNJ alumni physicians and we go through the office of alumni affairs,” said Sapana Shah, president of AMSA. “This lunch will provide TCNJ students with how to approach the health care field and what goes into being in the health care field, what resources are available at TCNJ for those looking to enter the health care field and allows for networking.”
Funding will cover the cost of food and decorations.
PRISM was funded for two Breaking the Binary events: a film series that will take place on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Decker Social Space and a speaker on campus in April at a to-be-determined location.
“There are two films: ‘Ma Vie En Rose’ and ‘Mala Mala,’ both are about trans youth,” said Karissa Schoemer, PRISM’s treasurer. “The films are a blend of documentaries and dramas and will provide students with an understanding of the ways in which gender and sex exist on a spectrum.”
The film series received full funding in the amount of $500.
“For our Breaking the Binary Speaker series, we will bring in speakers who identify as trans, transgender or intersex,” Schoemer said. “PRISM requested to bring two speakers to campus, but the board decided to grant PRISM $1,500 to fund the cost of one speaker due to the projected audience size.”
The speaker series received $1,500 in funding, which will cover the cost of the speaker’s travel and speaking fees.
Union Latina was funded $4,192.91 for COPA Night, which is scheduled for April 13 in the Decker Social Space at 7 p.m.
“COPA is a celebration of Latin American cultures through performances, traditional Latin food, music and Latin American history,” said Anasofia Terelles, the Union Latina’s multicultural awareness chair. “It really highlights what we stand for and who we are.”
Funding will cover the cost of the food, DJ, band, photo booth and decorative pearls. All other decorations were tabled.
Sigma Lamda Beta was fully funded $500 to bring Bobby Gonzalez, a multicultural speaker, to campus to talk about diversity.
“Bobby Gonzalez is multicultural guest speaker from the Bronx, NYC,” said Alex Penafiel, treasurer of Sigma Lamda Beta. “What he is going to be talking to people about understanding diversity, allowing students to have a broader perspective on the topic, he wants to help students create and shape an equal future for all communities.”
Funding will cover the cost of Gonzalez’s speaking fee.
The Association of Students for Africa was fully funded $2,000 for its Akwaaba Banquet, which will give the campus a taste of African food on April 22 in the Decker Social Space at 7:30 p.m.
“Akwaaba is a term that originates from the West African country of Ghana and when translated, means ‘welcome,’” said Orealuwa Nubi, vice president of ASFA. “This event will showcase the African culture and will introduce students to the various elements of African culture through performances, music and food.”
Funding will cover the costs of a traditional performance group.
The Class of 2019 was fully funded $549 for its Digital Scavenger Hunt, which will take place at a date to be determined in April at noon.
“We want to host a digital interactive scavenger hunt across campus. Students will have two hours to explore TCNJ’s hidden treasurers by scanning QR codes, checking in at locations and taking photos,” said Dominic Clark, vice president of Public Relations.
Funding will cover the costs of Scavify Digital Scavenger Hunt and a prize for the winners.
Friendship and Unity for Special Education’s request to bring David Finch, a humorist and New York Times best-selling author, to campus for a lecture on his experience with Asperger Syndrome and his work in the classroom was tabled. The board tabled the event due to concerns that the lecture would be too similar to the one Finch gave last year.
SFB was fully funded $415 for its annual Base Budget Retreat, which is used to review budgets for the following year.
“This is an annual retreat in order review base budgets for the next fiscal year and review new policies for our constitution,” said Robert Mitchals, executive director of SFB. “In the past we have held this event at a hotel off campus, and this year we will be hosting the retreat on campus in order to keep costs down.”
Funding will cover the cost of snacks, drinks, pizza and breakfast. The retreat will take place on Friday, April 7, in Paul Loser Hall.
