By John McCarthy
Correspondent
Eight organizations were fully funded and two were partially funded at the Student Finance Board meeting on March 13 at 12:30 p.m.
The board fully funded the Society for Creative Endeavors $4,938.10 for a day trip to a Japanese cultural festival, the Sakura Matsuri, in Washington, D.C. on April 13.
The event provides live music, authentic Japanese dance performances, shows and food. Students will be able to broaden their horizons by experiencing and celebrating Japanese culture, according to Michael Weiss, a junior marketing major and president of the Society for Creative Endeavors.
Bus seats for students will be reserved for a $5 fee and the festival will charge $10 per ticket. The Japanese Student Association will co-sponsor the trip.
The Sophomore Class Council’s bus trip to Philadelphia was fully funded for $2,150. The trip is scheduled for Sunday, March 31 and will transport students to nearby restaurants, museums and Spruce Street Harbor Park.
“The goal of this trip is to promote unity among the class of 2021,” said Thomas Astaria, a sophomore business major and president of the council.
As April approaches, the Asian American Association is planning Mystique, its annual showcase of cultural performances from different regions of Asia. SFB fully funded Mystique for $2,968.41. This year’s event will be Pokémon-themed and will showcase performances from Dragonflies, Taiko, Barkada, the Korean Student Association and more.
The funding will go toward reserving the venue and providing costumes and props for the performers. It is scheduled to take place on April 28 at 6 p.m. in Kendall Hall.
The board fully funded Dancers of New Jersey $781 for a showcase on April 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Kendall Hall. The club plans to present its members’ routines and bring in the Tap Ensemble, a tap dance group at the College.
“We want to show the hard work our club members have put in and inspire others to come out and try something new,” said Abigail Litterio, a junior and iSTEM and elementary education dual major and the president of Dancers of New Jersey.
SFB partially funded the Haitian Student Association $9,720.07 for its event, “Ambiance,” in the Decker Social Space on April 20 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The event will function as a celebration of Haitian culture through music, cuisine, dance and comedy. It will begin with a recitation of the National Hymn of Haiti in English and Creole. Afterward, participants will be able to listen to music, eat Haitian food and observe ancient Haitian artifacts displayed throughout the room.
The board tabled funding some of the centerpieces that were included in the organization’s plan. The club wanted real roses while SFB maintained that its members could find fake flowers for a cheaper price. Instead, the funding went toward music, food, entertainment and other aspects of the event.
The Senior Class Council was fully funded $1,500 for a cooking class in the Lion’s Den on April 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Directed by Executive Chef Frank Rette, the class will provide participants with hands-on cooking experience, a variety of recipes and a chance to taste their results afterward. The theme for the class is comfort food.
According to Christina Vassalo, a senior iSTEM and elementary education dual major and treasurer of the council, the goal is to teach College students culinary skills that they will be able to use later in life.
Synergy Dance Company was partially funded $2,832 for its event, “Synergy Spring Spectacular.” The event will showcase the different styles of dance that the organization’s members have been practicing, which include jazz, ballet, hip-hop and more.
“This event gives us the opportunity to show off what we’ve been working on these past two semesters,” said Katie Napolitano, a junior psychology and marketing double major.
The event is scheduled to take place in Kendall Hall on April 27 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Expenses will go toward costumes, a pre-performance meal and the utilities provided by Kendall Hall.
The board fully funded Union Latina $3,309.13 for its event, “COPA.” The purpose of the event is to celebrate all Latin-American cultures, and Mexican heritage specifically, through performances, traditional Latin food, music and Latin-American history. The event will also include a DJ and a live band that plays traditional Mexican music.
“We want a band to show TCNJ the traditional side of Mexican Culture,” said Karla Flores, a senior early childhood education and sociology dual major and chair of Latinx awareness for Union Latina.
The event will take place on April 18 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Decker Social Space.
SFB zero funded the Association of Students for Africa for its event, “Akwaaba,” which is still scheduled to take place in the Decker Social Space on April 26 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The event, which according to ASFA will still be held, is meant to showcase African culture through cuisine, live music and other performances, according to Tiffany Thimba, a senior sociology major and president of ASFA.
The event was denied funding because it was publicly advertised before its club requested finances from SFB.
Lastly, the board fully funded the Italian Club $3,698.80 for its event, Viaggio d’Italia (A Trip Around Italy), which is meant to immerse students in Italian culture through cuisine, music and various interactive activities. Participants will experience aspects from different regions of Italy, according to Nathaniel Hirschman, a senior finance major and president of the club.
The event is scheduled to take place on April 14 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 100.
