Classes are only days away and emotions may be tangled: hesitation, doubt, excitement — you name it. But students’ attitudes should be bright. Just before fall semester begins, the collection of cultural centers on campus welcomes students through the annual Taste of Nevada event Sunday.

Sponsored by a partnership between New Student Programs, the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Relations, University Housing and the Illini Union, Taste of Nevada hopes to expose students to new cultural interests.

“Taste of Nevada is an opportunity for new students to learn more about our cultural centers, enjoy free food, live entertainment and giveaways,” said Abbey Wolfman, assistant dean of New Student Programs, in an email interview. Wolfman said that this year’s food includes “catfish nuggets, empanadas, squash quesadillas, samosas, sweet potato pie and much more.”

Alexander Kogan, sophomore in DGS, said that Taste of Nevada’s food highlighted last year’s event for him. 

“The lines were never too long, and there was always a great variety of options to choose from,” Kogan said. “This year’s menu sounds great, and people can rest assured that it will taste better than what they might suspect.”

Taste of Nevada will also feature a main stage with cultural entertainment. Wolfman said artists this year will include West African drummers, Samba Soul and Native American hip-hop artist, Quese IMC.

The event is not just fun for students but also for the cultural centers that take part in the Taste. Mai-Lin Poon, assistant director of the Asian American Cultural Center, said she thinks it is a great way to introduce students to the cultural centers that exist on campus.

“Students can tour the cultural centers and learn more about the programs, resources and opportunities that they have to offer,” Poon said. “It’s also a great way to meet the staff who make those things happen and learn how to get involved.”

Kogan said that while he has not joined any of the cultural centers at the University, he appreciated their openness and enthusiasm during last year’s event.

“(The cultural centers) were very welcoming and did a lot to expose students to what their organizations focused on and did throughout the year,” he said. “I felt like I gained a good sense of what they are all about.”

Poon said that AACC and other cultural centers emphasize the idea of inclusion for all students.

“I think there is often this thought that a person has to identify with a center to be able to use it,” Poon said. “So for example, a student does not have to be of Asian descent to come to any of the AACC’s programs, nor does one have to be Native American to go to Native American House’s programs. All centers welcome students to come, learn and engage.”

Poon said she hopes that students will find AACC and other cultural centers to be safe spaces where they can explore their identities, participate in discussions and make lasting friendships. The participating centers include AACC, Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center, La Casa Cultural Latina, the LGBT Resource Center, Native American House, the Women’s Resource Center and the Diversity and Social Justice Education group, along with other clubs that will host information booths.

Kogan said he is excited for this year’s Taste of Nevada and is still considering joining a cultural center. Taste of Nevada will take place on Nevada Street on Sunday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wolfman said NSP expects nearly 3,000 students to participate and all are welcome.

Adlai can be reached at [email protected].