Each year, the Associated Students hosts and supports cultural celebrations on campus. Two of campus’ most-awaited annual events include Multicultural Night, also referred to as “MAC Night,” and International Festival. These events are FREE event for students and community members to attend and are hosted by the Associated Students Diversity Affairs Council.
Multicultural Night
Every fall the Associated Students invites the campus and community to experience a night of cultural celebration and education called Multicultural Night, also referred to as MAC Night. The event, usually hosted in November in the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium, features performances from various multi-ethnic organizations on campus.
Each year one of the main focuses of Multicultural Night is the celebration and unity of various cultures from the Chico State community.
“We believe that all cultures are important and should be celebrated, especially during a time where we want to uplift and help all cultures embrace their differences and recognize that they only make us stronger.”
– Keandre Madkins-Hal, a member of Epsilon Sigma Rho Multicultural Fraternity (2017)
International Festival
In contrast, each spring, The Associated Students hosts International Festival, and outdoor cultural experience open to all.
International Festival provides multicultural organizations the opportunity to share their culture with the community through food, music, dancing, and more! Normally hosted on Trinity or Glenn Lawn, this incredible, family-friendly event allows members of the campus and local communities to expose themselves to cultures from around the world!
This event features performances from various cultural groups and an international market with goods and exotic cuisines available for purchase from Chico State student organizations.
“It helps share [our] culture with other people, like people can understand a little more about [a] group – What their food is like, what their dances are like, what their culture is… [and] enriches the experience for people who are of the same culture so that they have a sense of home here at Chico State.”
– Prairie Francia, Former Commissioner of Diversity Affairs (2018-2019)
In addition to hosting our own cultural events, the Associated Students also provides funding opportunities for student organizations interested in hosting their own diversity programming through our Events and Diversity Programming Allocation Council (EDPAC). EDPAC allocates funds up to $4,000 per event for on-campus events hosted by any University-recognized student organizations. EDPAC is open to proposals for all kinds of events campus-wide and would love to hear about yours! For more information, please contact the AS Commissioner of Student Organizations and Resources.
