Taste of UCF excites students' tastebuds

Taste of UCF, a rendition of Taste of Chicago put on by the Multicultural Student Center (MSC), was welcomed by hundreds of students at the arena Wednesday afternoon.Taste of UCF features a festival that celebrates the culture of a variety of countries through food.

Tying in with MSC's mission to broadcast an inclusive environment through multiculturalism and diversity, the event represented more than ten countries, including Italy, Mexico, the Bahamas, and France. As the extensive lines into the arena can attest, students were anxious to get a free taste of the different items available.

Student Director of MSC, Melissa Westbrook, described the process to attaining accurate representations of each country's cuisine.

"I literally spent days and nights looking up food on the Internet, trying to make sure it's authentic, because I don't want to offend anybody," Westbrook said. "I want you to get something that you most likely have to make at home, or something you don't get to see that often."

With more than 80 volunteers helping out with the event, word easily spread to students looking for a potential outlet to get involved with on campus. MSC provides students with the opportunity to meet new people from different backgrounds with events that are both educational and fun, such as their upcoming game show "Are You Smarter than a Professor—Hispanic Heritage Edition," on September 30. For volunteers Karan Issar and Andrea Alvarez, Taste of UCF was just the beginning of many volunteering events to come.

"I want to meet a lot of new people, and a lot of new friends. This is the first event of a lot that I plan on volunteering for," Issar, a freshman business management major, said while serving drinks at the event.

"[I volunteered] just to get involved on campus," Alvarez, a sophomore majoring in public relations, said. "This is my first event with MSC, but I definitely want to get more involved afterwards."

Still, in comparison to UCF's Campus Activities Board (CAB) or Student Government Association (SGA), MSC tends to be overlooked. Student Director Westbrook described the popular misrepresentation of MSC as just another registered student organization, when in fact MSC is involved in several events on campus like homecoming, Take Back the Night, and Greek Extravaganza. Westbrook went on to list the difficulties of underrepresentation at UCF.

"I think that's why we get put under the rug sometimes; they think we're educational, and then forget all about us," Westbrook said. "People don't realize we are an entity of SGA. We put on programs throughout the year that focus on culture and diversity. We're not boring or strictly educational, but you can learn so much."

Students willing to sign in with a valid UCF ID and email address got the chance to sample a food item from each table, as well as two drinks, at no expense. For Melissa Shutts, a freshman majoring in Computer Animation, the event was a chance to immerse herself in a variety of cultures.

"I came to see what it was," Shutts explained. "[My favorite aspect] was that they have so many different things from all over."

But the hundreds of hungry students lining up outside for a chance at free food wasn't the only intention MSC had for the event. Nelson Santiago, the Coordinator for MSC, once again stressed the importance of more campus involvement.

"Out of this event, hopefully we create some awareness, [and] through that we become a brand that is recognized and sought after so that folks will continue to want to come out to the events," Santiago stated.

Students interested in getting involved with MSC are encouraged to go online to their website, http://msc.getinvolveducf.com/index.php#splash, where applications for their Leadership Committee will be available soon. Students can also visit MSC, located in Student Union 153, to pick up a brochure, talk with someone about getting involved, and learn more about the organization itself.

 "You get a great experience. It teaches you great work ethic and time management; it creates great bonds and friendships; and it's nice to see yourself make a difference in somebody else's life."