Stephanie Cassidy
The Multi-Cultural Student Association (MCSA) is a student organization that, according to the official CCBC website, “promotes the expression of cultural differences through poetry, art, music, dance, storytelling, and debates.”
The Dundalk chapter of this association has been around for about five years. Dr. Patricia Quintero-Hall has been the leader of this chapter since the beginning. “The other campuses had it before we did,” Mrs. Quintero-Hall said.
All campuses currently have low enrollment in co-curricular activities and The Dundalk MCSA Chapter is also feeling the effects. According to Mrs. Quintero-Hall, “I think it’s interesting when we have MCSA leadership. The leaders are really excited their first year and then the following semester, we lose them because they become either peer tutors or ambassadors and work for the student government association. They move onto bigger and better things. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to move up, but then we lose that leadership and we have to start all over again.”
Gavin Cook, the current president of the Dundalk chapter, has been the president since Fall 2016. “I enjoy being the president. I am able to gain access to a large quantity of events and the perks are outstanding, but also because it allows me to help people grow their potential.”
There are other organizations on campus that also add onto the low enrollment of the MCSA…the Student Government Association (SGA) and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK).
John Banks, the treasurer for the Dundalk chapter is also a part of the PTK organization. “I feel a sense of responsibility and pride between both,” he said. “The MCSA has taught me that even though we all come from different backgrounds, we are all still human. We can unite together to show equality. Being a member and an ex-vice president of fundraising, it taught me academic hardship and that certain goals are in need of structure in order to be successful.”
The MCSA is not only known for introducing CCBC students to different cultures, but they are also known for different cultural events.
Mrs. Quintero-Hall started to explain one event coming up this semester. “What’s coming up is what is really exciting. We have the Piñata making event, we have Mexican Artists from Creative Alliance in Baltimore City and these women will be coming in to show us how to make piñatas. They will also give us a little history about it and we will actually break a piñata. Students and faculty say they love doing this because they can go home with a beautiful piñata.”
“We also participate in International Education Week,” she went on. “Every year, we bring a woman by the name of Isolde. She sings in about five or seven different languages and it’s just so wonderful seeing students dance and sing songs from a different culture. When this woman comes back, she’s going to be bringing beads from all over the world, so it would be an arts and crafts opportunity for students to make gifts, which is really nice.”
CCBC’s student body represents between forty to seventy different countries and hundreds of different cultures.
The Dundalk chapter meets on Wednesdays at 12:20 in the afternoon in the Student Lounge. Light refreshments are provided after the meetings. Come join some excitement! For more information on this club contact the Dundalk Student Life Office @443-840-3350.
