Strategically placed around campus, students and faculty can find disposable cameras to take pictures of their view of diversity.
Differences don’t always have to cause issues between people, and the Inter-Residence Council’s N.C. State In Focus campaign seeks to prove that point. The event celebrates diversity on campus through the use of photography.
All the photos will be judged and displayed at D.H. Hill Library, and Rupert Nacoste, professor of psychology, will later speak about “Living on the Neo-Diversity Frontier” in the Erdohl-Cloyd Auditorium of D.H. Hill Library April 6 at 6 p.m.
Derin Alabi, a senior in computer and electrical engineering, is the committee chair in IRC for N.C. State In Focus.
“It showcases the diversity we have at N.C. State,” Alabi said. “There are a lot of people here with different ideals, values, morals and ways of life. Diversity isn’t about the differences that separate us; it’s about the differences that bring us together.”
Kendre Davis, a sophomore in psychology and IRC’s vice president of programming, said the event is a great way for students to get a visual on diversity at the University.
“We talk about diversity on this campus all the time,” Davis said, “but this is a good way to actually see it.”
Davis said she hopes the visual will make the University’s diversity more approachable for students and that it will create a better understanding of the differences that make us the same.
Davis wants students to see that diversity isn’t one specific thing, and hopes that N.C. State In Focus will show students the unity in campus life.
“There isn’t one definition of diversity. This is the entire campus’ definition of diversity that is being showcased.”
“Yes, we are N.C. State,” Alabi said, “but we all have differences in common, too, that make us a stronger community.”
The event committee is facing the challenge of theft of the cameras, according to Alabi.
“We were afraid people would steal them,” Alabi said, “which they have.”
Alabi has high hopes that the students will return the stolen cameras to the IRC office located in the basement of Turlington Residence Hall.
To combat the loss of the photos from the stolen cameras, Alabi said the committee is putting the IRC general assembly to work, sending them out to take photos of what they see as diversity.
“We have a lot of members that took cameras, so we will have a lot of photos from them,” Alabi said.
In order to be in the competition, students should send pictures in to [email protected]. There is a limit of one photo submission per student.
Rishav Dey, a freshman in aerospace engineering and a member of the event committee, said he believes the event is a fun way to promote diversity.
“Unlike other events here that are already organized and just has the students attend, it is shaped by the student photographers. They play a huge role in creating the event because it is their view of diversity that we are celebrating,” Dey said.
Students are encouraged to participate in the event by taking photos with the disposable cameras provided by IRC. The cameras can be found on top of Technician boxes, as well as in residence hall lounge areas. Cameras can also be checked out from the IRC office. Official rules for the competition can be found on the IRC website.
