Colleges come together for Unity Day

On Saturday, students and faculty members from the Capstone, Stillman College and Shelton State Community College will celebrate the second annual Unity Day on Woods Quad.

"We're bringing students together for healthy dialog and to exchange ideas," said outgoing SGA Deputy Chief of Staff and Unity Day Director Candace Portis. "This event is all about the students."

Portis said they will be providing free food and entertainment.

SGA Vice President for External Affairs Mike Dodson said the purpose of Unity Day is to promote exchange and the flow of ideas between the three major institutions of higher education within the Tuscaloosa metropolitan area.

It is an opportunity for students, organizations and faculty members from all three colleges to join together in the mission of promoting friendship and improving communication, he said.

"Unity Day, like any other event centered on the betterment of communications amongst members of a community, adds greatly to the relationship that we share with our neighbors Shelton State and Stillman," Dodson said. "It offers an opportunity to develop closer ties which are unquestionably very beneficial to the advancement and development of our community."

The concept of Unity Day was created after Portis and former Stillman SGA President Maurice Williams discussed the general impression about the other school. Portis and Williams thought these preconceived ideas should be addressed.

"We felt like it was our duty as civic leaders to change those common misperceptions," said Portis, a student in New College whose studies include event planning and secondary education. "We got a team of people together and embarked on a quest to see what would be most useful."

Dodson said Unity Day is an event sponsored, promoted and organized almost entirely by the student governments of Alabama, Stillman and Shelton State, and the event this year has been made possible partly through the efforts of Portis.

"All individuals and organizations are invited and encouraged to participate in the Unity Day activities," Dodson said. "Students should attend Unity Day for the purposes of meeting new people, hearing new ideas and having a good time."

Portis said many organizations across campus will be involved in this year's festivities. The event will also feature performers from both the University and Stillman, and the UA SGA wants to make the event as inclusive as possible, she said.

"We're going to have an alternative step show," Portis said. "We will have performances from hip-hop violinist D-Sharp [Derryck Gleaton] and rapper T-Merk, who also performed at last year's event."

Terrence Merkerson (T-Merk), a sophomore majoring in political science, said students should come enjoy the good food and good music.

"This is a set day to come out and meet new people and get rid of wrong ideas people may have about other colleges," he said.

Unity Day will also feature a community service component. Attendees can give donations, which will go to support the Tuscaloosa Boys and Girls Club.

Unity Day is just one of many ways the University and Stillman have been working to bridge the gap between the three institutions. Last year, the SC/UA Better Relations Committee was created. It is comprised of students from the student government associations of the Capstone and Stillman. Last semester, they hosted the College Summit, which brought together students and faculty members from all three institutions.

The Crossroads Community Center will be inducting Unity Day into its Honor Circle at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

"It's a great honor for Unity Day to be recognized in such a way," Portis said.