Black Student Union Event Unites Students From Different Campuses

Posted on by

They did the Mash. The Monster Mash. And the Cupid shuffle. And of course the Wobble. And any other dance you could think of.

Students from UWM and other area colleges gathered to laugh, dance and socialize at the UWM Black Student Union Halloween Party.  While some came in costume and others just wore jeans, the atmosphere was one of students being able to gather, feel safe and have a good time.

Kiersten Strozier Bey, an MATC student, felt uneasy at first. “This was my first college party and I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. However, after the music started, “it was all good,” she said with a laugh.

The BSU at UWM just celebrated its 46th year of existence. Founded in an era when the black student population at UWM was even lower and civil rights was at its height, the BSU was a sanctuary for those fighting the same struggle.

Dr. Gary Williams, campus advisor to the BSU, is adamant in the relevance of the BSU, even today. With a population of nearly 30,000 students, and only about 2,000 of them being black, the BSU provides incoming freshman guidance, direction and support, he said.

According to the UWM Office of Assessment and Institutional Research, the number of what they call “students of color” on campus has steadily risen from about 9.8 percent in 1986 to 22 percent in recent years.

Williams also points out that the BSU is for all students who need assistance. “At the end of the day, UWM is a community, and we must all work together to ensure the success of anyone who enters these doors.”

Proceeds from the $10 cover charge will be used to fund future programs sponsored by the BSU.