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Student Booths Put Diversity On Display

Josh James
/
WUKY

As another class of UK freshmen start making their new homes on campus, more and more student groups are there to get them involved.

"We are a community for all sorts of gamers, that's role-playing, tabletop, video games..."

"I'm also tabling with a new vegan group..."

"We're the center that is dedicated to making sure campus is a safe space for students, staff, and faculty..."

The walkways at the heart of campus offered no shortage of ways to get involved in campus life this week. Dozens of booths lined the areas across from White Hall classroom building, advertising nonprofits, student political groups, and even catering to fans of film, horse racing, and anime.

Campus Kitchen was a new organization in the mix. Manning the booth was Amelia Baylon, who explained how unused food items on campus need not go straight to the trash.

"We collect them and we repurpose it for other well-balanced meals, and we give that to homeless shelters or families who are low-income," she said.

One familiar sight, however, was the Violence Intervention and Prevention Center, which is looking to become more visible this year.

"One of the new things we have this year is the Green Team, which is VIP's very own street team. It will be student led, student driven. Students will come up with different tasks for members of the Green Team to do, whether it be wearing a VIP shirt on a certain day of the way or plastering campus with fliers for an upcoming event," says Prevention Educator Catherine Martin.

And while the booths might be focused on specific causes and interests, students are invited to mingle and start making new friends with everyone in the UK community Friday night at the annual Resident Student Association Block Party starting at 8.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.