Student groups are sponsoring PackUnity Fall Field Day Oct. 21 on Lee Field in an effort to bring together multicultural groups on campus, according to PR chair for the Student Diversity Advisory Council Jay Dawkins.
The Student Diversity Advisory Council, Student Government, the Union Activities Board and the Inter-Residence Council will host the event at 3 p.m. on Lee Field.
The event is part of the PackUnity Campaign, according to Dawkins, spearheaded by SG and SDAC to host different events throughout the year.
According to Dawkins, a junior in civil engineering, the field day is completely free for students due to the help of SG, The Union Activities Board and the Inter-Residence Council.
“This event is part of an effort to bring together multicultural groups on campus so that everyone can meet one another,” he said.
Students will be divided into teams, Dawkins said, and will compete in a variety of events ranging from three-legged races to tug-of-war and wheel barrow races. Free food, music and prizes will also be available.
“Most people want to branch out and meet new people on campus and this seems like the perfect opportunity,” Dawkins said.
According to Dawkins, this event is setting out to do what other diversity events could not.
“A lot of politically active and diverse student organizations end up spending a lot of time promoting cultural awareness, but unfortunately, people attending their events are oftentimes exactly like them,” he said.
According to SG’s Diversity Commission Chair Sarah Kim, this first-time event has a lot of potential.
“It’s going to be like old-school field day,” she said.
Kim, a senior in biochemistry, said she’s most looking forward to meeting different people who will come out to participate in the event.
Dawkins said he is expecting between 100 to 200 people.
“We’re kind of reaching out to groups from every corner of N.C. State,” he said.
One of the games, the water balloon fight, Dawkins said would be replaced with an egg toss if the City Council approves the Stage 2 water restrictions due to North Carolina’s drought.
According to Dawkins, SG can spend up to $500 on the event but hopefully won’t go over $300, and IRC and UAB are spending $200 each.
Dawkins said he hopes this event can build relationships with students from all across campus and said event organizers contacted all diversity and cultural groups registered with the Student Organizations Resource Center Office, as well as groups with the multicultural student affairs.
Kim said she hopes the event will have a snowball effect of bring the campus community together.
Staff Writer Zach Moser-Katz contributed to this story.
