Class project turns into a week of religious, musical, culinary and identity events

A group of Dana College students will host the college’s first Cultural Fair, April 28–May 2. The week is full of free activities designed by the Communication Capstone class to create cultural awareness by exposing various aspects of culture to Dana and the surrounding communities.

Events within the week include musical, artistic, scholarly, informative and food-related activities for teenagers and adults. All of the fair is held on Dana’s campus in Blair, Neb. Most events charge no admission, but a fee is required to participate in food-related events.

Highlights of the week include:

• Culture Shock Speakers (4 p.m., Monday, April 28, The Forum, Durham Center) will look at what it is like to come to Nebraska from a different culture. Participants include Dr. Andrea Ng’weshemi, campus pastor and assistant professor of religion, originally from Tanzania; Dr. Sybille Bartels, associate dean for student success, director of international studies and English as a second language, and professor of German, originally from Germany; Diana Brown, associate professor of French and Spanish, originally from Argentina; Anna Weyer, Omaha artist, originally from Poland; Tomas Berard, Dana student, originally from Argentina; and Aleksei Kriatchko, Dana student, originally from Russia.
• Speaker Frank LaMere (3 p.m., Tuesday, April 29, The Forum, Durham Center) is a powerful activist for Native American rights. He has been involved in issues directly related to Nebraska, including the battle to enforce liquor laws in White Clay, Neb.
• Salem Baptist Church’s Voices of Victory choir (4 p.m., Wednesday, April 30, The Oval, weather permitting) is one of Omaha’s most influential religious music groups. Their concert will focus on American gospel music.
• Religious Diversity Panel (1 p.m., Thursday, May 1, The Forum, Durham Center) includes six members: Dr. John Lyden, professor of religion and author of Enduring Issues in Religion; Pastor Stanley Reinemund of First Lutheran Church in Blair; Elder Jesse Price, a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; the Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas, founder of The Catholic Answer and the Priestly Society of the Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman in Omaha; Rabbi Aryeh Azrial from the Temple of Israel in Omaha; and Reverend Nonin Chowaney, abbot of the Nebraska Zen Center in Omaha.
• Luau and Fire Dance (5 p.m., Friday, May 2, The Oval) hosted by Dana’s Hawaiian students with traditional Hawaiian foods and customs.

Several other events are planned for the week, including a concert by Mariachi Los Galleros with traditional Mexican food; a performance and lesson by award-winning polka dancers Robyn Wilks and Duane Wilks, and bratwurst for the audience; a barbeque celebrating Southern American traditions; a performance by acoustic rock musician Tami Ahrendt; a presentation on understanding Islam by Dr. Marion Boulby, assistant professor of history at the University of Nebraska-Omaha; and 18 other events. A full schedule can be found at www.dana.edu/communication/fair.html. People interested in attending events can get more information by calling Ross Jensen, Communication Capstone class member, at (402) 533-9064.

Dana College is a private, liberal arts institution that currently enrolls approximately 600 students. The campus is located on 150 acres overlooking the Missouri River Valley in Blair, Neb. Dana grants bachelor’s degrees in more than 20 liberal arts, business, education and pre-professional programs, with an emphasis on personalized teaching from experienced and dedicated faculty. Dana is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and its athletic teams compete in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

More information on Dana College can be found at www.dana.edu.

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