Written by Zalen Robinson
The Harding University Black Student Association, or BSA, is alive and well. We as an organization are developing into a catalyst for cultural awareness that the Harding University community has not witnessed before. In the last year, we have been able to reach more students and support more programs, such as the singing group “Justified,” who have had the opportunity to perform in different venues including Harding University’s Sankofa Gala, the AGAPE conference, Beedeville Church of Christ and other churches in the Little Rock area. We have also been blessed with the ability to host culturally enriching trips to The Lorraine Hotel, Central High Museum and the University of Central Arkansas for the showing of “Far East Deep South,’”a film about one Chinese family’s faithful journey to becoming American citizens.
This semester, change of leadership in the BSA has led to some differences in operation. I believe these changes were made in good faith and will reap great benefits in the following weeks. By utilizing our current student body, we can better promote activities and get the larger part of our community engaged via more strenuous use of social media. We will need to put more effort into making the organization attractive to students and devising a stronger motivation for higher levels of engagement. There is a possibility of strengthening the presence of the BSA through community interaction, such as partnering with local entities for event planning and idea development going forward. The largest threat to our organization is alumni involvement, which has been on a decline since 2020.
In this next year, students should expect to see more events, activities and ventures, all of which will be hosted and planned by the BSA. We plan to host chapel, basketball tournaments, game nights, movie nights and even bring in speakers to contribute to the star-studded list of speakers that have already spoken at Harding University. Students can also expect more academically-driven activities that are designed to support student success as well as post-graduation processes. In addition, we are also tightening up on contacting alumni and working directly with graduate students and the Harding University African American Alumni Association to better strengthen our network by connecting those who are, have been and will be attending Harding University.
As we are dedicated to the promotion of leadership, cultural awareness, understanding and appreciation of Black cultures within the student body of Harding University, one key indicator of our success in this term will be overall student satisfaction, more than 100% participation and the perpetuation of an innocuous environment for students of the African diaspora that is conducive to their success both inside and outside of Harding University.
I would like to stress that the Harding University Black Student Association does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status regarding public assistance, sexual orientation or membership or activity in a local commission as defined by law.
Let’s have a great year!
