Cal State Fullerton students Seyi Alli and Keah Talley welcomed new and returning Black students to campus for the new academic year to create a sense of belonging and community.
The pair helped organize the Black Titan Experience, a back-to-school social and informational event during the first week of classes. More than 400 students, faculty, staff and university leaders, including CSUF President Ronald Rochon, attended the third annual event.
“We wanted to create a welcoming environment where students can gather resources and meet new people,” said Alli, president of the Black Student Union, which hosted the event.
Talley, who serves as event coordinator for the Black Student Union, wanted to create an inviting environment with food and music to bring Black students together to socialize with peers and create community.
“We need to know that others understand our life experiences and are also working toward helping us achieve success,” said Talley, a liberal arts major and aspiring elementary school teacher.
Alli, a business administration-entertainment and hospitality management major, said when the inaugural event was held in 2022, it featured Black student clubs. This year, it has grown to include campus partners, sponsors and other student organizations.
The Black Student Union, an inter-club council serving 11 Black campus clubs, partnered with Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers’ African American Resource Center to organize the evening event. The center provides resources, services, programs and events that focus on African American student success.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase the Black Student Union, their organizations and the campus’ support for Black success,” said Yvania Garcia-Pusateri, director of Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers.
“Outside academic and professional development, belonging is essential to the collegiate experience. It’s important that the Black student community at CSUF has access to resources that enhance their belonging on campus.”
This year’s event featured more than 25 student clubs and organizations and university programs available to Black students during their CSUF journey. These included such organizations as the Black Faculty and Staff Association, Nigerian Student Association, Sistertalk, Male Success Initiative-Fullerton, Veterans Resource Center and Black sororities and fraternities.
For more information, visit the Black Student Union website, follow the organization on Instagram and TikTok @csufbsu and sign up for the biweekly newsletter.
“In the long run, we hope to increase the retention of our Black students on campus,” Alli said. “It is one thing to recruit Black students to come to CSUF, but it is another mission to keep them here. With events like Black Titan Experience, we hope it gives students an incentive to stay and graduate.”