After informal conversations that I had with some student leaders of cultural organizations, it became clear that there was an interest in showcasing the richness of cultural diversity on the Dartmouth campus. I followed up on this idea by rallying the participation of 18 leaders who were enthusiastic about planning a festival which maximized student participation and performance. These leaders quickly embraced the naming of the festival as 'Culture Shock'. Our goal was to attract at least 500 students to this event.
I consulted with the Student Activities office and met with 25 campus performance groups and cultural organizations who were interested in participating. In addition, they recommended 12 student artists who also wanted to show their works. At this point, things were taking shape. This event would be a combination of talent, food and an art festival. A key step in realizing our goal was to obtain funding that would allow us to have a realistic budget. Over a couple of months, I negotiated a significant donation from BMW North America and submitted a proposal to the Dartmouth Bildner Endowment, resulting in a total of $8,000 for the event. A comprehensive budget was created and an advertising plan was designed to manage and publicize the event.
The event was a smashing success! Thanks to membership support of the various organizations, committees were established and tasks were assigned. Pride fueled everyone's efforts. Over 900 students attended!
