By Emer C. Walsh

Staff Writer

MARPLE, Pa. —On the afternoon of Wednesday, April 22, the Founders Hall student lounge was transformed into a colorful catwalk to celebrate cultural diversity on campus. A handful of clubs and organizations joined forces to provide students with an interactive experience as the spring semester draws to a close.

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) teamed up with the Multicultural Club, the African Student Union (ASU), and the Arab & South Asian Union (ASAU) to honor students’ ethnicities and countries of origin.

Student models walked the runway, which was lined with crowds of students and staff. They wore flags, colors, and traditional garments from multiple countries, including Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Egypt, and Liberia. Each model’s walk was accompanied by music from their region, curated by Luis Herrera-Herrera, the VP of scholarship for PTK.

“This event helps us all to understand how we can continue to provide for and learn from all of our surrounding communities for a fulfilling future for many years to come,” fashion show co-MC Lydia Kirkpatrick announced to the audience.

Kirkpatrick, the vice president of social media for the Alpha Tau Epsilon (ATE) chapter of the PTK honor society, helped promote the event. “The whole event was about building community on campus, reminding people that they’re not alone and that they have people who are willing to celebrate them,” she said after the show.

International snacks and drinks were available for purchase. All proceeds were donated to the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), a nonprofit organization that serves refugees “regardless of race, religion, or politics.” HIAS provides immigrants with humanitarian relief, pro bono legal support, safe housing, mental health counseling, ESL lessons, and translation services.

Pamphlets were handed out to attendees containing a list of local immigration resources, contact information for Pennsylvania’s senators and representatives, and a reminder to register to vote. Much of the research for these resources was compiled by Herrera-Herrera.

The hallway-turned-runway surged with cheers and applause as each model strutted down the red carpet.

Another student representing his Syrian heritage wore a keffiyeh, an embroidered head wrap commonly worn by Arab men, and raised his flag with pride.

Regina Becerril showcased her Mexican background by wearing an alebrije mask that she made herself. “Alebrijes are significant to us because they represent many aspects of our culture, especially the artistic values and folkloric identities,” Becerril said. “It’s a beautiful and delicate art.”

Daren Robles also sported custom clothing as he walked for the United States in a bleach-dyed T-shirt he designed himself. He accessorized with a Puerto Rican flag to pay homage to his ancestry.

Robles said he participated in the fashion show “to celebrate streetwear and also show off my streetwear itself…to advertise it in some way.”

Student Tah’mir Lamb performed two songs between sets: “Leak It” by FLO and “FUFN” by Jade.

“I thought they were perfect for a fashion show. They were hyper, runway ready…plus I really love the artists,” Lamb said.

“It went great. It was… exhilarating,” Lamb said of performing for the crowd.

Audience member Levi Jones added, “This was amazing. It was really fun. I really enjoyed screaming.”

Kirkpatrick expressed gratitude for fellow club members who engaged in “countless meetings, Zoom calls, text messages, and emails” to prepare for the end-of-semester finale.

“I think this was an opportunity for people to actually showcase their culture…which is everything the African Student Union stands for,” Omole said. “There was great energy from the audience, and the models actually outdid themselves. It couldn’t have gone better.”

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Voter Information

· May 4, 2026: Last day to register to vote in the Pennsylvania primary election.

· May 19, 2026: Pennsylvania primary election day.

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