Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story included an incorrect quote. It has since been corrected. The Herald regrets this error.

The Intercultural Student Engagement Center celebrated the fast-approaching start of Black History Month with an opening ceremony Thursday night in DSU.

Sponsored by the Black History Month Planning Committee and the Black Student Alliance, the event saw members of the WKU community gathered together in the Harbaugh Club inside Houchens-Smith Stadium, the field below visible as they enjoyed refreshments, performances, and keynote speakers Tracy Scott, a WKU senior from Louisville, and Carlos Bailey, Bowling Green attorney and City Commissioner. 

Attendees were required to undergo a temperature check when entering the building, and masks were required as well as business casual attire. While a few took the stairs up to floor C, most took the elevator in small groups.

A dull roar of chatter from the filled tables filled the air as Me’Lon Craighead,  Intercultural Student Engagement Center marketing intern and social media marketing major at WKU talked about her goals for the night’s event.

“The goal here tonight is to take time to give an opening celebration to get the students ready for the month full of events to spotlight black success and learn more about culture,” Craighead said.

The month of February will be filled with events led by ISEC, a list of which can be found here.

“What I’m most excited for is to give students a chance to really embrace their culture, while giving other students a chance to learn about cultures outside of their own so we can all feel more comfortable around each other,” Craighead said.

Craighead said that events like Thursday’s are both a chance for celebration and education.

“This is a time for students of black culture to really get to celebrate everything that they do and get time for recognition, and students who are not a part of black culture be able to have a learning experience to be able to feel more educated about people with different cultural backgrounds than them,” Craighead said.