Religious groups celebrate holidays on campus

Religious groups are not in short supply at A&M-Commerce and some of them are not shy about celebrating their respective holidays.

Indian Student Association President Rajesh Arroju said the ISA celebrates several native Indian holidays.

"We celebrate our tradition and culture, though we are far from the motherland," he said.

Arroju said the group currently celebrates four holidays. Holi runs through the month of March, the Ganesh festival for three days in August or September, Deepvali in October and Diwali in November.

"We arrange fresh parties every fall and spring," he said.

Most parties are scheduled on the third Friday of every semester according Arroju. For each party the group does multiple things to draw an audience.

"For every festival we try to provide different kinds of traditional snacks and sweets," he said. "We also show our interest in wearing traditional clothes."

Students with Indian heritage are not the only ones attending these events though.

"All non-ISA members are allowed to attend the Holi festival and Deepvali," Arroju said. " Since Ganesh festival celebrates our god only ISA members are allowed to attend."

There are still plenty of options available for non-ISA members though.

"It just depends on a student's personal interests," he said.

Arroju said the university has been instrumental in helping the ISA put on their events.

"The university is helping us a lot in providing all the resources and facilities in celebrating our culture," he said. "We really appreciate their concern to provide these resources."

ISA is planning to expand their celebrations as well. Arroju said they are planning a winter tradition.

"We are planning to have a camp fire every year in January," he said.

The ISA is not alone in their religious celebrations. President of Campus Crusade for Christ Phillip Slaughter said although the group does not celebrate holidays they do meet every other week for Bible study.

"We look at the bible, which lets us know how we can clarify Jesus Christ in our lives," he said.

The group meets every other Monday and aside from that Slaughter said he invites members of the group to attend church with him.

President Tiffany Floyd of Lions for Christ said her group holds a Christmas party every year.

"We have a white elephant gift exchange and we decorate a tree," she said.

Floyd said in addition to the parties the group holds Bible study on Wednesdays.

There are multiple other religious groups on campus such as The Baptist Student Ministry and Muslim Student Association. Students interested in joining any religious group can get information about any group on campus from http://campusactivities.tamu-commerce.edu/orgs/default.asp.