Unity Picnic brings EU students together to celebrate the end of the school year

Photo by Adriana Briscoe

The end of the school year brings to mind sunny field days, sizzling barbecues, and that refreshing feeling that comes with the knowledge that summer is right around the corner.

Elmhurst University students relived those elementary school field days when Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Union Board, and the Office of Equity and Inclusion hosted EU’s first Unity Picnic in 20 years on May 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Brune Patio and Mall.

They offered a range of outdoor activities, including but not limited to a petting zoo, a parachute, an inflatable, field games, and a grill.

Taris (Tj) Ellison, vice president and historian of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., explained the event hasn’t been hosted in many years due to the Mu Mu chapter not having many active brothers on campus. There would only be one or two on the yard at a time, but now they have four on the yard and three that just got initiated.

Ellison said the current advisor of the Mu Mu chapter threw this event back when he was on campus with one goal in mind.

“The reason behind him throwing this event was for union, for everyone to come together, everyone to have fun and appreciate each other’s differences and similarities,” Ellison explained.

Syed Mujtaba Razvi, co-president of the South Asian Student Association, said SASA collaborated with the Union Board to create a DIY kite-painting and flying activity at this event.

“It’s good weather out here, so why not fly a kite?” Razvi said.

Yug Chauhan, a new SASA member, appreciated the picnic.

“There’s sheep petting and really good food, and having new memories, making new memories, it’s really fun,” Chauhan said.

Sulika Ili saw her fellow students having fun out on the mall and figured she would hop on the bandwagon.

“I just saw the posters around campus, and it looked fun. I could see everyone playing outside from my room, so I just wanted to come outside and hang out,” Ili said.

Kristin Bukata found herself in a similar situation – she saw a bunch of people hanging out on the mall after her class and decided to join in the fun.

She commented on how the parachute brought back childhood memories.

“The parachute-colored thing you can sit under, I haven’t done that since probably second grade so it was good,” Bukata said.

Giselle Sanchez, vice president of the Latino Student Association, came with LSA to the picnic and enjoyed the weather.

“It was a really good event to step out in this nice weather that is coming in now, just to prepare for the end of the semester and for finals,” Sanchez said.

Ellison hopes the event sparked connections.

“I hope people take away that you can enjoy each other, you can make a friend, anyone who is new on campus, you’re always welcome, anyone on campus, in general, you’re always welcome, even faculty, we love to see everyone on campus we love to see everybody talking to each other and getting to have a great time,” Ellison said.