Calling all Caribbeans!

Hey, everyone! It seems so long ago when I was an incoming freshman who was so excited to come to campus. Before attending Drexel, I made sure to visit DragonLink to get an idea about the organizations on campus and possibly some I would want to join. Being that my Jamaican culture has always been a huge part of my life, I was highly interested in Drexel’s West Indian Student Establishment. But unfortunately, that particular organization was not active on campus last year. I was a little upset because this was the only organization at the time for people of Caribbean descent.

One of the best parts of college is that it is what you make it. And since I could not find exactly what I was looking for on campus, I decided to make it happen myself. Mid-way through my freshman year, I and a group of students decided to reactivate the West Indian Student Culture Establishment. Campus Engagement walked us through the entire process of creating a new organization reactivating an organization on campus and how to become effective Drexel organization leaders.

Moral of the story: do not be scared to branch out.

Now the West Indian Student Establishment, also known as WISE, is a Drexel-recognized organization. Our mission is to unite West Indian students and faculty, while also bringing the West Indian culture to Drexel University's campus. We hold events such as potlucks, My English is Not Broken English, World AIDS Awareness Week, Beef Patty Fundraisers, and our biggest event of the year, the Bob Marley Dinner. The Bob Marley Dinner has been an annual event for the past 13 years and this is a legacy that we are continuing. We most recently hosted the 13th Annual Bob Marley Dinner on April 29, 2017.

To go from a freshman searching for my home away from home on campus, to becoming the vice president of an organization that can become that home for an incoming student, has been an amazing transition to witness in myself. This organization has not only pushed me out of my comfort zone but also helped me to become a better leader. Moral of the story: do not be scared to branch out and if Drexel doesn’t have what you are looking for, you can be the one to make it happen!