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Alcorn Festival Boasts Sights, Sounds, Smells of the World 

The Vicksburg Post, April 27
By Nate Delesline III 

[04/27/07] LORMAN - Students and visitors at Alcorn State University toured and tasted the world Friday without ever leaving campus. 

The univeristy's third annual Multicultural Festival, this year named for Clinton Bristow Jr., the school's former president, was host to several hundred people, estimated Alcorn spokesman Christopher Cason. 

The festival, the brainchild of Bristow, who died in August, featured displays, information and food from across the globe. 

Friday's festival was marked by clear skies and warm breezes, but “the first year it rained cats and dogs,” said Cason. 

Displays were soaked, while others were blown away by high winds, he said. “You tweak things and learn.” 

Yulia Kulik, a freshman from Russia, talked with visitors about her home country, which boasts a vast geography, ranging from cold tundra to a milder climate along the Black Sea. 

Kulik visited the United States twice before deciding to move to Mississippi and go to college at Alcorn.

“I like it,” she said. 

At Sophia Shafal's display, incense filled the air. Shafal, a first-generation U.S. citizen from Yemen who works at Alcorn, was dressed in her country's traditional clothing. 

She talked about times, as recent as 20 years ago, when electricity was scarce in Yemen.  

“Now everyone has a cell phone,” she said. 

Although she loves her heritage and home country, Shafal enjoys living in America. 

“The U.S. is the land of opportunity,” she said. “I'm glad to be here.” 

The festival's goal, said Cason, is to highlight the university's diversity. 

“It's not something you typically associate with,” a historically black college, he said. 

Besides Russia, seven other countries - Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Kenya, India, Guyana, Argentina and Canada - were represented. 

“This is a great opportunity. It really brings the whole campus community together,” said senior Trena Boyd, who emceed Friday's festival. 

In addition to food and displays, the festival featured traditional African dances by Alcorn's African Dance Group, comprised of 10 students. 

It was the group's first public performance, said art and dance professor Charmagne Andrews. 

Much of the food at the festival was prepared by the students, said international student recruiter and festival manager Elena Dobrynina, also a native of Russia. 

LaDonna West of Canton dances Friday during a performance by the African Dance Group at Alcorn State University's Clinton Bristow Jr. Multicultural Festival. (Joshua Corban • The Vicksburg Post) 

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