Know your clubs: BSA

BSA also known as Black Student Alliance is one of the many clubs located at Maryville College. The club meets Wednesday nights in the Multicultural Room on the third floor in Bartlett at 8 p.m. every week. BSA is continuously trying to grow and strengthen as a community. The club is known for its diversity among different ethnicities other than African American.

BSA is known for striving to better the future and was awarded the Nancy Smith Wright Unity Award, which recognizes a group for its ability to effectively promote diversity, community, and unity among the college campus. This award is given to 1 club a year.

People can become involved in BSA by attending meetings, and becoming involved in events. Information about BSA events and meetings can be found in emails, flyers, posters, MC Today, and asking those involved on campus.

BSA is hosting several upcoming events. water balloon fight Saturday, September 21 and the G.L.I.M.P.S.E (Gathering, Listening, Igniting, Mending, Persevering, Surviving, Empowering) conference at Berea College on November 9, 10, and 11.

G.L.I.M.S.P.E is a conference that has occurred for the last 10 years, in which its goal is to try and expand the horizons of multicultural students within their own communities.

The theme of G.L.I.M.P.S.E is “fulfilling your full potential through self-care.” Anyone is welcome to attend the conference because it is not only to inform certain ethnicities but all ethnicities.

BSA has done a variety of events in the past. They have done Lunch and Learns in the Proffitt Dining Room located in Pearson Dining Hall. These Lunch and Learns range from black women in America to Martin Luther King Jr. Not only does BSA focus on the student body of Maryville College, but the club gives back to the community. They also run school supply drives for the parents that struggle to provide items for their children during their upcoming school year. Every year for Halloween at the Boys and Girls Club in Maryville, BSA sets up a haunted house. Anyone is allowed to come out and help setup and all children are welcome. As for the community as a whole, cans are collected during a food drive every year to give back to the less fortunate of the community.

The board members of BSA are Aaron Solomon as president, Elijah Rachell as vice president, Tatyania Watts as secretary, Ashley Berry as career center ambassador, Winston Boykin as marketing coordinator, and Anthony Mahoney as club photographer. This is Winston Boykin, Elijah Rachell, and Anthony Mahoney’s last year in BSA as part of the graduating class of 2019. These members have all been involved with BSA since their freshman year and have continued to improve the club each and every year. Each board member is committed to changing the school for the better in their own unique way.

“Anyone is welcome to attend the BSA meeting, and that you don’t have to be black to join the club it is open to everyone,” states BSA secretary Tatyania Watts.

“We are here, so if you have any question swing by our room at 8 p.m. and ask,” added Aaron Solomon.

To learn more about BSA, contact Tatyania Watts (tatyania.watts@ my.maryvillecollege.edu).