November 13, 2007

Purdue's Windsor Dining Court celebrates Native American Heritage Month

In addition to traditional Thanksgiving fare that will be offered at every Purdue dining facility that night, Windsor Dining Court will offer authentic Native American recipes food from the New England tribes. Free food samples will be offered in the foyer, and diners will be greeted with Native American music, videos, crafts and cultural information.

Visitors can participate in a Native American cultural quiz. Answers will be available at displays throughout the dining court. Participants will be eligible to win an iPod.

"The idea behind these programs is to provide cultural learning opportunities to our students and staff that are 100 percent optional, informal and engaging," said Wilfrido Cruz, cultural programs administrator for Housing and Food Services. "People can learn more about the cultures and cultural holidays that are officially celebrated in the United States, which is particularly educational on a campus that draws students from more than 130 nations."

Cruz was hired in part to create such programming for Housing and Food Services' ongoing diversity program, called Promoting Unity through Diversity. He recently returned from Las Vegas, where Purdue won a national award for its diversity program from the National Association of College Auxiliary Services. Cruz helped teach representatives from hundreds of other North American universities at the association's annual conference how to employ the diversity initiatives practiced at Purdue. He also is co-authoring an article that will appear in the association's College Services magazine.

Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu

Source: Wilfrido Cruz, (765) 494-0922, wcruz@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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