Unnoticed Cultural Celebrations at KWU

Written by Magen Dow on March 3, 2026

Colleges pride themselves on being diverse and inclusive. However, that may not mean equal and fair representation.

Representation does not necessarily mean just the mention of a culture.

Cultural representation, “…refers to how cultures, identities, and experiences are portrayed, depicted, or symbolized in various forms of media, art, and communication. It involves the process of creating and transmitting cultural meanings, narratives, and images that shape our understanding and perceptions of different societies.”

This involves hosting, highlighting, and promoting several different cultural celebrations across campus. Some examples may include:

Black History Month
Women’s History Month
Pride Month
Native American Heritage Month
Lunar New Year
And more!

So, what cultural celebrations are not being celebrated at Kansas Wesleyan University? Throughout my research, these were what

came up (could be missing some, these were just what were found so far)

Diwali
Lunar New Year
Día de los Muertos events
Cultural food festivals
Cultural fashion shows or art exhibitions
Arab American Heritage Month
Multicultural International Education Week

Many cultures are going unnoticed, which is a shame. Especially in colleges, it is important to showcase all the cultures that the students celebrate to inspire inclusivity, diversity, and equal representation. There may be several cultural events that students are celebrating, but they are not included in the KWU event calendar. Above is what is missing from that said calendar. This just shows that there needs to be reflection on what is missing and how cultures can be better represented at this college.

For more information about different cultures that are celebrated around the world, visit the links below:

https://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/cultural-festivals-around-the-world

https://exploringtech.us/100-holidays/#:~:text=Chinese%20New%20Year%20(China)%20–,water%20fights%20and%20cleansing%20rituals.

For more information on the Kansas Wesleyan University academic calendar, visit the link below:

https://www.kwu.edu/about/events/

For more information about other great articles that can be found on the KWU Student Media website, visit the link below:

https://www.kwustudentmedia.com