If “Many Islands One Vibe” is true, the University of Tampa better get ready for some serious vibes as the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) hosts the thirtieth Florida Caribbean Student Association Conference (FCSA).
Over 700 delegates representing more than 20 schools are expected to pack the three-day event. UT has the honor of serving as host this year, so throughout the conference, UT will be covered in a rainbow of flag colors as proud Caribbean students come to share their heritage.
Started in 1991, the bi-annual conference’s goal is “to serve as a representative body of Caribbean students on school-related issues.” Each Conference is hosted in one of six districts in Florida, helping to achieve their overall goal by bringing hundreds of Caribbean students together to discuss the issues created by cultural differences.
FCSA Delegate and Registration Chair Jennifer Simpson has truly enjoyed the experience, although she admits there definitely were some bitter moments in the journey.
Conference information was late in coming, creating some tension for the executive board. Lack of available large rooms presented another hurdle, especially due to the huge number of delegates who will be attending.
Simpson acknowledged the help of some UT staff members who went out of their way to help, especially Brandon Chong, Assistant Director of Vaughn Center and Student Services. Chong’s dedication from the very beginning made it clear he believed that CSA could host an event of this magnitude.
Surprisingly, the event’s size was the greatest cause of concern for UT administration, who initially told the group the event was simply too large for UT to host – despite the fact that in the fall orientation week of 1994, UT had no problem hosting 1,400 incoming freshmen.
CSA President and Conference Chairperson Shakira Navarro felt that because of the organization’s small size on campus, it wasn’t able to get the kind of service as organizations with larger numbers like sororities and fraternities. Many room request forms were submitted during the fall semester, but Executive Board members still had to be met with in person in order to guarantee that the rooms were indeed booked.
“We did feel like we were being blocked all the time,” Navarro said. “We are hosting a conference for the first time in UT’s history. Even though we’re small, future CSA members will see that we did it.”
Despite the bumps in the road, CSA has kept on jammin’ and can’t wait to share what the Caribbean has to offer.
The Tampa Bay community has definitely stepped forward to help, as over a dozen sponsors, including popular Jamaican downtown restaurant Jerk Hut, Real Vibes.Net and even Starbucks, have pledged support.
Simpson, Navarro and the rest of CSA’s executive board will definitely breathe a little bit easier once this weekend’s events pulse through. Until then, the bacchanal that can happen with 700 Caribbeans crammed onto one campus can only be imagined.