Mississippi State University’s Holmes Cultural Diversity Center hosted a student mixer Wednesday in the Foster Ballroom of the Colvard Student Union.
According to HCDC, hosting the minority, faculty, staff and student mixer gives students and faculty a chance to mingle, essentially hoping to help minorities feel like the majority. 
Jennifer Kimmons, junior political science major, said the mixer allowed students to meet with faculty members they may not have had the chance to meet otherwise. 
“I really enjoyed the mixer because I got to meet Dr. Morrison, who happens to be the head of my department. I enjoyed listening to him talk about the importance of networking,” Kimmons said. “You could be the smartest person in the room but if nobody knows who you are, you’re gonna be stuck at square one.” 
According to Katja Walter, president of the International Student Advisory Board, the goal of the mixer is for students to build relationships with faculty. 
“I think there are so many students out there with questions for professors or faculty and staff and they just don’t know how to approach them,” Walter said. “It may even be the case that an opportunity hasn’t presented itself for some students to ask professors their open questions. Now, they have the chance to ask whatever is on their mind. It’s also a good chance to build relationships, and I hope from here on out these relationships continue to grow.” 
Building and maintaining relationships was the most valued aspect of this mixer, not only for students but for professors as well.     Rosa Vozzo, professor of Spanish, said she took away a sense of unity as she got to know her students and fellow faculty members. 
“We are all in this together, so we should make the best of everything together. We all should take away the sense of community and the sense of support for both faculty and students,” Vozzo said. “It’s just that feeling of family that we all should have on campus.” 
MSU succeeded once again by not only giving those considered to be a minority on campus a feeling of belonging, but also in meeting the needs of its students by providing a forum for students, faculty and staff to network