By Patrick Greenwell

The University of Louisville is a very diverse campus, as evidenced by the numerous Registered Student Organizations dedicated to diversity, as well as on-campus events. However, for many students, it can be difficult to understand, or even simply be aware, of the many cultures represented on U of L’s campus. Now in its ninth year, the International Fashion Show has been working to help bridge this gap.
This year’s International Fashion Show was themed Beauty in Motion. It was organized by the Student Activities Board’s Diversity Committee and a number of RSOs, including the Japanese Club, the National Panhellenic Conference, the Indian Student Association, the Muslim Student Association, Theta Beta, the Vietnamese Student Association, the African Student Union and the Chinese Student Scholars Association. All in all, over 250 people were involved in getting the event up and running.
It was a daunting project, but many thought it was worth it. Sophomore biology major Jhalak Dholakia is the chair of the SAB’s Diversity Committee and helped organize the event.
“It’s a chance for us to recognize and involve all the cultural RSOs, and to show campus and the community different cultures they wouldn’t experience otherwise,” said Dholakia.
While some might have gone into the event seeing it as simply a fashion show, the main emphasis was clearly on diversity. The clothing and fashions, as well as the varied ethnic menu, were all aimed at highlighting the various cultures involved.
“Fashion and clothing are the most striking things about a person,” said Dholakia. “You convey a lot about yourself with what you wear. It’s the obvious choice for expressing yourself to another culture. It’s immediate.”
How did students take to the event? If the line stretching from the multipurpose room to the first floor of the Student Activities Center is to be considered, they were very excited. The multipurpose room was packed full of people, students, faculty and other members of the larger Louisville community.
Some had been before, like sophomore undecided major David Lee. He attended the show last year, and it made a lasting impression.
“Coming and watching paints a clearer picture of U of L in general,” said Lee. “I don’t think many people realize how diverse U of L is, and that turns them away. These events highlight how broad and diverse U of L is. They bring people together.”
Others, like Patrick Abi Nader, currently pursuing his master’s in exercise physiology, were new to the event. Abi Nader had just gotten over a sickness, and was there simply to hang out with friends for the first time in a while. However, he could see the merit in this type of event.
“By showing different clothes from different cultures, we can learn from them,” said Abi Nader.
The Student Activities Board intends to continue the International Fashion Show, as well as put together more events like it to highlight campus diversity and promote community interactions.
 “The Diversity Committee is dedicated to doing events like this,” said Dholakia. “We are trying to involve as many people on campus as possible. We are always looking for new ideas.”