With students and faculty from across the country and around the world, diversity of nationality, race, and religion is characteristic of life at Washington University. Our students have the opportunity to learn about new and different backgrounds and cultures by joining groups that celebrate the University’s multicultural population.

Below are a few examples of the diverse student organizations on the Washington University campus:

Cultural Student Groups
Washington University has a variety of student groups that aim at educating, raising awareness and addressing issues faced by different ethnic or cultural groups. Some of the most prominent groups are the Association of Black Students (ABS), the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS), Ashoka (our South Asian student group), and the Asian American Association (AAA). These and the dozens of other cultural student groups offer a welcoming environment to learn more about each other and share cultural experiences.

Cultural Shows
Many of the cultural groups at Washington University put on annual productions featuring music, dances, and an entertaining skit to tie the show together. These shows are entirely student-run, and students from all backgrounds participate; dancing the Mambo in Carnaval, performing Bollywood-style choreography in Diwali, acting in Black Anthology, or break-dancing in the Lunar New Year Festival are all possibilities.

Events
In addition to participating in the groups above or attending the cultural shows, students have many opportunities to experience other cultures and engage in multicultural dialogue. Students can taste Korean food at Spirit of Korea, shop for crafts by Latin American artisans at El Mercado, and celebrate the festival of Holi every spring by participating in huge water-balloon fight.