Rampersad works hard to ensure success of multicultural day

Matt Crawford, Reporter

Natalie Rampersad is a long way from home and she appreciates the opportunity to celebrate some of her country’s traditions.

So much so that she has taken the lead role in organizing SFU’s annual Multicultural Day, which was celebrated on the mall on Sept. 26.

A junior biology and pre-pharmacy major, Rampersad introduced the Multicultural Day festival to Saint Francis last fall.

Rampersad is from Trinidad and Tobago, which is located off the northern coast of South America, near Venezuela.  She hopes to use her education here to increase the quality of life in her home country.

She first got the idea of a multicultural festival after realizing that SFU has a large number of international students.  She believed it would be a good way to integrate students and provide them an opportunity to learn more about other cultures.

Rampersad said this year’s Multicultural Day required much more time and planning then the 2013 event.

“It’s just gotten bigger and better,” said Rampersad.

She said the festival could not have been possible without the assistance of the International Clubs and Arts and Letters Department and the guidance of Lori Woods, an associate professor of history and associate dean of the School of Arts and Letters.