Biola University is celebrating 100 years of academic excellence and faithfulness. The centennial celebration has included a multitude of events for students to take part in: outside lunches, bounce houses, various artists and several other events. But something is catching the eyes of both students and faculty — Biola is seeing new diverse banners around campus.
The desire for more diverse banners originally began with a group of Talbot students, Pete Menjares, associate provost for diversity leadership, said. These students took the necessary actions and sought support and aid from faculty. The idea for the banners was supported and endorsed by many. Menjares, Provost Gary Miller, the marketing department and a group of faculty all financially supported the banners.
"When I learned that there was going to be a cost to create the new banners I was not discouraged,” said Menjares. “I am currently leading a faculty development group called the Coalition of the Intercultural Willing, and when they heard about the issue they immediately responded by giving some of their own money to help pay for the banners. The faculty group was emphatic about the students not having to pay for them."
The cause of the banners outweighed the cost. The banners display former and current Biola students enjoying campus life. What started as a desire to see more diverse banners became a reality with five banners displayed around campus. The banners can be seen in the Sutherland parking lot, business building parking lot, Crowell Hall parking lot, Horton parking lot and the bookstore parking lot.
The diversity banners depict a more accurate representation of who Biola is.
"When we look at the next 100 years, Biola is only going to become more diverse," Menjares said.
Biola is becoming an increasingly diverse campus. The goal of the banners is to make all Biolans feel welcomed and like part of the family.
"Picture a family reunion. Everybody gathers to take a family photo. Some of the family members are left out of the picture," said Menjares. "Everybody is going to want to be in the picture and feel accepted. That is the goal of the banners. To let the students know that we care about them and that we are not color blind. They are a part of the Biola family."
Acceptance was not the only goal of the new banners. Menjares also wanted to make students more aware of the problem of diversity.
"The banners have an indirect effect in that the banner situation will raise our awareness and remind us that [we] can't take things for granted," said Menjares. "Diversity is a sensitive issue. The banners will cause the Biola community to become more sensitive to the issue. That ultimately has a more direct affect on becoming more diverse."
The banners are a small step in becoming more diverse, and they represent many things for many people.
"The message being displayed from the faculty is that at Biola it is all about students and the Lord," said Menjares. "In our 100-year celebration, we are celebrating God's faithfulness. The banners show that God is still faithful today."
Journalism professor Michael Longinow was one of the faculty members who financially supported the banners.
"I'm impressed at two things with these banners,” said Longinow. “First, I'm impressed that students took on the challenge of putting diverse images up around campus. Not all students care that much about history. The other thing that impresses me is that the university's leadership agreed to add these banners to a centennial campaign that's already running at full steam. Somebody's listening to students at Biola and that says a lot for this place."
