Monday, the program kicks off the week with “Hug a ___ Day” at the Memorial Student Center Plaza on the Huntington campus from noon to 2 p.m. There, students will have the opportunity to hug someone from one of the groups represented during Interfaith Week. Tuesday is “Ask a ____ Day,” where you can find out more about one of the groups and their beliefs. Wednesday the groups will together hold a donation drive from noon to 2 p.m. at the Student Center, where they will collect nonperishable food and money for local food pantries.
The Interfaith Week wraps up Thursday, Nov. 16, with an Interfaith Panel at 7 p.m. in Smith Hall, room 154. A panel of faculty experts will discuss and answer questions from the audience about different beliefs such as Buddhism, Secularism, Islam, Baha’i, Judaism, Unitarian Universalism, Christianity and Hinduism.
Maggie Capehart, the director of events for Marshall’s Secular Student Alliance, says that under-represented minority groups are just looking to have a voice where their ideas can be heard and understood.
“There seems to be a rise of fear and hatred out of misunderstanding in the U.S.A. in general, so we’d like to try to help combat that,” Capehart said.
Carrie McMellon is a senior psychology student. Interfaith Week is part of her senior capstone project.
“The mission of the panel and of the week is to promote understanding and tolerance through knowledge and cultural awareness,” McMellon said.
She says the groups want to show they can work together.
For more information, contact Maggie Capehart at capehart8@marshall.edu.