We are all unique individuals connected by a common thread. Reinhardt’s first-year students experienced the meaning of this when they participated in the annual Unity Project this week.
The interactive art display involves 32 poles arranged in a circle between the Donor Plaza and the Bratton Memorial Carillon. Each pole contains a statement regarding ethnicity, economic background, interests, etc. Participants select the poles they identify with and weave their yarn between those poles, giving them an opportunity to think about who they are as an individual and create a representation of who they are as a Reinhardt community member.
The result is a web-like canopy that shows the uniqueness of the student and how each is connected to the others. Dean of Students, Dr. Walter May says it’s important to realize how diversity builds a strong and vibrant community, “We may each have different identities, values, and experiences, but one common value that the Unity Project teaches is that we have to respect that we are all different but are each part of a greater inclusive community.”
The Unity Project tradition launched in 2017 and was added to the First Year Seminar curriculum the following year.