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-ACT retreats offer cultural insight
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— Sheri Schmidt
icoordinator of Diversity Education
By Rachel Barry
The Battalion
A person cannot see much from behind a
wall. For every brick of misconception they
use to build that wall, they take away an
opportunity to learn from other people and to
grow as an individual.
Sheri Schmidt, coordinator of Diversity Educa
tion, said University Awareness for Cultural To
getherness hopes to break down of these barriers
with its workshops and weekend retreats for cam
pus student leaders.
“We grow up learning to put these barriers up
because of differences,” Schmidt said. “We hope to
give people the tools to break them down.”
U-ACT is a student-to-student peer diversity
education group which is part of a three-part pro
gram including staff-to-staff education and facul-
ty-to-faculty education.
The 10-member team began a three-month train
ing program last fall to become certified for peer di
versity education. In the spring of 1995, presented
workshops to over 1300 students on campus.
U-ACT is continuing its quest this fall to help
students learn more about the cultures around
them and how they can benefit and grow from the
perspectives each of these cultures offers.
“Step One: Individuals Building Community on
Campus,” the first weekend retreat of the semes
ter, is this weekend and open to any student inter
ested in learning how cultural identity and stereo
types affect their daily life.
Schmidt said a new experience for some stu
dents is filling out a sheet of paper about his or
her cultural identity.
“For a lot of people, this is the first time they
have ever thought of it,” Schmidt said. “It can be
very enlightening.”
« Tanya Williams, a graduate adviser for U-ACT,
said having a student program that deals with di
versity helps a college campus.
“A program like this is important because peers
are talking to peers and helping others realize di
versity is a part of their lives,” Williams said.
Members of U-ACT also talked to freshmen at
Fish Camp ’95 this past summer.
Justin Mitchell, assistant director for Fish
Camp and a senior speech communications major,
said an activity called “The Wall” was particularly
effective at Fish Camp.
Students take boxes with stereotypes written
on them off of a wall and explain why they think
those stereotypes are wrong.
“It gave the freshmen a chance to get up in
front of their peers and say why these things are
wrong and what we can do to stop them from hap
pening,” Mitchell said.
The experience helps freshmen make the most
of their experience and to learn from other cul
tures, he said.
Schmidt said the cross-cultural skills gained
are like computer skills. Like computer skills, if a
person is unable to interact with other people ef
fectively, they will miss out on opportunities.
“We have to take time here to experiment and
try out skills,” Schmidt said. “This is the perfect
place to do it.”
Schmidt said U-ACT offers an opportunity to talk
openly and honestly about cultural differences from
a personal perspective. Participating in the group’s
workshops gives individuals a chance to get a clear
understanding of cultural identity and to recognize
their own biases and stereotypes.
“We hope these interactions help people feel
they have a better grasp of cultural differences,”
Schmidt said.
U-ACT will host another retreat, “Taking the
Lead: Organizations Building Community on
Campus” in early November. The November re
treat will be geared toward teaching leaders of
student organizations about inclusive leadership.
While attendance at the retreats is on the rise,
Schmidt said she would like the retreats to be
come a common occurrence for top leaders of orga
nizations to attend.
“We want student leaders to see this as some
thing valuable,” Schmidt said. “And they will
want it to be a part of their education.”
Schmidt said A&M is not unique in its struggle
to bring diversity to the attention of students.
“Everyone is feeling growing pains in society of
not understanding each other,” Schmidt said.
Williams said these programs can teach stu
dents skills for life after college.
“In order to function once we leave this protect
ed area of A&M,” she said, “we’ll have to be able to
interact with people positively and realize diversi
ty is a part of our lives.”
Russian born Ariel brings five-piano act to Rudder Auditorium
By Jan Higginbotham
The Battalion
T he answer behind the secret of
how one man can play five pi
anos at one time can be found
at Ariel’s performance in Rudder
Auditorium Saturday at 8 p.m.
The Russian-born pianist has
revolutionized the way grand pi
anos are played, bringing the music
of Leonard Bernstein, Andrew
Lloyd Webber, Led Zeppelin and
Pink Floyd to life with five Yamaha
grand pianos.
1 " “I try to preserve and capture
what I hear in the voice of the
| speaker,” Ariel said. “I make my
music sing without the words.”
By using a floppy disk in four of
the pianos, Ariel turns each of the
pianos into a different instrument,
thus creating his own band.
“I could not capture everything I
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heard in my heart and my head with
just two hands,” he said. “Because
the music is now on floppy disk, the
pianos have the capability to catch
the performer’s feelings. When I play
Led Zeppelin, you can hear Led Zep
pelin and its characteristics.”
Ariel said he plays music that
means a lot to people.
“I use music that moved cultures
and raised generations,” he said. “I
took all of my classical training and
mentality and applied it to play the
modem music.”
Ariel’s program Saturday night
will reflect his own life story.
“My music reflects the realness,
honesty and depth of the people in
the former Soviet Union,” he said.
The pianist left the former Sovi
et Union 13 years ago to escape the
“horrifying, oppressive society.”
“Every time I think about where
the road would have taken me if I
had remained in the Soviet Union, I
count my blessings,” Ariel said. “I
am very fortunate to be in the Unit
ed States.”
Ariel started playing piano at age
5 when he was enrolled in the Na
tional Children’s School of Music.
After 17 years of musical training,
the pianist left the Soviet Union, em
igrating to Austria. He then moved
on to Israel, England and eventually
the United States, where he worked
in a piano bar in Houston.
Ariel ended up in California four
years ago, where he developed his
unique musical program.
“Yamaha gave us $400,000
worth of equipment and pianos, al
though they didn’t really under
stand what we were trying to do,”
he said.
Six months ago, Ariel did his
first major performance with his
five pianos at a public debut at
Symphony Hall in Phoenix.
“When we saw their reaction, we
were very encouraged,” he said.
Ariel’s show has turned many
heads in the entertainment industry.
“The project itself, plus the fact
that I am from Russia and the
type of music that I play has
raised people’s curiosity,” the pi
anist said. “I want the piano to be
delivered to people who never
liked the piano before.”
Ariel is performing for local ele
mentary schools today in Rudder.
He said he wants to give something
to the next generation.
“That is part of my gift back to
America because I am so elated to
be able to live here,” he said. “I talk
to the children about hate, about
how proud I am to be an American,
about what a wonderful country
this is. I want them to realize how
lucky they are.”
Tim Moog, The Battalion
Russian pianist Ariel plays for a crowd in the MSC Flag -
room on Thursday. He will perform at Rudder Auditorium
at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
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The B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation
at Texas A&M wishes the Jewish University
Community a Healthy and Happy New Year.
Everyone is invited to services conducted by
Rabbi Peter Tarlow
Rosh Hashanah Services
Sunday, Sept. 24 8 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 25 10 a.m.
Tuesday, Sept 26 10 a.m.
Yom Kippur Services
Tuesday, Oct 3 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct 4 10 a.m.
Wednesday evening- Sundown, Break-the-Fast
B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation
(Jewish Student Center)
C.S.
800 George Bush
696-7313
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