Scholarship Dinner/Heritage Ball/Random Protests!

By Genevieve Buthod

Scholarship Dinner/Heritage Ball/Random Protests!

SXU students had a very eventful week lately. Last Monday evening was the always-wonderful scholarship dinner for both benefactors and beneficiaries of university scholarships. The dinner was fantastic, the speeches were well-delivered, and it was a great networking opportunity for students to speak with alumni and faculty.

This past Friday evening was the Heritage Ball at the Chicago Cultural Center, which was a ton of fun for everyone involved. Everyone loves getting dressed up to go to a nice event, but every year, this dance/awards ceremony seems to stand out. Each recipient of the O’Brien medallion received a special recognition, and then everyone got right down to dinner and dancing. My friend and I stepped outside for a minute to take a break, and noticed Occupy Chicago going right by on the sidewalk! Regardless of your political affiliation, you have to admire a rag-tag group of students and citizens trying to make a difference in this economy. I made a split-second decision and convinced my friend to join me in their march to NBC headquarters on lower Wacker, which lead us right to a march for Palestinian solidarity, particularly in honor of the Irvine Eleven. It warmed my heart to see Chicago cops treating the demonstrators so respectfully and to see that no violence took place that night at the demo.

I thanked the nearby officers for their time and consideration, and my friend and I, along with some of the other participants and organizers, walked back down Michigan to Millennium Park. There, we joined others for a vigil for Troy Davis, recently executed in Georgia despite virtually no evidence connecting him to the crime for which he was charged. As many have noted, his story is a perfect example of what is tragically wrong with the U.S. justice system, and it was at least somewhat encouraging to see a few Saint Xavier students come out with us for the vigil. It reminded me that no matter any student’s personal faith background, the Catholic values of our university show themselves in the way the students act towards others, and in our sense of social justice and social action. It’s nights like this that remind me I chose the right school.

Genevieve Buthod is a sophomore, and a double major in computer science and philosophy. She is a women’s studies minor, and thinking about a music minor as well. Genevieve is an officer in the Alliance (the GSA) and is a happy, healthy vegan. She is also involved with the Students for Justice in Palestine.