INSIDE In-depth In the Bubble 2 basketball Opinion 4 preview Sports 6 page 6 THETHE VOICEVOICE OFOF VANDERBILTVANDERBILT SINCESINCE 18881888 Life 10 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2006 • 118 TH YEAR, NO. 74 Fun & Games 14 STUDENT LIFE GREEK LIFE SPEAKER Masala-SACE Sopranos star cancels to celebrate Get down to Motown speech unexpectedly Diwali Speakers Committee hopes to reschedule Annual events lecture for spring. include dinner, show. By Kay Robinson STAFF REPORTER still benefit from it,” Meltzer said. However, he said, By Nicole Floyd A S S T N E W S E D I T O R J a m i e - scheduling a speaker is a long Lynn Sigler process that involves everyone will not in the organization. Masala-South Asian Cultural speak at If they rescheduled, it Exchange and members of Vanderbilt would have to be for the the Vanderbilt and Nashville on Nov. 15 spring, because it is too late communities will come together as scheduled to get anything together for this weekend to celebrate Diwali, SIGLER due to a the fall, he said. the annual South Asian festival of last-minute “To tell you the truth, lights. shoot on the set of “The we are still a little flustered Th e event will take place tonight Sopranos.” about the whole thing,” and Saturday and will feature Sigler is best known for Meltzer said. Meltzer said the musical acts, dances, skits, a fashion her role as Meadow Soprano committee was disappointed show and a dinner catered by on the HBO series. Her because they had put a lot of Cuisine of India. planned speech, sponsored time, effort and money into Diwali is a holiday based on the by the Speaker’s Committee, planning the event. Hindu calendar that marks the last addressed her struggle with Ticket holders can get a day of the year and carries with anorexia. refund at the Sarratt Box Offi ce, it great signifi cance in the South Sigler found out about but Meltzer said it was too late Asian community. the shoot yesterday and to try to schedule anything else Performances will be held at the was disappointed she could for the allotted time. Ingram Center for the Performing not come. She hopes to However, he said the Arts and will begin at 7:30 p.m. on reschedule the appearance, organization was open both nights. Dinner will precede said Nate Meltzer, co-chair to suggestions for future the shows at 5 p.m. on Olin Lawn. of the Speakers Committee. engagements. Tickets are $8 for the show and Meltzer said the “One of our goals is to $11 for both the show and the cancellation was unexpected cater to the Vanderbilt dinner and can be purchased at the and the organization is community,” Meltzer said. Sarratt Box Offi ce or on the Wall. deciding if they will be able “One thing we’re always Junior Sarish Kasat, president of to reschedule. looking for is more student Masala-SACE, said that Diwali MASON HENSLEY / The Vanderbilt Hustler “I personally think she still involvement. We are always has always been a special tradition Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. held Zeta Night of Soul Thursday night, where they performed Motown music hits and served “soul food.”‘ has a great message for this open for suggestions for ■ in his home. Whitney Hubbard, Abigail Richards, Markesha Cook and Vanessa Egerton-Shelton (left to right) performed as The Supremes. campus, and I think we could speakers.” “Diwali has always been a big deal for my family,” Kasat said. PHILANTHROPY DIVERSITY “Th ere is always anticipation in the air. We light fi reworks and have lots of food.” Enjuba.com provides outlet for Ugandan wares Chancellor Organizers said the theme for Sophomores’ summer trip spawns business, two-part enterprise. this year’s program, “My Big Fat and MCC meet Indian Wedding,” refl ects the By Katie Titus In Uganda, these items are sold in a craft company,” he said. STAFF REPORTER celebratory nature of the holiday. market, where “neither quality nor creativity Manice and Keenan said they went into “Last year we focused on the are valued,” Manice said. the venture striving to improve the lives of to discuss origins of Diwali, and this year is A summer trip to Africa turned Th ere was no direct connection between the Ugandans with whom they worked. more just a fun theme,” said junior sophomores Henry Manice and Wil the buyer and the artisan, so Manice and “Our purpose was never really for profi t,” diversity issues Ekta Kumar, Diwali co-chair. Keenan into entrepreneurs. Keenan said. “We didn’t want a charity, but Sophomore Anita Jivani, Diwali After spending two months in Uganda, we didn’t want a business.” Instead, Keenan Gee answers publicity chair, also said she hopes the pair realized that much of the country’s explained that the enterprise “focuses on questions from that the theme, along with the problems could be alleviated through making people better-off .” students, faculty performance’s commitment to substantial investment in quality education Since Manice and Keenan left Uganda diversity, will help to attract more at the community level. this summer, they have been conducting members. Vanderbilt students to the event. Manice said that in Uganda people can research on the Ugandan educational By Sydney Wilmer “I think people see signs for “education is the source of all opportunity system and working to develop a leadership STAFF REPORTER Diwali, and they don’t really for a young child, regardless of his socio- program at a Ugandan orphanage, Mercy understand what the festival is economic status.” Home of Children. Th e program is led by Chancellor Gordon Gee and about or they feel it is closed off to Th e two-part enterprise, which consists Meredith Bates, a Vanderbilt alumna. Multicultural Council members PHOTO PROVIDED a certain group of people,” Jivani of enjuba.com and enjuba.org, seeks to sell “We spent a lot of time at the orphanage,” spoke directly for the fi rst time said. “Th e event is open to the entire locally crafted Ugandan jewelry, clothing Keenan decided to go into the villages to Keenan said. “We spent a lot of time just about diversity issues on campus campus, and when we say that we and accessories. meet the artisans. talking to people.” this Tuesday. truly mean it. We really would love With the help of junior Kaili Holtermann “Th e main thing about the business is Manice and Keenan urge students to get Organizers of Diversity to see everyone there.” and sophomore David Amouyal, Keenan the connection between the customers involved in their project. Th ey are currently Discussions said they aimed to She said she believes that it is and Manice recently launched their Web and the artisans in Uganda,” Manice said. looking for people interested in fashion create a forum where students also important for students to site, enjuba.com. All profi ts from enjuba. “Customers will be able to watch videos of design, business, community development, could ask Gee questions in attend cultural events such as com are either reinvested into the company our artisans actually creating the products.” photography and fi lm to make this endeavor person. Diwali in light of the claims that or put toward the non-profi t enjuba.org to When the artisans were informed about successful. “Basically the council feels Vanderbilt’s campus has little fund educational initiatives. enjuba, Manice said they “were pretty Th is summer they plan on taking a team there has never been a direct integration. “Enjuba.com is a money-making venture, pumped.” of about 10 or 12 people back to Uganda dialogue,” said MCC President “Th e way that we can start but we’re taking the money and investing Manice also said that he and Keenan to conduct case studies of Ugandan Krish Vigneswaran. “We want to integration on campus is by having it in ways that it can be the most useful in explained to their artisans that as enjuba’s primary and secondary schools in order to applaud him for eff orts moving people come to these types of Uganda,” Keenan said. profi ts grew they would see a proportional better direct their investments. Th e team the campus, though.” events,” Jivani said. “It is important Enjuba, which translates to “the rising increase in the amount of money they of students will also focus on developing Students and faculty members for people to step out of their sun” in Luganda, off ers necklaces made collected for their products. enjuba’s product line and its existing arrived at the open event with comfort zone, and this is a way for of handpicked seeds, hand-carved ebony “We told them that we would strive to infrastructure. prepared questions. them to do that.” bracelets and a tote bag of woven banana be a close-knit team whose members each To learn more about enjuba and to “Vanderbilt isn’t known for its ■ While the program is expected leaves, among other products. have a vested interest in the growth of the purchase items, visit enjuba.com. Please see DIVERSITY, page 2 to sell out, Diwali coordinators said that much of their support in the NASHVILLE past has come from the Nashville Students reach out through art community, faculty, friends and family members. Th ey said they Christmas Village opens hope that this year more students who are unfamiliar with Diwali will be inclined to attend. at state fairgrounds “For Vanderbilt, it is a great Pi Beta Phi alumnae hold event to benefit opportunity to learn more about South Asian culture and your Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center.