{"id":2037,"date":"2025-04-24T20:40:33","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T20:40:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/?page_id=2037"},"modified":"2026-01-12T11:47:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T16:47:10","slug":"itanwa-orinwa-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/belonging-and-student-success\/itanwa-orinwa\/itanwa-orinwa-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Itanwa Orinwa Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Itanwa Orinwa 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Friday, May 9, 2025, 6:30-8:30 p.m., JMA Wireless Dome<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Run of Show<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Schedule<\/th><th>Presenters, Speakers and Performers<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Processional<\/td><td>2025 Graduates<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Land Acknowledgment and Welcome<\/td><td>Ryan Nkongnyu \u201925, College of Visual and Performing Arts<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Poem<\/td><td>Arianna Wilson \u201925, College of Arts and Sciences<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Black National Anthem<\/td><td>Shakira Santos \u201924, G&#8217;25, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; Minetsa Cotto Ortiz \u201924, G&#8217;25, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; and Reya Thompson \u201925, College of Arts and Sciences<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Opening Remarks<\/td><td>Dawn Singleton, Vice President, Student Experience Division<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Student Speaker<\/td><td>Tyler Xavier Gentry \u201925, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Video Performance<\/td><td>Jada Knight \u201925, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Olivia Stepter \u201925, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>History of Stoles<\/td><td>Tanisha M. Jackson, Assistant Professor, African American Studies and Executive Director, Community Folk Art Center<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Distribution of Kente Stoles<\/td><td>Amber Saint Joy, Program Coordinator, Parent and Family Services; Armando Martinez, Director of Inclusion and Belonging, Posse Liaison, Office of People and Culture; Karess N. Gillespie, Assistant Director, Residential Living; and Alonzo D. Turner, Doctoral Student, School of Education<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Closing Remarks<\/td><td>Minetsa Cotto Ortiz \u201924, G&#8217;25, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Liliana R. Germain \u201925, College of Arts and Sciences<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Recessional<\/td><td>2025 Graduates<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Event Details<\/h2>\n\n\n<div role=\"region\" class=\"accordion\">\n      <div class=\"accordion-item border border-gray-light\">\n      <div class=\"accordion-header-text\">\n        <h3 class=\"margin-bottom-0\">\n          <button class=\"accordion-header full-width background-gray-light-30 border-0 margin-0 padding-top-2 padding-bottom-2 padding-left-3 padding-right-3\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            History            <div class='accordion-toggle icon-right' class=''>\n              <i class='icon-chevron-right'><\/i>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/h3>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class='accordion-content'>\n        <p>Itanwa Orinwa (Our Story, Our Song) is a celebration dedicated to creating space for community building, connection and recognition of graduating students of color. The name &#8220;Itanwa Orinwa&#8221; translates from Yoruba, a language spoken in southwestern Nigeria, to &#8220;Our Story, Our Song.&#8221;<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <div class=\"accordion-item border border-gray-light\">\n      <div class=\"accordion-header-text\">\n        <h3 class=\"margin-bottom-0\">\n          <button class=\"accordion-header full-width background-gray-light-30 border-0 margin-0 padding-top-2 padding-bottom-2 padding-left-3 padding-right-3\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            The Significance of Kente Cloth in the Black Diaspora            <div class='accordion-toggle icon-right' class=''>\n              <i class='icon-chevron-right'><\/i>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/h3>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class='accordion-content'>\n        <p>A significant part of Itanwa Orinwa is the distribution of authentic Kente stoles. The Kente cloth is a meaningful sartorial material with a rich historical presence in our culture, representing the pride we hold in our African heritage. Each aspect of the cloth carries symbolic weight. Gold signifies status and serenity; yellow represents fertility; green embodies renewal; blue symbolizes pure spirit and harmony; red represents passion; and black signifies union and spiritual awareness.<\/p>\n<p>This tradition is adapted from Ghana, where Kente is a royal cloth, and its presentation serves as a loving rite of passage gift.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Itanwa Orinwa Committee<\/h2>\n\n\n<div role=\"region\" class=\"accordion\">\n      <div class=\"accordion-item border border-gray-light\">\n      <div class=\"accordion-header-text\">\n        <h3 class=\"margin-bottom-0\">\n          <button class=\"accordion-header full-width background-gray-light-30 border-0 margin-0 padding-top-2 padding-bottom-2 padding-left-3 padding-right-3\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            2025 Committee Members            <div class='accordion-toggle icon-right' class=''>\n              <i class='icon-chevron-right'><\/i>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/h3>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class='accordion-content'>\n        <p><!-- wp:table --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\n<table class=\"has-fixed-layout\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Photo<\/th>\n<th>Name<\/th>\n<th>Role<\/th>\n<th>School or Department<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/04\/Sita-Camara-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Sita Camara portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Sita Camara \u201925<\/td>\n<td>Student<\/td>\n<td>College of Arts and Sciences<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/04\/Mo-Ferreras.jpg\" alt=\"Mo Ferreras portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Moises (Mo) Ferreras<\/td>\n<td>Associate Director<\/td>\n<td>Student Engagement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/05\/Liliana-Germain.jpeg\" alt=\"Liliana Germain portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Liliana R. Germain \u201925<\/td>\n<td>Student<\/td>\n<td>College of Arts and Sciences<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/05\/Karess-N-Gillespie-e1746557354679.jpg\" alt=\"Karess Gillespie portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Karess N. Gillespie<\/td>\n<td>Assistant Director<\/td>\n<td>Residential Living<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/04\/Amber-Saint-Joy.jpeg\" alt=\"Amber Saint Joy portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Amber Saint Joy<\/td>\n<td>Program Coordinator<\/td>\n<td>Parent and Family Services<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/04\/Debbie-McKie.jpg\" alt=\"Debbie McKie portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Debbie L. McKie<\/td>\n<td>Senior Program Coordinator<\/td>\n<td>Greek Life<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/05\/Ryan-Nkongnyu.jpeg\" alt=\"Ryan Nkongnyu portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Ryan Nkongnyu \u201925<\/td>\n<td>Student<\/td>\n<td>College of Visual and Performing Arts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/05\/Minetsa-Cotto-Ortiz.jpeg\" alt=\"Minetsa Cotto Ortiz portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Minetsa Cotto Ortiz \u201924, G&#8217;25<\/td>\n<td>Student<\/td>\n<td>S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/04\/Aaliyah-Muolo-Vergara.jpg\" alt=\"Aaliyah Muolo Vergara portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Aaliyah Muolo Vergara<\/td>\n<td>Manager<\/td>\n<td>Intercultural Collective<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/04\/Marissa-Willingham.jpg\" alt=\"Marissa Willingham portrait\" width=\"106\" height=\"160\" \/><\/td>\n<td>Marissa Willingham<\/td>\n<td>Assistant Director<\/td>\n<td>Belonging and Student Success<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Belonging and Student Success Senior Reception<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Join the Intercultural Collective\u2019s Belonging and Student Success Senior Reception for students and their families immediately following Commencement from noon-2 p.m. in Schine Student Center\u2019s Goldstein Auditorium on Sunday, May 11, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Itanwa Orinwa Survey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We kindly request that you complete the <a href=\"https:\/\/syracuseuniversity.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_4SgwGlltk8MZL0i?Q_CHL=qr\">Itanwa Orinwa Survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Itanwa Orinwa 2025 Friday, May 9, 2025, 6:30-8:30 p.m., JMA Wireless Dome Run of Show Schedule Presenters, Speakers and Performers Processional 2025 Graduates Land Acknowledgment and Welcome Ryan Nkongnyu \u201925, College of Visual and Performing Arts Poem Arianna Wilson \u201925, College of Arts and Sciences Black National Anthem Shakira Santos \u201924, G&#8217;25, S.I. Newhouse School&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":324,"featured_media":2062,"parent":81,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2037","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/324"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2037"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2037\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2676,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2037\/revisions\/2676"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/intercultural-collective\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}