Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, Shippensburg University celebrated its annual “A Quilt to Cover Us All” event. This initiative showcases the diversity and inclusivity represented on Ship’s campus and is organized by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) in collaboration with the student coalition ACT (Ask. Communicate. Teach Tolerance). The project encourages students, faculty and staff to submit a 25 x 25-inch quilt panel, featuring its unique design representing various organizations across campus.
The quilt is revealed each year to wrap up and honor Diversity Week. It provides a visual display of the university’s commitment to inclusion. The event began with welcoming remarks from MSA director Diane Jefferson and associate director Kapri Brown, who introduced President Patterson. Patterson gave the opening speech, highlighting the quilt as a symbol of Ship’s mission to unite the campus community and foster diversity.
Manuel Ruiz, assistant vice president for inclusion and belonging and director of social equity, also spoke at the event. Ruiz emphasized the importance of diversity and the need for open conversation on campus that leads to positive change and a stronger sense of belonging, especially among minority groups.
Various student organizations and departments were represented on the quilt, and several groups spoke on what their panel represents. These groups included Kappa Alpha Psi, Pi Lambda Phi, One Ship Votes, the Latino Student Organization (LSO), Women’s Rugby, the financial aid office and more.
The event concluded with a spontaneous group performance led by Jefferson, where Brown, President Patterson, Douglas Harbach and students sang together as the audience clapped along. Then, attendees headed over to the local food vendors, including Mission BBQ, Kona Ice and Ship Dining.
A Quilt to Cover Us All serves as a reminder of Ship’s continuous effort to unite campus and promote diversity. The MSA encourages everyone to participate in the project, welcoming new and continued participation in next year’s display.
