Celebrating Cultures on Campus: 

Lynn: A Home Away From Home 

By Isabella Cruz-Hill 

Staff Writer 

icruzhill@email.lynn.edu 

Ishita Nair is a junior studying biology who moved from India to the United States to study at Lynn University. Although Nair is far from home, she still finds ways to appreciate her culture.  

Originally from Kerala, India, she grew up in five different countries. Although she was constantly on the move throughout her childhood, Nair always found ways to stay connected to her roots despite being thousands of miles away from home.  

“Cultural representation is significant for me because, throughout my childhood, I was constantly moving around,” said Nair. “So finding that connection with my culture is something I value.”  

When Nair began studying at Lynn, despite the university’s diversity, she felt it lacked South Asian representation. So she—along with other cofounders—created the South Asian Club in hopes of creating more representation of their cultures, increasing diversity on campus, spreading knowledge of their cultures and customs and giving those who are a part of the South Asian community a sense of belonging.  

“Lynn has truly become my home away from home. I feel as if I can fully celebrate my culture freely here,” said Nair.  

The club uses Instagram to post updates on their events @lynnu_sac and share lively and colorful photos, which Nair said was purposeful to match their vibrant cultures. Numerous holidays, festivals and events exemplify this colorfulness, with celebrants wearing vibrant fabrics and textures.  

“India is all about ‘go big or go home,’” said Nair. “The spectrum is so wide when it comes to fashion; we have different types of outfits for different events.”  

Since fashion is such a large part of Indian culture, and Nair celebrates it at Lynn. The South Asian Club hosts events for Diwali, a festival of light and one of India’s largest celebrations. The club is hosting an upcoming mandala event, which will focus on de-stressing the mind.