4DaCulture holds Denim and Paint night

Students gather and participate in Denim and Paint with Sparkle and 4DaCulture. Quang Le photos

Students gathered with denim in hand and paintbrushes ready as 4DaCulture and the Sparkle Mentoring Club joined together to hold “Denim and Paint,” an event designed to give Troy University students an opportunity to socialize, meet new people and express their creativity.

The event invited students to bring any denim items they wanted to customize, while the organizations provided painting supplies. Students spent time painting their clothing and other denim items while talking with friends, meeting other students and getting to know members of the two organizations.

Tyshaun Caldwell, a junior social work major from Pell City, Alabama and programming chair for 4DaCulture, said events like Denim and Paint can help students who may feel overwhelmed or isolated when they first arrive at college.

“I feel like when you come to college, it can be very overwhelming. You can feel by yourself most times, so basically 4DaCulture holds events like these so people don't feel alone,” Caldwell said. “We want to get people out of their rooms so they can meet new people, make friendships, do some networking.”

Caldwell said the idea for the event came from the popularity of painting events on college campuses, but organizers wanted to put their own spin on the concept.

“We’ve always heard of sip and paint, or just painting events in general, but everybody wears denim, so I thought why not have a denim and paint, be original,” Caldwell said.

The event also provided an opportunity for students to interact with organizations they may not otherwise encounter on campus. Dominique Johnson, a junior social work major from Jackson, Alabama, said making the event enjoyable was an important part of encouraging students to participate.

“I think that by having a fun event, more people are inclined to come, growing the possibilities of meeting people and networking,” Johnson said.

For Sparkle Mentoring Club, the collaboration also reflected the organization’s focus on building relationships while serving students and the surrounding community.

Hermonee Smith, a senior nursing major from Union Springs, Alabama and president of Sparkle Mentoring Club, said the organization works to support the community through a variety of activities, including service projects and mentoring.

“Sparkle does a lot of community service, we also do mentoring, tutoring, we try to do a lot of community cleanups, we want to give back to our community,” Smith said. “We are to provide for people in need in Troy, out in the community or on campus.”

Smith said Sparkle, an all-girl organization, also emphasizes creating relationships among its members.

“We want to create a special bond, a sisterhood, while also doing something productive,” Smith said.

Although Sparkle is looking for new members, Smith said recruitment was not the main purpose of the event. Instead, the collaboration gave students a chance to spend time together in a relaxed environment.

“We are looking for new members, but this event is ultimately to get students together,” Smith said.

Through painting, conversation and collaboration, Denim and Paint gave students a creative way to spend time outside the classroom while encouraging them to connect with others on campus. The event also allowed 4DaCulture and Sparkle Mentoring Club to introduce students to their organizations and highlight their efforts to build community at Troy .