Desserts from around the world were offered at Saint Mary's Student Diversity Board's (SDB) event "Sugar Makes the World Go ‘Round."
Foods from a variety of countrieswere made available in Reignbeaux Lounge in Le Mans Hall at 7 p.m. Monday.
Senior Karolyn Wojtowicz and junior Christine Brown were responsible for planning the event. Wojtowicz serves as SDB's international student representative and admissions commissioner, and Brown works with the publicity department for the Diverse Student Leadership Conference (DSLC).
The event offered students desserts from regions such as Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and Asia and served as the first big event of the semester for SDB.
Sodexo helped sponsor the event by providing the food.
Each dessert had a place card saying where it was from. In addition, Wojtowicz explained that descriptions of the origins of the desserts as well as recipes were available.
"We also added the little information sheets, and we have a recipe on each of them and a little bit of cultural information," she said. "So it's not just here's some food, have fun, goodbye.
People can actually now learn how to make something if they do want to go home and make it.
Wojtowicz said she thought the event would help teach students about other cultures through food.
"It's really cool," she said. "It allows people to know what churros are and they really enjoy them, or they really like éclairs, and it kind of gives people an idea as to learn more about other cultures while eating desserts and have fun."
Brown agreed, adding she hoped students could "expand their learning of other cultures."
Brown said the event has been held in the past, but this year new desserts were added to create diversity.
This years' event offered several new desserts including Pineapple Fool, a dessert from Africa, and Krusciki, an Eastern European treat.
According to Wojtowicz, the event allows students to get to know members of SDB while enjoying a sweet treat.
"Events like this kind of raise awareness about Student Diversity Board and it also makes learning about other cultures more fun," she said.
Wojtowicz said SDB plans to host a variety of events in the coming months including a week to draw awareness to disabilities and Women's Appreciation Week in February and DSLC in March.
