Coffee & Cocoa series exhibits diversity of thought on campus

Every Thursday afternoon the Reflection Center invites students to convene for Cocoa, Coffee & Convo. The setting is designed to be a place where people from different backgrounds and beliefs are welcome and invited to participate in open discussion.. Students can enjoy warm drinks while they share their individual experiences and talk about a variety of topics.

“This is for people to come here and get to know the space and that [the Reflection Center] exists,” Cullen Watkins said.

Watkins is a group mentor who guides the discussions on topics like values and standards. He said he wants students to learn about the Reflection Center and get to know about the diversity of thought on campus.

“[The purpose of the series is] to create conversations like we had today about values and learning about each other’s values,” Watkins said.

“I asked the question, what did you guys think of what’s been said because maybe we can learn something from each other. Whether or not values change is a different thing but maybe we learn different viewpoints and get a better understanding about the people on campus.”

Ellie Thompson, the Reflection Center coordinator, began this event at the beginning of last year after bringing the idea from the University of Northern Florida.

“I wanted it to be a conversation type program that was broad, open and inclusive to people that could come,” Thompson said.

Jacob Brown, a student majoring in Art and Design, has been participating in the meetings for the last couple of weeks.

“I think it’s enjoyable. I think it’s fun to hear other people’s perspectives and kind of understand why they have those perspectives,” Brown says.

The Reflection Center also has a meditation room and a prayer room that are open to students any time during building hours. Cocoa, Coffee & Convo is held every Thursday in the Reflection Center on the lower floor of SLWC from 3 to 4 p.m.