First-year students experience Baltimore on cultural tour

More than 50 first-year African-, Latino-, Asian- and Native American (ALANA) Loyola students will dive right into the richness of Baltimore’s culture and heritage on an extensive tour set for Tuesday, Aug. 29, one of their first days on campus. The tour is part of the College’s Year of the City initiative, a celebration of the strengths of the City of Baltimore and a renewal of the College’s commitment to its neighbors in the city

Sponsored by the College’s Multicultural Awareness Program, which introduces freshmen from minority ethnic groups to the College and the larger Baltimore community, the tour begins after the students engage in a morning of community service at sites throughout the city. Stops include the Orchard Street Church, the Baltimore Civil War Museum, Ft. McHenry, St. Frances Academy, and the Great Blacks in Wax Museum. The event concludes with a meal at El Travador, a Latin-American restaurant near Fells Point.

“We hope the tour offers students an opportunity to learn about the lesser known historical and cultural aspects of Baltimore, particularly Baltimore’s significance in the struggle for civil rights and the contribution of many Baltimoreans to broader American history,” says Rodney Parker, Loyola’s Director of ALANA Student Services.