The signs of food, music and fun filled the second floor of the Rhatigan Student Center Wednesday as the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) hosted a semester-starting open house.

“Just our normal push for most of it,” said ODI program coordinator Natalie Toney.

Offering students an opportunity to check out the services offered at the ODI while having some refreshments, students found themselves munching on cake and spinach dip while having access to pamphlets, flyers and brochures on campus and community resources.

The open house was part of a series of events the ODI has planned for the semester, including events in-line with Black History Month and an event hosting a famous individual from the transgender community.

“Laverne Cox is the huge [event] that we are pushing, our Culture and Movement Talent showcase is in February and we are doing what is called Great Blacks in Wax, a partnership with the Black Student Union,” Toney said. “We are going to act like we’re actual figures in history —black history figures.”

ODI will be hosting Laverne Cox, famous for her role in the Netflix hit series “Orange is the New Black,” in April. The ODI will also host a Brown Bag Diversity Discussion titled “Black Mount Rushmore” on Feb. 4, with efforts to recreate what a Mount Rushmore comprised of black leaders would be like, as part of their efforts to raise awareness on black leaders and community members.

“We really wanted to focus on getting people in history that most people don’t know about,” Toney said. “People know about the Martin Luther Kings, the Harriet Tubmans, but what about those we don’t know about?”

Toney said the ODI is looking for talent help with their upcoming Culture and Movement Talent showcase. For more information about the event, contact the ODI at 978-3034.