MexSA members play the Face the Cookie game in teams at the first general body meeting on Thursday at the L3Harris Engineering Center. The goal was to move the cookie from their foreheads down into their mouths without touching it.
Claudia Leon
The Mexican Student Association kicked off their first general body meeting of the spring semester with Juegos de Calamar, a “Squid Game”-inspired event, on Thursday.
The meeting took place at the L3Harris Engineering Center, where both returning members and new students were drawn to the event. The attendees participated in some “Squid Game” inspired challenges and icebreakers, where making connections and conversations was encouraged.
Edgar Molina, junior mechanical engineering major and president of MexSA, said the organization started the spring semester with a more socially focused general body meeting to help new students adjust to campus life.
Molina added that the “Squid Game” theme was chosen because it had been successful in previous semesters, allowing students to come together in a more relaxed, fun setting.
“It was a recurring event that we had last year, that we had a lot of engagement with our members,” Molina said. “It’s a good way to meet new people, because there are good laughs.”
These social events help fulfill MexSA’s mission to create a space of support and cultural connections.
“MexSA is a club where people can share their background, find those who are similar to them or others who want to learn more about what it means to be a Mexican student here at UCF,” Molina said.
Molina also added that interest and involvement in MexSA has changed in recent semesters in terms of diversity among the members.
“Roughly around almost 20% of our members are non-Mexican, and this is because people are comfortable with bringing their friends or people who they know would enjoy our Mexican culture.”
Molina attributed the expanded participation to the welcoming and accepting nature of the organization’s environment.
“We share laughter, Mexican snacks and just things that people can find back home because I believe that in our households, we all love to laugh, listen to music and eat,” Molina said.
For many participants, the meeting was a space to reconnect with the community at the start of the semester.
Bergliz Serrano Reyes, junior psychology major and member of MexSA, said the atmosphere drew her back again. She added that being part of a cultural student organization is personally significant to her.
“There is great meaning to have people with the same cultural background as me, because we value community, family and having a good time,” Reyes said.
Iván Luna, junior mechanical engineering major, said he has been in MexSA and attending events since his freshman year.
“I’ve been coming to these GBM’s for a couple of years now,” Luna said. “It feels nice to meet with people who are like you in a friendly environment.”
Alexander Chavez, sophomore civil engineering major, said MexSA has played a major role in helping him build relationships at UCF.
“Basically every friend I made at UCF has been through MexSa or other clubs,” Chavez said. “I’ve been able to find a lot of people that share majors or classes with me and we’ve formed study groups and connected in that way as well.”
Chavez, a returning member, said it was “honestly just amazing” to see so many new faces and watch the group connect with more people.
Sebastian Tirado, junior finance major and first-time attendee, said he decided to attend after seeing the organization’s social media presence and becoming curious after recent uploads.
“Seeing their Instagram posts, the camaraderie and how much fun they have, I think it made me feel gravitated to join the club,” Tirado said.
He said the environment felt more comfortable than other campus events.
“I think it’s definitely a little home here, in a sense,” Tirado said. “I really do feel like you have a better sense of togetherness.”
Tirado added that the activities helped him meet people in a more natural way.
“The main reason that I came here was truly to meet new people,” Tirado said. “I’m rarely involved on campus as a commuter, and this could help me do just that.”
Apart from the social events, MexSA offers its members both leadership opportunities and academic support. Molina said that the organization changes the executive board annually through a member-led election process.
At the end of the year, the organization hosts a gala where the goal is to recognize student involvement and announce the Mateo Scholarship recipient.
“The award is given to the person who is most involved in the community we have here,” Molina said. “It’s based on a point system where it shows who has a true passion for our club, so we reward them with this scholarship at the end of the year.”
Molina said that having these cultural organizations on campus as a visibly present level is necessary for creating a sense of belonging and representation.
“It shows that we have a voice here at UCF,” Molina said. “It shows that Mexicans can have the education, and having this club here proves that students with similar backgrounds, as well, know that the Hispanic community has a place here at UCF.”