Marshall University’s fifth annual Unity Walk will seek to move the Marshall community towards an inclusive and unified society where people will come together to embrace and celebrate one another’s differences Oct. 11 at the Recreation Center.

Maurice Cooley, associate vice president of intercultural affairs, said the Unity Walk is a simple concept designed to move people closer towards one another as a part of the Marshall family.

“To enjoy those moments and to find positivity from those experiences celebrating people who are different than us,” Cooley said. “They are impactful quite often because they break down some of the walls we have on our thoughts that keeps us separated from one another.”

Cooley said the Unity Walk is just like most family reunions, where members of a family with the same sets of values and principles come together to celebrate who they are.

“My family has one every July, where 125 Cooleys come from all over the country to share their stories,” Cooley said. “It is an opportunity to continue to nurture the relationships we always have and that keeps the family going.”

Their goal this year is to encourage 1,500 students to attend. Cooley said this is the first year where they have worked hard to include the Huntington community, like the mayor’s office, who are also invited to participate.

Some of the anticipated participants of the walk will be sorority and fraternity members, Marshall athletic team members and some other 40 to 50 Marshall student groups and organizations members.

Senior business management major Rachel Sleichter from the swimming and diving athletic team at Marshall said it’s a great way to meet up with people and connect as one big family, like sons and daughters of Marshall.

“It’s cool to get everyone together and just see how everyone at our campus and community come together, especially since here at Marshall family is such a big tradition,” Sleichter said.

The Unity Walk will take place rain or shine, with the planning team ordering 1,000 ponchos just in case of rain.

The walk will be starting at the Recreation Center at 5 p.m. and will end at the Student Center for the main celebration.

Kessyl Lim can be contacted at [email protected].