STAFF WRITER

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 not only on campus, but also around the nation. Robert Morris University takes part in this celebration by providing informational and recreational activities for everyone.

The month’s events kicked off with Pedro Ciriaco, a Pittsburgh Pirates infielder from the Dominican Republic, speaking in Rogal Chapel on Sept. 12. He spoke about what it is like to be a Dominican player in the United States, according to Antonio Quarterman, the director of Multicultural Student Services.

Quarterman said that he also talked about the different things the Major League Baseball Association does for Dominican players, like providing education so they can get their high school diploma.

The most attended event so far has been the Latin dance classes, Quarterman said. Lessons are conducted by instructors from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio who introduce the attending students to the history, technique and fun of Latin dance, according to the Hispanic Heritage Month schedule of events.

Quarterman said that he is excited about the Latin Dance classes because they “had 25 kids show up last week and it was really fun.”

This event began on Sept. 15 and will continue every Thursday at 9:15 p.m. until Oct. 6 in the Nicholson Center Food Court.

Quarterman is also looking forward to giving away an iPad 2, along with other prizes, through the Trivia Contest over Twitter.

A mass email to RMU students stated that the Trivia Contest will be held every Tuesday and Thursday starting Sept. 15 and ending on Oct. 13. To participate in the contest, simply follow RMU’s Multicultural Student Services on Twitter, @RMU_MSS.

Once the question is posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays, send your answer through Twitter. Winners will be announced on Oct. 14 at the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Fiesta in the Nicholson Center Food Court between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Along with the trivia contest and the dance classes, a Hispanic Cinema series is taking place in the Snee- Reinhardt Charitable Foundation House for Media Arts. These movies focus on different aspects of Hispanic culture and are shown weekly from Sept. 13 through Oct. 6.

Quarterman hopes that next year Hispanic Heritage Month will be as popular on campus as Black History Month.

Right now, plans are being made for another heritage month in the future.