Oklahoma State University is hosting the 38^th Annual Big XII Conference on Black Student Government. OSU African American Student Association is sponsoring the three-day conference, which began Thursday and will conclude Saturday evening with a banquet and awards ceremony. 

The theme of this year’s conference is “Ignite: Reawakening Our Momentum.”

Conference chair Braelyn Johnson decided the theme a year ago when she and her team began the planning process.

“I decided on the theme after hearing a speech called “The Clock Will Not Be Turned Back by former NAACP Executive Secretary Roy Wilkins,” Johnson said.  “We want to focus on the work of our black forefathers and work to continue that within the African American community.”

Ashtin Calvin is the current president of OSU’s African American Student Association and is excited for the opportunity to share what the organization does for the African American community at OSU.

The purpose of the Big XII Council is for black student governments or African American student associations “to collaborate about leadership opportunities and make connections within the African American community.” Calvin said.

The conference is the third of four council meetings held by the Big XII Council on Black Student Government.

The conference will include events that focus on leadership, social connections and professional networking.  One of the major events will be a career fair that is a part of the diversity career fair hosted by OSU.  During the fair, there will be a specific time slot devoted to conference attendees only.

The conference is open to other schools outside the Big XII. There will be more than 600 attendees from more than 40 different colleges and universities across the nation.