Baila esta cumbia con UTRGV

UTRGV Student Union hosted Vaqueros Cumbia Fest Wednesday, which brought Edinburg-based students to visit the Brownsville campus for the first time and gave them a reason to visit campus for something other than class. 

Aleyda Cantu, an education freshman, said events celebrating Hispanic culture aren’t as common on the Edinburg campus. 

“I think Edinburg should do more events celebrating Hispanic culture to show the many international students our culture and for the people who can’t come to this campus to experience that as well,” Cantu said. 

Victor Alvarez, a political science senior, participated in the dance lessons and said he decided to attend this event for the free food and to have some fun. 

“The Brownsville campus can be looked over a lot, but in events like this, you see people come out its really nice,” Alvarez said. “We really need more of a college atmosphere here. Most people just come to school and they leave, and a lot of us are ingrained in this culture.”

Education freshman Brianna Gutierrez shares this same sentiment, as she said she attended the event to have another reason to go to campus other than class. 

 The Vaquero Cumbia Fest featured live music by Enlance Band Live and Encanto, free food and student organizations fundraisers, a petting zoo, DIYs, and dance lessons. 

Adrian Saenz, an electrical engineering junior, and Ava Torres, a business analytics junior, traveled to the Brownsville campus to attend the Vaqueros Cumbia Fest together. 

For Torres, Cumbia Fest was all about the flower bar offered at the event. Vaqueros had the opportunity to create their own flower bouquet, the free food and the dancing. 

Saenz said this has been the first time he has set foot on the Brownsville campus and was interested in the event since he loves to dance. 

Saenz added he has taken all his classes and attended all the events in Edinburg, “so coming here it seems so lively, so new.”