Persian Student Union (PSU) held its first meeting on Nov. 1. The club provides a gathering place for Persian and non Persian students, regardless of their religion or native heritage to share personal experiences, socialize, and meet new people.

To become a certified member, students must pay a $5 fee to boost the club’s budget. Currently, Board officials lack sufficient payments from their attendees.

“We started off really well, though we’re struggling with the membership fee, which will help start up PSU,” said co-president Zargari. “Still, we’re happy to be staying up.”

According to Zargari, evidence of a club similar to PSU exists in older yearbooks but was gone for several years. A club functions as long as students keep it alive and sponsors continue to support it. In the future, PSU plans to conduct in-school fund-raisers selling Persian food like kabob with rice. The Board also want to order clothing such as sweatshirts and shirts to represent their club.

PSU began popularizing their club on Cultural Food Day held Dec. 8 in the grove. They sold glatt kosher beef kabob with pita bread, a dish common in Iran. Spearheaded by juniors and now co-presidents Padideh Zargari and Sabba Lavassani, the two discussed the club’s possibilities last year but officially created it in November. The Board also includes sophomores Habib Lavassani and Shadi Hariran, treasurer and secretary, respectively. Approximately 20 students attend the meetings, sponsored by Javad Tabrizi, Tuesdays in room 183.