The atmosphere in the South Lounge of the Illini Union was informal as students, faculty and visiting alumni attended the Project 500 reception. The reception, held Saturday afternoon, recognized those involved in the original Project 500 program and was part of the University's week-long celebration of Project 500's 35th anniversary.

Project 500 was a program implemented by the University to bring diversity and equality to the University of Illinois campus in 1968. Many of the alumni present took time to reflect with one another about their experiences at the University and cited Project 500 as their driving force.

Alumnus Ezell Gaffney said he and the other black students had to stick together, because there were less than 1,000 black students present on campus during the time of the project implementation, which was shortly after the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gaffney said Project 500 made it possible for the current students to achieve their goals.

"The road has been paved," he said. "(Students) should keep on striving."

His wife, Kate, who was also one of the 500, said if it hadn't been for the program, she wouldn't have been as successful as she had become, because she said she grew up poor in East St. Louis.

"The time I spent here was valuable," she said. "If I hadn't come here, I would still be in East St. Louis."

University alumna Marilyn Walker said since her mother was a maid in one of the University sorority houses, her family could not afford to send her to the University. The lifelong Champaign resident said that Project 500 gave her the financial opportunity to attend the University.

"My consciousness would not have been raised if I hadn't received this opportunity," she said.

Stories similar to Walker and the Gaffneys were on display in newspaper articles and photos about Project 500 at the reception, and alumni, students, faculty and guests talked and laughed while enjoying light refreshments.

The afternoon began with a performance by the University Black Chorus — one of the programs established as a result of the black students' arrival on campus.

Sophomore in LAS Arthur Scales, a member of Black Chorus, said that the commemoration of Project 500 is very significant because those students opened the door for the current students. He said Black Chorus has provided him — and the other students who participate in it — with a positive influence.

"It's something we all love to do," he said. "(Black Chorus) all stands on a bond that we mutually have."

Scales also said that the events of this week are significant because they promote excellence in the black community.

"It's shown me that whatever I want, I have to fight for it," he said. "If you have a cause worth fighting for, you have to do it ... it's what Project 500 is all about."

After the performance, there were welcome addresses by Clarence Shelly, one of the honorees of the program, and Barbara Hundley, vice president of Alumni Relations. In addition to welcoming the many black alumni present, Hundley encouraged alumni attendees to become a part of the University's alumni association.

Chancellor Nancy Cantor introduced the honorees of the program, which included former chancellor Jack Peltason, Joseph Smith, Shelley, Jean Hill, William Smith and John Lee Johnson — who were all involved in some aspects of Project 500. Cantor spoke of the project's background and the hope for cultural unity at the University and beyond, and presented the honorees with commemorative artwork made for the event by artists Al Mitchell and Billy Morrow Jackson.

There was also a special monetary donation given to the African American Cultural Program director Nathaniel Banks on behalf of the Cultural Center. The donation was sponsored by the Central Black Student Union, the University chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Black Greek Council.

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity also donated $500 in honor of one of their members, Bruce D. Nesbitt, for whom the cultural center has been renamed. Fraternity member Anton Downing said that since the cultural center has historical ties to the fraternity through Nesbitt, they raised funds through many events to make the special donation in his honor. Banks said he was surprised by the donations made by the students, and he was happy that they chose to do it.

"I'm very touched by it," he said.