FARGO (AP) - North Dakota State University students chanted "Bison unity," and waved signs at a rally aimed at showing recent incidents that drew national attention don't reflect their campus.

The incident that created the most controversy at NDSU was a skit involving a white student in blackface who portrayed presidential candidate Barack Obama at the March 18 Mr. NDSU Pageant.

"It was a joke that was taken too far," freshman Michelle Piekarski said at Thursday's rally of about 200 students. "That's not what it's like here."

Gerard and Maritza Beaubrun, brother and sister international students from Haiti, spoke to the crowd about forgiveness and learning from mistakes.

"Our differences, backgrounds, cultures and points of view are threads that build a strong community," Maritza Beaubrun said. "NDSU is not only Fargo. NDSU is Sri Lanka, NDSU is Nigeria, NDSU is the United States and Haiti."

NDSU officials are investigating complaints about the skit. The Saddle and Sirloin Club that put on the skit and the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority that sponsored the event have publicly apologized.

Last week, a nonwhite international student lightened his face to portray Michael Jackson during a talent show. The student group said it did not relate to the previous incident.

Prakash Mathew, the NDSU vice president for student affairs, told students he was proud of them for organizing Thursday's rally.

"People will make mistakes," Mathew said. "When mistakes are made, we need to learn from those mistakes."