Nearly a month into the fall semester, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) continues to drive forward their mission of providing leadership and advocacy for underrepresented and ethnically diverse students.
Directed by Christopher Clarke, the MSA staff promotes a fall lineup full of engaging, communal events that foster the University of Miami’s culture of belonging. From personal development workshops to mentoring programs to bringing awareness to diversity and multicultural topics, the office’s services and resources support the academic mission of the University.
“A big charge of the University is to create a culture of belonging here, and community is at the center of a lot of the programming that we do,” said Kennedy Robinson, associate director of MSA. “Also, awareness and creating pride for your community. We do a lot of events around diversity and inclusion, too.”
MSA invites any campus community members passionate about diversity, social justice, and identity-based programming to join MSA to get involved. There is something for everyone.
The Beyond the Horizons mentoring program pairs incoming multicultural students with trained student mentors for the academic year to help their transition into the University.
MSA also offers Enough, a shared mentorship approach through “village-based” community for women on campus. Those who participate can receive transformational experiences that foster support and self-evaluation.
Though she is excited for every event this year, Robinson said there will be a few special announcements happening at this year’s Diversity Week—which kicks off at noon on Nov. 14 on the Lakeside Patio. During this time, the unique and varied cultures of the University community are celebrated. There is an effort to foster leadership and skill development, enrich the campus environment, and enhance the sense of community through the week of programming.
Stephanie Nunez, assistant director of MSA, said one of the most anticipated spring events, Students of Color Symposium, is accepting applications this fall for committee members.
“The Students of Color Symposium is one of our most anticipated and best attended programs of the year,” she said. “Applications for students interested in being on the committee or serving as the chair will be going out later this month.”
Oftentimes, MSA will collaborate with other campus departments to bring twice the fun and support for the campus community. This fall, MSA has joined forces with the Toppel Career Center to host the return of Brave Spaces, a safe space for student dialogue to provide a platform for education, thought, expression, and resolve.
On Oct. 20 at 6 p.m., Robinson said, “we will talk about a popular topic: ‘So, I got the job, now what,’ the notion of ‘quiet quitting,’ job-belonging, and so much more.”
From the MSA Crew Leadership Retreat to the Latin Leadership Crew, MSA also provides programming that aims to increase collaboration among the diverse student body and help cultivate student leaders and mentors for the next generations of ’Canes.
“There are so many noted benefits of students participating in our events and programs and community. And raising awareness and self-pride are among the top,” said Robinson. “Whether it is talking about real issues that are happening in our community or whether it is becoming a diversity and inclusion facilitator, there’s so much richness in getting involved.”
Visit the MSA website for more information.
