Multicultural Resource Center brings diversity and opportunities for students of all backgrounds

By Emmanuel Oduor
Contributing Writer
theaspnews@gmail.com


Appreciate diversity and be inclusive is the theme that the Multicultural Resource Cen ter (MRC) at the University at Albany.
Located in room 326 the third floor of the campus center the MRC is a place where students can learn different issues relating to social justice and diversity
by supporting students of all backgrounds and cultural identi ties. The MRC is overseen by the Office of Multicultural Student Success within the division of
Student Success.
Michelle Garcia, the coordina tor of the multicultural resource center, and graduate assistant to Ekow King, director of the Office of Multicultural Student
Success, says that the center is a fairly new department to the UAlbany community.
The MRC was formed about five years ago and back then it was just a space where student groups would come and have their offices. she said. Student
groups that are affiliated to the MRC include the NAACP, Fuerza Latina, Pan Caribbean Association, and the African, Asain American, Chi nese, Haitian,
Iranian, Jamaican, Japanese, Muslim, Korean and Pakistani Student Associations.
Garcia said that although the MRC works with specific student groups that deal with multicul turalism and diversity, the MRC is open to working with
different student organizations.
The MRC focuses on working with certain groups because we try to emphasize a lot of multiculturalism and diversity and that is why we collaborate with
cultural groups, she said. We are open to working with every one but multicultural groups are the ones we tend to work with.
The MRC is not a group but a space where students can come and network with each other. The space can accommodate 10-20 people if set up accordingly.
There is also audio-video (AV) equipment available if student groups or individuals have a presentation they would like to share with others.
Apart from offering an outlet for students to come and network with each other, the MRC ad vises incoming students, trans fers, and international students
different student groups that are available on campus.
We dont want to be known only as a source of cultural awareness on campus, but we want to be a place where students can come and get information
about how to get involved in campus, Garcia said.
The MRC also has a coun cil known as the Multicultural Student Advisory Council, or MSAC, which is made up of elected, emerging and appointed LGBT
(lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) and ALANA (African, Latino, Asian, Native American) student leaders on campus.
The council holds an annual retreat that is geared towards leaders, presidents and vice-pres idents of student groups so they can participate in workshops
that are designed to enhance knowl edge and build the skills neces sary to be effective leaders.
The center also hosts programs and events at least once a month. Previous programs that the center held include the Origins of Black History Month and
Chinese New Year event. Aside from providing information regarding cultural events and multiculturalism, the MRC offers programming and one-on-one
advisement to student groups and workshops that are designed to increase the intercul tural competency and awareness on campus and throughout the
Capital Region. They also offer assistance in promoting student group events through tabling and social networks.
However, there are requirements if a student group is to be co-sponsored by the MRC.
We are all about inclusivity and cultural awareness, and other student groups should be able to collaborate with other student or ganizations if they are to
receive our funding, said Garcia. We do this in part because we want students, and or student groups to be open to working with other people, Garcia
said.
The MRC also offers Univer sity at Albany students intern ships, work study programs and graduate assistant positions. We try to work with the students to
see what they want to do and we try to work around their inter ests, she said.
Moving forward, Garcia said that the MRC is trying to expand and work with everyone because multiculturalism is not about specific races, genders or
individuals but everyone globally.
Check out the MRC on Facebook, Twitter and MyIn volvement for more information.
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