Center for Diversity and Community to open Nov. 5

The Center for Diversity and Community will officially open its doors Nov. 5 at a ceremony at its location in Muenster University Center 219.

After being in the works for two years, a name and director have been selected for the multicultural center project, which is meant to strengthen diversity and inclusiveness at the University of South Dakota.

The center’s new director, Lamont Sellers, started at the University of South Dakota in September and has worked in diversity and multicultural affairs for about 15 years. He most recently worked at the University of Denver’s Center for Multicultural Excellence, where he met and worked with Associate V.P. for Diversity, Jesus Trevino.

Students involved chose the name Center for Diversity and Community. Sellers said he didn’t want multicultural to be in the name, so it was more inclusive for the whole student body, not just minority groups.

“We definitely wanted students to have a choice in it because it is a student center,” Sellers said.

Sellers said he heard about the USD director position from Trevino. Although he had never started a center from scratch, the responsibilities were familiar to him.

“It was very much appealing to me,” Sellers said.

President James Abbott, Provost Jim Moran, Vice President of Student Services and Dean of Students Kim Grieve, Student Government Association President Tyler Tordsen and Sellers will all speak briefly at the opening ceremony, which begins at noon. A reception with food and music will follow.

First and foremost, Sellers said the center’s purpose is to provide space for all students.

“We have a rich dynamic of various cultures that are represented here on campus, both our domestic diversity as well as our international diversity,” Sellers said. “We want to celebrate that.”

Sellers said student organizations will benefit most from the center’s opening, but all students can take advantage of it.

The student organizations occupying an office in the center are Tiospaye, Spectrum, African Students Association, the Union of African American Students, Muslim Students Association, Asian American Student Association, Latino Student Organization, the Association for the Advancement of Women’s Rights and the International Club.

There are six offices in the center, but many organizations are doubled up in the interest of more student organizations being able to utilize the space.

“The organizations were initially identified in the proposal for the multicultural student center, and are representative of students of color and marginalized populations,” Sellers said.

Eventually, Sellers said he and other USD facility will take on bigger projects, such as educating students about issues of diversity, social justice, privilege and oppression. The center will also host leadership programs to help enhance student groups.

Also being planned is money management training and other de-stressing activities, like a “chocolate break” during finals week.

These programs will occur after the opening and once student organizations are settled, Sellers said.

In accordance with the annual National Survey of Student Engagement, Sellers said USD scored low on interaction between different ethnic groups. He hopes the center will be able to change that.

“The center is meant to be a place, not just for students of color, but a place for everyone to feel welcome. We’re here to be a resource for students — we’re here to be a safe place for students,” Sellers said. “Those marginalized students have a place, and those students that are of the majority can feel as though they can come and be a part as well and have those conversations.”

Senior Komal Shah is president of the Muslim Students Association and the Asian Students Association.

She said she plans to utilize the new space for MSA potlucks, ice cream socials and a Bollywood movie night. Other planned activities include a bowling night and trips to Sioux Falls and Sioux City.

Last year, Shah said MSA met all across campus, from the library to her house. She plans on spending a lot of her time in the new center, even when she’s not in an MSA or ASA meeting.

“It’s a huge sense of community,” Shah said. “All the other organizations in here are part of the multicultural aspect.”

The African Students Association had to schedule its meetings around when rooms in the MUC would be available, its president, junior Mubarik Musa said.

“Now that we have the opportunity to stay in one place, we can now be more efficient and we can meet the needs of all of our members in that way,” Musa said.

So far this year, the African Students Association has had a potluck and a movie night. They are planning a trip to Yankton, since many of the international students haven’t explored the area, and would eventually like to host a diversity speaker and a public forum on Ebola’s effect on African countries.

“Our plan is definitely to educate the public and maybe turn down all the stereotypes that are associated with this disease,” Musa said.

Shah said she is also trying to lessen the stereotypes surrounding the Muslim population.

“The whole point of MSA was to bring Muslims together and people that are interested in the Muslim culture to also help them learn about us. All that stuff that’s going on in the news, we want people to know that’s not us,” Shah said. “We’re here to learn and go to school and have a good time, that’s it.”

Out of the 30 members in the Muslim Students Association, about six are non-Muslims. Shah said she would like to see more students who are interested in Muslim culture to attend their meetings.

“Everyone, anyone is welcome,” Shah said.

Musa hopes the center’s opening will provide a place for all students to feel welcome and appreciated.

“Diversity would mean a place where everyone can congregate, where everyone’s religions, customs and way of life is respected. Everyone is equally valued in terms of the contribution to the whole,” Musa said. “That’s where this office hopefully will play a major role, in fostering that idea of inclusiveness and diversity and equal opportunities.”

(Photo: Lamont Sellers, pictured above, is the Center for Diversity & Community director. Sellers said the new Multicultural Center is available for all students. Sellers, along with other University of South Dakota administrators, plans to educate students on issues of diversity, social justice, privilege and oppression. Ally Krupinsky / The Volante)