The Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity is committed to creating an inclusive campus community for all students.
The Office of Multicultural Student Life is located in the 4th floor in the Center for Student Life, adjacent to the Brew by the slew. The Office of Multicultural Student Life is a place where students gather to discuss diversity on campus and create programs to help raise diversity awareness in a comfortable and welcoming environment.
The OMSL offers an array of campus programs, events, and celebrations like:
- Multicultural Student Orientation annually compliments the Fall Connection orientation weekend by providing new students who are members of an ethnic minority, the opportunity to meet current students, and, become acquainted with the campus while learning more about life as an Augustana student.
- Multicultural Parent Orientation allows parents of ethnic minorities the opportunity to meet other parents, become acquainted with members of the faculty and staff, and informs them about how to support their students as they transition into college life.
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration brings together the Quad City and campus community with a live mariachi band to celebrate this Mexican Catholic tradition which remembers and reenacts the appearance of Mary the mother of Jesus Christ in Mexico to Juan Diego in 1531
- The Martin Luther King, JR. Celebration fills Centennial Hall with people from all over the bi-state area to remember the life of Dr. King through discussion, songs, and music provided by Augustana and local church choirs.
- Asian Night celebrates different Asian traditions by offering food and performances by student groups such as UNYK Multicultural Dance Troupe, Augustana Martial Arts Club and the Philippine Dance Group.
- Day of the Dead remembers the indigenous beginnings of this Mexican celebration that takes place on November 1st and 2nd, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
- The Office of Multicultural Student Life works with other departments on campus to help put on special events like:
o The Spanish Film Festival
o The White Privilege Summit
The Office of Multicultural Student Life connects students with local community events and groups like:
- Mexican Independence Day Fiesta
- Quad City Minority Partnership
- Viva Quad Cities
- East Moline Hot Air Balloon Festival
- Apostolic Truth Temple Rock Island
- Latino Youth Conference
- The Bi-State Hispanic Coalition
The Office of Multicultural Student Life also connects students to internships with local businesses and non-for profits like:
- Hola America TV & Newspaper
- Martin Luther King Center
- The Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Augustana is home to three culture houses on campus where students gather to study, meet, eat, and plan events.
– The Black Culture House
- Casa Latina
- The Asian Pagoda House
The Office of Multicultural Student Life also assists the following multicultural social and service organizations on campus:
L.O.V.E.
Phoenix
Other student culture groups at Augustana include:
Black Student Union (BSU)
Latinos Unidos (LU)
Asian Student Organization (ASO)
Muslim Student Association (MSA)
UNYK – Multicultural Dance Troupe
The Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity is committed to creating an inclusive campus community for all students, with an intentional focus on students of color and historically underserved students. We aim to empower students through holistic development and relevant programming.
