The Office of Multicultural Student Programming
Since its establishment on the University of Kentucky campus in 1971, the Office of Multicultural Student Programming [formerly the Office of Minority Student Affairs], has offered programs and services designed to foster a campus environment which values genuine diversity and fosters cross-cultural understanding. Our goal is to enhance the entire university’s appreciation for the critical importance that cultural competence plays in the development of successful, enlightened students who are prepared to function effectively in the global economy. The office also strives to improve the overall quality of life for all students by developing and implementing educational, cultural, and leadership development programs which support the university’s efforts to recruit, retain, and graduate students of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
The office provides individual advisement, guidance and counsel for ethnically diverse students in areas related to academic success, employment and career opportunities, problem-solving and successful adjustment to campus life. The annual FallFest and the Lyman T. Johnson Awards & Recognition Banquet are but two of the many programs sponsored to support the success of students of African American, Latino, and Native American heritage. The office also collaborates regularly with many other academic programs, university offices and student organizations in planning events that support the creation of a more welcoming, inclusive campus climate and advance the value of multiculturalism and diversity.
The Office of Multicultural Student Programming also provides staff assistance and organizational support to a wide range of student organizations in planning events, projects and activities of special relevance to the University’s ethnically diverse student body including the following:
- The Black Student Union [BSU]
- Black Voices
- Latino American Student Organization [LASO]
- Black Graduate & Professional Student Association [BGPSA]
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People [NAACP]
- The Pinnacle Multicultural Newsletter
Other programs and services offered by this office include:
Community Outreach
The office also serves as a liaison between the university and the central Kentucky community thru its professional affiliation with such organizations as the Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice, The Jazz Arts Foundation, Federal Medical Center, The Isaac Scott Hathaway Museum, Fayette County Schools, the Bluegrass-Aspendale Teen Center and others.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance
The Office of Multicultural Student Programming also provides leadership to the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance. [hyperlink to MLK Holiday website]. The annual MLK celebration, co-sponsored by the university and the Lexington Urban Fayette County Government, is a major event in the cultural life of central Kentucky, attracting over 3,500 persons to its annual march and commemorative program. Keynote speakers have included the late Ossie Davis, former Congressman Ron Dellums, the acclaimed theologian Dr. Renita Weems, Essence magazine editor Susan Taylor, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland at Baltimore County and many more.
Spotlight Jazz Series
The UK Spotlight Jazz Series is the longest-running collegiate jazz performance series in the country. Established in 1979, the series has been described by some reviewers as “ a multicultural gold mine”, featuring top-tier, internationally renowned artists supported by large, diverse audiences over its 28 year history. After a 3-year hiatus, the series will be renewed in Fall, 2008 under a new partnership between the Office of Multicultural Programming and the Singletary Center for the Arts.
Staff
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Chester GrundyDirector555 Patterson Office Tower 257-5642 / 229 |