For years the Ohio University Lindley Cultural Center's goal has been to provide a welcoming atmosphere for minorities at Ohio University. This year, Lindley will provide the same services, but to almost twice as many students, center Director Linda Daniels said.
Last year there were 657 undergraduate and graduate black students at OU. Only 50 of those students were freshmen. This year, the freshman class alone includes 307 minorities, 191 of which are black, Daniels said.
She attributes some of the increase to the Urban Scholars Program. Although only 13 students received financial aid through the program, it brought 90 students to visit the campus last year.
Some of those people may have never thought of OU as an option before the Urban Scholars Program
Daniels said. Exposure of OU was also increased in many urban communities because of the program's presence.
In order to welcome the incoming multicultural students, the center is having its annual Opening the Way program at 7 p.m. today in the Walter Hall Rotunda.
The program will begin with a welcome from Dean of Students Terry Hogan, followed by remarks from OU President Roderick McDavis and Christine Taylor, assistant to the president for diversity. It will conclude with a reception where students can meet the many faculty and administrators that will be in attendance, Daniels said.
Opening the Way provides students with a support network and offers them the opportunity to meet faculty and administration who can provide mentorship throughout their college career said Angela Davis, assistant director of the cultural center.
This year the center will provide the same programs, highlighted with more mainstream keynote speakers, Daniels said.
In the past we've brought in older speakers and focused more on the historical perspective Daniels said. This year we're bringing in younger speakers who might be more well-known to students.
The center will be sponsoring speeches by Catalina magazine owner Cathy Areu, who will appear later this month for Hispanic Heritage Month, and poet and political activist Amiri Baraka, who will be the main speaker at the annual Kwanzaa dinner in November. Journalist and author Jeff Chang and world-renowned poet and feminist Nikki Giovanni also will appear later in the year.
Daniels said the center's expansion in the new student center also will help accommodate the influx of multicultural students. The cultural center will include a computer room, conference area, lounge and gallery.
-Dwayne Steward
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