Before fall semester began, 275 students attended Kupita/Transiciones, a four-day orientation that has been hosted by the Student Multicultural Center since 1988.
The program helps African-American, Latino-American and Native-American first-year and transfer students transition to , with activities that introduce educational, cultural and social aspects of the university.
Michael Daniels, the center’s program coordinator, says this experience helps students develop a greater sense of their cultural identity and that of others.
“I felt a sense of belonging once I went through Kupita,” says Emanuel Jackson, a junior public relations major who now volunteers as a student mentor. “It was a deciding factor for me to stay at .”
After (which translates to “passing” in Swahili) Natalia Roman, a senior applied communication major, got involved with diversity initiatives on campus. That led to an internship with the Student Multicultural Center—fulfilling a graduation requirement. “I tell students to stay open, meet a lot of people and get involved as much as possible.”
—Lauren Rathmell ’17