The Heart of Campus Initiative aims to highlight many of the units and venues within the Division of Student Affairs. Initiated by departmental Associate Vice President Dr. Genyne Royal, a group of student leaders have been tabbed with producing programming to expose students and the MSU community to the wide range of important supportive services. In that aim, the Heart of Campus Initiative is hosting its first Fall Welcome Festival!

The festival takes place within the Student Services Building and its courtyard Saturday, Aug. 23 from 1–5 p.m. Attendees will enjoy fun games, a scavenger hunt, a bounce house, face painting, snacks vendors and more. A key part of the event is that Student Affairs staff, such as those from the Fraternity & Sorority Life as well as the Center for Veterans and Military-Affiliated Students among more, will be on hand to help students familiarize themselves with each of their services.

“The Heart of Campus Fall Welcome Festival provides a fun way to learn of these resources,” says International Relations senior and Heart of Campus planning committee member Lyra Opahlikhin. “[Attendees] get to talk to members of the staff and participate in some fun activities.”

While it’s a great way for incoming students to get familiar with these units, Marketing senior and fellow planning committee member Angel Noaks says there is value for all students to come socialize and find relevant areas of support.

“These are the offices that work diligently toward inclusivity, awareness and student wellness at MSU. I believe our goal for the Heart of Campus Initiative is to not only educate but to provide that space for students, especially incoming students but also returning students.”

Noaks also says that, despite everything that is happening in the headlines, it’s important for students who are wondering about potential changes to understand that these resources still exist — resources like the Office of Multicultural Enrichment and Advocacy and the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center.

Along with specific offices, venues themselves are also important resources. Legacies of advocacy are tied to places like the MSU Multicultural Center and the MOSAIC Center for Education and Outreach. The MSU Union has always been a staple for student experiences and is the home base for the University Activities Board among others.

Knowing and using these resources is important and can be vital for students to feel welcome and supported. For some, the committee says, these resources can make a big impact for retention. If it makes that difference for at least one student, the committee thinks it’s all worth it.

That worth is what made the planning so rewarding. Along with the prior two, the committee also included Sociology major Rafael Gordillo Serrano and Anthropology major Michael Singler.

“Determining what we wanted to do. From reaching out to partners and vendors to designing the shirts. The committee did everything,” adds Noaks. “When we finally get to see the event together, it’ll be well worth it. In the moment it was challenging, but [the impact] will be worth it.”

What is the Heart of Campus Initiative?
The Heart of Campus Initiative kicked off last spring semester with a tour of new or rebranded entities and moves to various spaces. Celebrating the then-recent move and rebrand of the Council for the Advocacy of Marginalized Students (formerly the Council of Progressive Students) to the MSU Union, the tour also celebrated the newly created Office of Education and Outreach and its move into the MOSAIC space on the second floor of the MSU Union — the space is now the MOSAIC Center for Education and Outreach. The tour culminated in the grand openings of the International Student Association headquarters in the International Center and the historic MSU Multicultural Center.

The venues — the MSU Union, the Student Services Building, the International Center, and the Multicultural Center — and the various offices and services within make up the Heart of Campus Initiative.