Looking for academic resources, opportunities to connect with other students or simply a place to feel at home? The Heart of Campus Tour offers something for everyone. MSU is furthering its commitment to inclusion and advocacy through the Heart of Campus Tour–featuring new spaces dedicated to diverse and underrepresented students to support all identities across campus.

The tour took place Jan. 24 and 31, looking to wrap up this Friday, Feb. 7. It’s a firsthand experience of the newly renovated spaces designed to promote student success, inclusion and community. The route forms a heart on the campus map, starting at the MSU Union, continuing to the International Center and ending at the Multicultural Center. Inclusive of the Student Services Building as well, this path highlights the central spaces offering student-centered offices and resources. 

What’s New?
The tour kicked off at the MSU Union Jan. 27, featuring the newly remodeled Council of Advocacy for Marginalized Students space on the fourth floor. Formerly the Council of Progressive Students, the new CAMS space is designed to support the council and students of all identities, filled with meeting rooms, sensory rooms and areas for student advocacy groups to connect and collaborate. 

The second and third floors are home to new and improved Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging offices. Moving over from the Student Services Building, the Parent and Caregivers Resource Center can now be found on the east side of the MSU Union’s third floor. 

Additionally, the newly-formed Office of Education and Outreach will be moving into the famed, MOSAIC space on the second floor. Now the MOSAIC Center for Education and Outreach, the office will integrate three key units: Women and Gender Equity, Global Justice Education and Outreach, and Religious, Spiritual and Secular Identities. These spaces are focused on outreach, education, gender equity and fostering a more inclusive campus culture. 

The grand opening of the International Student Association headquarters took place the following Friday, Jan. 31. Located in the International Center, this space features offices and flexible furniture, designed to support students from around the world by facilitating shared experiences, mentorship, cultural exchange and connecting domestic and international communities. 

Finally, the long-awaited Multicultural Center ribbon cutting will take place Feb. 7. The space is open, airy and modern, featuring meeting rooms, a multipurpose room, a kitchenette, a large projector screen and multiple TV’s along with reservable hoteling spaces for student organizations and departments.The MSU MCC is the largest in the BIG10 and has been in the works for decades, with students leading advocacy efforts for a free-standing building from the beginning. 

Moving into the MCC, the Office of Multicultural Enrichment and Advocacy will manage operations of the building. Formerly the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions, OMEA is the latest chapter in the history of this important office, who’s history of support for minoritized students stretches back to the 1960s. Today, the histories of the office and advocacy for a free-standing MCC intersect to provide this important (and historic) resource for students moving forward. 

Check It Out!
Opening five inclusive spaces on campus within two weeks is a unique opportunity. It’s a chance to explore state-of-the-art buildings where Spartans will be creating memories and learning from each other for years to come. The tour encourages students to engage with resources designed to serve and support them–because they make the heart and soul of campus.

Learn more about DEIB at the MSU Union, ISA HQ and MCC.

Author: Olivia Williams, student communications assistant