The latest addition to the MSU campus is a historic one. After years of construction and even more decades of student advocacy, the MSU Multicultural Center (MCC) is set to officially open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house Friday, Feb. 7. 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is by invite and takes place at 2 p.m. The public is welcome to attend the open house at 3:30 p.m., immediately following the ceremony. Attendees to the open house can tour the 34,000-square-foot facility and learn about its amenities and resources designed to support all MSU students with a focus on those from minoritized and disadvantaged backgrounds. 

“The building represents so much to so many. It’s nice to have it operating so that it can serve the students moving forward, yes, but also so that those who advocated for it in the past can point it out to their descendants,” says Office of Multicultural Enrichment and Advocacy (OMEA) Director Samuel Saldivar. As announced in the fall, OMEA is housed in the MCC and will manage the facility. 
“Their influence was once an idea. Now it’s an actual resource. That says so much about their collective power and advocacy at Michigan State University. It can impact students even decades later.”

Even before an actual facility, the MCC has had a storied history, and it’s one to be honored. Stretching as far back as the civil rights movement, students have advocated for a free-standing facility for decades. After MSU opened an official multicultural center in the basement of the MSU Union in 1999, the center has had additional moves and variations, each to better accommodate the needs of students in that time.

Students, particularly within the Coalition of Racial/Ethnic Students (CORES), continued to advocate through the years and insist a free-standing facility was necessary. More recently, students within the Council of Progressive Students (COPS) joined the chorus of campus-wide voices that also included some faculty, staff, and alumni in supporting a free-standing building, ultimately culminating in the historic facility now gracing the corners of Shaw and Farm lanes. 

It’s in the heart of campus for a reason. Since its initial inception, the center has played an important role for students. Fostering inclusivity and belonging for many from underprivileged and marginalized backgrounds, the MCC has served as a home away from home. 

"We want students to know that whatever marginalized or minoritized identifies they hold, you belong here." says Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Genyne Royal.  “The MCC is a symbol as much as it is a resource. It was built very intentionally to meet modern student needs.”

The MSU community is welcome to visit and learn more about all of its amenities at the open house. More information on the opening festivities and access to a livestream of the event can be found on the MCC website.