Multicultural Center | The Centers for Student Access, Community, and Intercultural Engagement

Located on the top floor of the Viking Union, the Multicultural Center is a great place to hang out and build community, access resources and guidance, study, and participate in programs and club meetings. Come check it out!

About the MCC

The Multicultural Center (MCC) is home to several departments and programs whose services center students with marginalized identities. Here you’ll find Multicultural Student Services, including the Ethnic Student Center and Blue Resource Center, and LGBTQ+ Western, including the LGBTQ+ student lounge in VU 722. You’ll also find some of our great partners who aren’t part of the Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit, including the Tribal Liaison, and Director of Student Resilience.

The MCC includes lots of space to study and hang out, a community kitchen, meeting rooms, a library, and a quiet reflection/meditation space.

VU 722 decorated with pride flags, and events bulliten board, and rainbow pillows on a grey couch

The LGBTQ+ Lounge in VU 722

Stairway at the entrance to the Multicultural Center

The MCC entrance

a group of professional staff who work in the MCC. From left to right, Ayanna Phillips, Tulea Enochs, Litav Langley, JoeHahn, Amelia Flores, Chelsea Joefield, Laural Ballew, Nia Gipson, Amy Salinas Westmoreland, simone-calais staley

MCC staff group photo. From left to right, Ayanna Phillips, Tulea Enochs, Litav Langley, JoeHahn, Amelia Flores, Chelsea Joefield, Laural Ballew, Nia Gipson, Amy Salinas Westmoreland, simone-calais staley

Doorway leading to Multicultural Services offices

MCC staff offices

Welcome desk at Ethnic Student Center entrance

The MCC reception area

History of the MCC

Western’s Ethnic Student Center (ESC), a coalition of cultural clubs centering the experiences of students with marginalized racial and ethnic identities, was founded in 1991 as a student-led organization within Western’s Associated Students. Knowing that the prior location of the ESC on the fourth floor of the Viking Union was inadequate, Western students advocated and worked hard to create the MCC. A team of students and staff worked with architects on design of the space, visiting other university cultural centers in the northwest to inform the design of Western’s space.

The Multicultural Center opened in Fall 2019, creating expanded space for the Ethnic Student Center, Student Advocacy and Identity Resource Center (SAIRC) offices, and offices for some staff whose primary job responsibilities are in the areas of access, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As we build the new Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit of Enrollment and Student Services, we are transitioning the student employee positions that made up the SAIRC offices into the related departments of the ADEI Unit. You can read more about this change here. Over time, use of the space in what was SAIRC area will change to reflect this improved structure for services that center BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled students.