Welcome
The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) is committed to building a diverse and inclusive campus. Through its comprehensive programs and services, OMA fosters an appreciation and respect for the history, tradition, and culture of different ethnic groups, and empowers students to be active learners. Engage with us through participation in our cultural heritage celebrations, student support services, and social justice efforts.
Land Acknowledgement
The Office of Multicultural Affairs collaborates with partners across the university and beyond to cultivate a campus community in which historically oppressed communities can succeed and thrive at GVSU. We work to ensure that students, faculty, and staff can find a deep sense of belonging on our campus. In our work, we center those who are oppressed including Indigenous people. We are committed to unlearning settler colonial frameworks and learning wise practices that center Indigenous knowledge and culture. We are committed to allocating resources, both financial and staff / student positions, for Indigenous programming, furthering Indigenous student support, fostering community partnerships, and developing intersectional events that cultivate Indigenous allyship.
Today, we would like to recognize the People of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Bodawademi peoples on whose land we are gathered on today. The Three Fires People are Indigenous to this land which means that this is their ancestral territory. Every university in this country was built on Indigenous land. We conduct land acknowledgments as a reminder of the histories, teachings, traditions, and the first people who originated here and who tend to Mshkiikii (land/earth) always.
We conduct these acknowledgments to be good visitors, as these were always done before colonial contact. To continue to be good visitors, we have the responsibility to learn about the history of settler colonialism and its impact on Indigenous people.
Visit the Land Acknowledge page for more information and resources from the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
Schedule An Appointment
Our professional staff members offer one on one student success coaching, assisting with academic, personal, career and cultural adjustments to a university setting. Appointments are available on the Allendale and Grand Rapids Pew Campus. Directions for scheduling appointment on Navigate can be found here.
Cultural Programming
The Office of Multicultural Affairs acknowledges and celebrates the diverse cultures on campus through
the academic year via cultural heritage month celebrations. Engage with us this Fall as we celebrate Native American and Hispanic Heritage.
Laker Connections
Asian Student Achievement Program, Black Excellence, Black Male Scholars, Laker Familia, and Mno’chigewin: Native Student Success Program are designed to create an environment where students can achieve their full potential at GVSU while being their authentic selves. These programs are a reflection of our values of inclusiveness and diversity and our
core mission of student success.
Social Justice
OMA encourages the campus to embrace a social justice and intersectional identity approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Get connected through Conversations of Color, Intersections Ambassadors, or OMA Ambassadors.