When George Washington University junior Victoria Goncalves arrived on campus three years ago, she felt a little lost without a community that she thought understood her Latino identity.
Her search for a community began and ended with a visit to a cozy townhouse at 2127 G St., NW—the Multicultural Student Services Center (MSSC).
Looking back, the Venezuela-born, Miami-raised political science major says that she would not have been able to fully embrace her identity as a Colonial without the freedom to celebrate her identity as a Latino American student.
“My first experience at the MSSC was through the Organization of Latino American Students (OLAS) where I met upperclassmen who became my mentors,” Ms. Goncalves said. “I was having a hard time feeling like I belonged at GW, and the MSSC helped me feel like I had a home and a community here because the staff was looking out for me and wanted to help me succeed."
Mutlicultural Student Services Director Michael Tappscott (center) joins Division of Student Affairs administrators and staff on the dance floor at the MSSC's annual block party.
Ms. Goncalves’ story—of finding a “home away from home” in the MSSC is common among students who gather at the center each day. They come to use the discounted printing stations in the hallway, check out books and DVDs from the cultural resources library, joke around with friends and meet with one of the nearly 100 cultural and religious student organizations that use the center and its resources.
“Going to the MSSC is not just about business and planning events, sometimes it's about sharing a meal, needing a hug or having a safe space to vent, laugh or study,” Ms. Goncalves said.
“It is a place where you can study in a quiet room, seek academic support, plan a student event, make friends, find a mentor and have meaningful dialogues about identity all in the same day and the same place—there's nowhere else like it on campus,” she added.
After three years, Ms. Goncalves has become a leader in OLAS and helps to plan the Latino Heritage Celebration held annually Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. It is one of MSSC’s six signature themed months of cultural activities held during the academic year.
This year, the Latino Heritage Celebration features keynote speaker Lucy Flores, a Latina, high school dropout and former gang member who went on to earn a law degree from the University of Southern California. She previously served as a state legislator in Nevada for four years. She is now running in the Democratic primary for a seat in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District.
According to MSSC Director Michael Tapscott, each heritage celebration incorporates diverse perspectives on race, ethnicity, religion, gender. He said that the goal is to encourage conversation and relationships among all students, so that they can be allies for one another and feel confident celebrating their identity. That confidence helps to strengthen their relationships, he said.
“We know that building a strong alumni community starts with enhancing the student experience, and here at the Multicultural Student Services Center, we are able to achieve that by supporting our students,” Mr. Tapscott said. “Whether they are minority students or majority students, our doors are open so that they can discuss the issues that are important in their lives, find the resources they need or just hang out."
Former Nevada state legislator Lucy Flores will serve as the keynote speaker for the university's Latino Heritage Celebration.
“If you’re coming to hang out or to meet people, around 2 p.m. is always good,” he said, laughing.
GW senior Travis McCown, LGBT Resource Center student coordinator, said that the MSSC’s welcoming atmosphere is achieved through open discussion and active listening. As freshman, Mr. McCown initially grappled with the idea of being a “white person in the MSSC.” But after visiting, he felt at home.
“At first I wondered, ‘Is this even a space for me? How can I come in and be a friend and ally?” Mr. McCown said. “But the staff and the students involved are so invested in making this an integrated space where people care that you feel at home very quickly.
“At the MSSC people boldly proclaim who and what they are and that’s what makes it so special. People are interested in listening and leaning about different places and different upbringings,” he said.
As the school year goes on, Mr. McCown said, he hopes that students will consider stopping by the MSSC because it could be a visit that changes their college experiences for the better.
“For students who are nervous and wondering if the MSSC is for them, the answer is yes,” he said. “This is your school, and we are all your fellow Colonials.”
Want to get involved? Kick off the year with a celebration of Latino culture and traditions during the MSSC Latino Heritage Celebration.
Keynote Address: Lucy Flores
Sept. 15, 7 p.m., Jack Morton Auditorium
Congressional candidate Lucy Flores will share how hard work and determination took her from a high school dropout to serving as a state legislator in Nevada for four years. RSVP online.
Latinas of Excellence y Café con Conexiones
Sept. 22, 6 p.m., School of Media and Public Affairs, Room B07
Panel discussion and networking session with four Latinas who prove that career success does not come at the cost of sacrificing cultural identity.
Lens on Latin America
Sept. 24, 6:30 p.m., Marvin Center, Amphitheater
Join MSSC for a discussion of Cuban-American relations and how the United States and can work to improve communication with global Latino communities.
Real Conversations: The Talk
Sept. 30, 7 p.m., Marvin Center, Room 402
The Real Conversation series takes an intersectional look at Latino cultural norms regarding sex, love and relationship during this intimate discussion, which includes an exploration of LGBTQIA issues and interracial relationships.