Marshall’s new Intercultural Center will provide a haven for students from all walks of life to come together and connect.
When Maurice Cooley was a student at Marshall in the 1960s, he said the only place he and other Black students had to gather and meet new people was a bench next to the maple tree in front of Hodges Hall. But for Cooley, Marshall’s vice president of intercultural and student affairs, something he could never have imagined back then has come to fruition: an Intercultural Center. It’s a rewarding achievement for the university administrator who will be retiring this summer.
“My hope is that all of our students will come together in this newly designed space to build bridges and relationships with people from all walks of life,” Cooley said. “There, they will be influenced by others, learn from others and walk the pathway towards leadership in a globally rich society. Marshall grads will become messengers and guardians toward a socially and racially inclusive world in which we live and work with others.”
The concept of interculturalism has evolved over time in both the broader world and at Marshall. When the office was first created on campus it was called Multicultural Affairs. Then, eight years ago when he was named associate vice president of that office, Cooley suggested the name be changed to the Office of Intercultural Affairs.
“Multiculturalism is designed for people from all cultures to learn about our differences, including your ethics, your customs and your worries,” Cooley explained. “Interculturalism is when people come together to grow and learn and influence each other. Therefore, multiculturalism is built inside of the movement of interculturalism.”
You can see that evolution at Marshall through the spaces each group has occupied over the years. First there was one room in the Memorial Student Center that served as the Center for African American Students. Eventually it served all minority student groups. Then a space for LGBTQ+ students was added in the basement. Today, Cooley said, Marshall has some 200 clubs representing student organizations from all over the world. As such, a much larger place to gather was desperately needed.
Now, the Intercultural Center will house them all. Located on campus in the East Hall, it will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, and meetings can be scheduled on weekends.
While the building encompasses about 6,000 square feet, not all of it is occupied by the Intercultural Center. It shares the first floor with Marshall’s Center for Student Success, and a large space on the lower floor houses the English Language Institute.
The Intercultural Center’s spaces include beautifully appointed meeting, learning and lounging rooms for the Center for African American Students, the LGBTQ+ office and the Office of International Student Services. Each room is appropriately decorated with graphic wall designs by Paris Signs. Wall computers connect to table stations for student meetings. The computer lab holds eight computers, which students can use free of charge. The World Learning and Resource Center holds a library full of books and movies on diverse cultures and can seat up to 30 for larger meetings. Downstairs is the prayer and meditation room and the World Boutique, which offers clothing, shoes and toiletries for all students.
“The prayer and meditation room is the most used space in the building,” said Shaunte Polk, director of Intercultural and International Students. “It’s important to note that this center is for everyone on campus, and not just for specific groups. For example, our new World Café is where the entire university population is encouraged to come to have snacks or lunch while meeting and learning from the broadly diverse student body at Marshall.”
Polk described the International Center as a “one-stop shop” for diversity experiences.
“We plan to host programs and events that are going to be centered here instead of different locations around campus,” Polk explained. “We recently celebrated Chinese New Year here. We had students from different backgrounds come and support this amazing event. It was wonderful to see them all gathered here.”
Polk said she believes that part of the success of the center will rest with its neighbors. The Center for Student Success brings in students from all across campus, including many who may not have any other reason to interact with the diverse students the center will draw.
Cooley agrees.
“I think it turned out nicely that we didn’t occupy the whole building,” Cooley noted. “The students who are a part of the English Language Institute and the Center for Student Success are also in the same environment as the Intercultural Center. The Intercultural Center students will invariably learn about these programs. Eventually the center will influence how different groups of students come together, socialize and learn about each other in a beautifully designed setting.”
When that happens, Cooley said he will feel his mission has been accomplished.
“The majority of young people at Marshall are not minorities or international students,” he explained. “But the role of a university is to prepare students from all walks of life for the future, and that involves exposing them to as many learning and socialization opportunities as possible. I’ve been fortunate to be a part of many exciting developments at this university, and I think this center is probably the best because it will have the greatest impact.”
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About the Author: Carter Seaton is an author and freelance writer living in Huntington.
Photos (from top):
Maurice Cooley, vice president of intercultural and student affairs, and Shaunte Polk, director of intercultural and international students, want people to know the new Intercultural Center is for everyone on campus and not just for specific groups.
The Intercultural Center’s spaces include beautifully appointed meeting, learning and lounging rooms. Each is appropriately decorated with graphic wall designs by Paris Signs.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony held April 12, 2022, served as the official opening of the Intercultural Center, which promotes inclusion and cultural understanding.