MU | Features
M ariam Aly Ibrahim says her parents in Cairo , Egypt , still don ’ t understand why she transferred from the American University in Cairo to Manchester University .
But she knows why . “ I wanted a small school where I could actually talk to my professors ,” says Mariam . “ This is perfect for me .”
One of the reasons MU is right for Aly Ibrahim are the people and programming she found at the Intercultural Center , a home away from home for MU ’ s growing number of students from diverse backgrounds – domestic and international .
The University soon will break ground for a new Intercultural Center at College Avenue and East Street and plans to name it in honor of educator and activist Jean Childs ’ 54 Young ( see related story ).
It will represent the fourth iteration of what started as the student-led AAFRO House in 1971 after a period of racial upheaval on campus .
A hub for students and multicultural programming , the new facility will feature a large multipurpose room , a “ living room ” space , an open-concept kitchen and dining area , a resource library and computer lab , and offices for the director and student staff .
returns the favor by helping Michael Dixon , director of intercultural services , provide orientation activities and a robust schedule of programming throughout the year . The events enrich the educational experiences for ethnically diverse students and create opportunities for the broader University to learn about the heritage and culture of these traditionally underrepresented groups .
“ The Intercultural Center is not ‘ us ’ or ‘ them ,’” says Dixon . “ It ’ s ‘ we .’ This is a ‘ we ’ place .”
Student groups organized under OMA include Black Student Union , Hispanos Unidos , African Student Association , Asian Awareness Association , United Sexualities and Genders and MU International Association . Regular events include the International Fair and Buffet ( on alternate years ), International Fashion Show , Martin Luther King Jr . Remembrance and Rededication Ceremony , and the weekly Power Hour , to name just a few .
Marilyn Godinez ’ 17 was president of Hispanos Unidos her senior year and says she found an openness on campus generally and at the Intercultural Center in particular . People are friendly and welcoming , she says , and they want to learn about differences . “ Manchester gives you that perspective .” When other students expressed an interest in her Mexican culture , she says it inspired her to explore it herself and it deepened her own appreciation for who she is .
The atmosphere at the Intercultural Center , currently a former residence on College Avenue , is friendly and relaxed . Students study , watch movies , play games and music , dance , prepare the comfort foods of their cultures and just talk . Most important , it ’ s a place for students to adjust to life at MU with other people who understand their experience . Most students of color come from urban areas and Manchester can be “ culture shock sometimes ,” says Ben Tapper ’ 12 , originally from Merrillville , Ind ., and now in seminary in Indianapolis .
Aly Ibrahim , a student assistant for the Office of Multicultural Affairs ( OMA ), says people at the Intercultural Center welcomed her when she arrived from Cairo . Now she
On Page 18 , Bijal Patel participates in the International Fashion Show . At right , students pose on the porch of the A . A . F . R . O . House , circa 1980 . At far right , students helping to prepare food for the International Buffet include ( from left ) Zarean Abdullah , Lawand Ismail , Pasand Abubakr and Hawyar Farooq .
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