Multicultural Student Success

	D. Ekow King Director Office of Multicultural Student Success Campus Center 130 Albany, NY 12222 Office: 518-442-5566 Fax: 518-442-5589

Mission Statement
The Office of Multicultural Student Success is committed to developing and maintaining a culturally inclusive and supportive campus environment that promotes and enhances the academic excellence, personal growth and leadership development of African, Latino, Asian and Native American heritage (ALANA) students. The program enhances the University’s broad mission of excellence in education, research and public service through the counseling and mentorship of student leaders, the facilitation and co-sponsorship of educational, cultural awareness and social activities and by collaborating with academic offices on campus to ensure that our students benefit from the rich diversity at the University at Albany.

Programs And Services
- Leadership Development
Conduct annual student leadership retreat and other educational programs designed to enhance the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to exercise effective leadership. Advises the Multicultural Student Advisory Committee (MSAC) which is made up of elected, appointed and emerging student leaders of color on campus. The purpose of the organization is to assist students in recognizing their individual and collective influence. The Advisory Council seeks to foster a cooperative and supportive relationship among student leaders of color in an effort to create a greater sense of unity among the overall student population on campus. These student groups are listed as follows:

- Cultural and Social Programs
Sponsor and co-sponsor cultural, educational and social programs such as the Dr. Martin Luther King/African Heritage Month Luncheon, Annual National Latino Collegiate Conference and Asian Occasion.

- Pre-professional Opportunities
Provide information, placements and referrals for summer as well as academic year internship and laboratory research assistant opportunities.

- Recognition Programs
Sponsor the annual Dr. Seth W. Spellman Achievement Awards recognizing the accomplishments of African, Latino, Asian and Native American heritage students in the areas of scholarship, leadership and community service.

- Recruitment
Co-sponsor campus visitation programs in cooperation with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and participate in college nights, recruitment fairs, and related recruitment and admission activities.

- Counseling
Professional staff and peer student staff provide information and advice on personal and social matters and make referrals to other campus and community resources as appropriate; professional staff monitor student academic progress and recommend strategies for improving academic performance.

- Academic Support
Work collaboratively with the Office of Academic Support Services to inform students of upcoming seminars and workshops on note taking, test preparation, time and task management and other classroom and study skills.

- Career Services
Work collaboratively with Career Services and other professional agencies to coordinate seminars designed to prepare students for professional careers. The seminars include mock interviews, resume preparation and critique, networking skills, and acquiring internships. Also provide assistance in preparing for GRE, MCAT and LSAT exams.

MSAC
The Multicultural Student Advisory Council (MSAC) is made up of elected, appointed and emerging student leaders of color on campus. The purpose of the organization is to assist students in recognizing their individual and collective influence. The Advisory Council seeks to foster a cooperative and supportive relationship among student leaders of color in an effort to create a greater sense of unity among the overall student population on campus.

By providing opportunities for leadership development and guidance around activities and issues, the Office of Multicultural Student Success (OMSS) assists student organizations in being as effective as possible. In turn, the members of the Multicultural Student Advisory Council keep OMSS informed of student concerns and activities.

The Advisory Council meets monthly to discuss current issues and strategize about collective action. In addition, MSAC members inform one another of upcoming events and seek to schedule programs and meetings in ways that do not conflict with other MSAC member organizations.

Each fall, OMSS sponsors a retreat for student leaders of color. Additionally, OMSS offers a one-day retreat at the start of the spring semester and a variety of leadership seminars throughout the year. Periodically, MSAC holds events to bring respective member communities together.

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